Best tips for event coverage with Liveblogs

The excitement is palpable. The anticipation of the long awaited heavyweight rematch. The hostile atmosphere in the weigh-in room. The jostling, the shouting, the traded insults. You’re not actually there. But you feel as though you are, as you follow real-time events through the live blog feed. This is a taster of how influential live blogging can be. This blog post aims to explore some of the key elements needed to ensure a successful live blogging experience – from common sense pragmatism, to best software options. Let’s jump to it.

Live blog software essentials

Before any live blogging can be attempted, you need a platform. At Norkon Computing Systems, we have developed a real-time blogging platform that has a host of features designed to capture and engage the targeted audience. These include:

Bespoke Design. Full integration with the rest of your website. No constraints with templates and pre-designed themes

Post Visuals. Create imaginative and engaging visuals, such as sports scorecards, interactive maps or counters using Live Center’s Extension functionality

Multi-Platform compliant. Mobile friendly, allowing you to blog directly in real-time through your mobile device

Multi-Media compatibility, allowing the operator to embed social media, text, audio, video and, images

Tried-and-tested. The format has been used successfully by Norway’s largest financial newspaper, particularly in the live newsroom environment. The Platform is intuitive, and requires little to no training

Live Center is not just for large scale, enterprise-level news rooms. Through our four subscriptions, each with its unique benefits, it is scaled to fit any news and media outlet.

Benefits of live blogging

The uses of live blogging are manifold. From live traffic reports, political debates, real time court reporting, promotional events or breaking news. If done well, live blogging creates an intense feeling of immediacy and audience intimacy. It can be used to relay major disasters, giving updates on the injured or those who have been found alive and well. With more people using portable media the future for live blogging looks assured.

Preparing for your live blog…

If you are covering a live event, it’s helpful to check these ground rules before you start your live blog:

Ensure adequate signal coverage at the event. Whether Wi-Fi, mobile data, or hotspot. Check the environment prior to the event if you can.

Decide on what content you will be posting. What type of information are you broadcasting? Text? Video? Photos?

Where are you posting? Try to use an existing blog if possible, linking/tagging  the new event.

Be thorough. Check facts, spelling and grammar before you hit the live send button. Ensure SEO keyword requirements for maximum searchability.

Use Downtime wisely. Promote upcoming articles, show links to relevant content, or recap on the main points of the blog. New users will be joining the blog at different times and they will need to be updated. Use Q&A sessions to engage your audience. Make sure they feel like participants.

Review and reflect. What went well?  What engaged the audience most effectively? What could be done better? Was the software suitable for the live blogging experience?mbination of a suitable live blogging platform, sensible blogging advice and hard work should ensure the successful growth of your live blog coverage.

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