Matt Yglesias Discusses the Importance of Blogging

Update your blog frequently, find a niche, and market your content to other blogs and media organizations, Matt Yglesias, a prominent progressive blogger and fellow at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, told a group of student journalists from Campus Progress’ journalism network.

Yglesias led the inaugural conference call open exclusively to CP network members, fielding questions from student editors and writers alike about issues like how to get noticed in the blogosphere, select a good site design, and generate interest in blogging among writers focused on print or long-form journalism.

The call’s official title was “The Importance of Blogging.” Yglesias provided several justifications for his argument that blogging couldn’t be more important for student journalists.

“Campus journalism has evolved less rapidly toward the internet than [professional] media because college journalists are insulated from economic trends that exist in the broader climate,” Yglesias told the students. “In terms of where the journalistic growth is, and where young people are getting hired, it’s almost certainly going to be online.”

“It’s in the interest of progressives as a movement to think more seriously about developing new media skills as quickly as possible,” he added.

Campus Progress already requires all of its grantees to regularly maintain web presences, and new media training is a core component of our mandatory summer training summit. But many grantees still emphasize their print product or use websites only to reproduce their print content.

Below are some highlights from the call. Considering the numerous positive Twitter evaluations, it was successful enough that we’re hoping to schedule more in the coming months. Stay tuned!

Yglesias discusses how to motivate a staff with a print-journalism mindset to embrace the web:

It may feel toolish, but marketing your content is imperative for success, Yglesias explains:

Yglesias comments on CP grantee North by Northwestern’s innovative Flash interactive, Cops vs. Streakers, and what it says about how to build an audience online:

The difference between individual and group blogs, in Yglesias’ eyes:

The importance of your blog’s design:

A student asks: Is the establishment media co-opting the blogosphere? Yglesias responds:

Yglesias comments on long-form versus short-form writing, online and off:

David Spett is the Journalism Network Associate at Campus Progress.

Related Stories

• During President Obama’s Visit, UNC Students Discuss #DontDoubleMyRate
• In Conference Call, President Obama Addresses Stafford Loan Rate Issue
• Student: Congress Needs to Act on Stafford Loan Rate
• Student Debt Bubble Should No Longer Be Ignored
• Reporter at Campus Progress Publication Gains National Recognition