5 Tips to Future-proof Your Career in Journalism

Are you in love with the camera and dream of hogging the limelight? Or, are you amongthe rare breed of modern crusaders who, armed with their mikes and cameras, aim tobreak a story that can impact the lives of millions; maybe billions? If your answer is a“yes”, then journalism jobs are your calling. As journalism profiles become more andmore dynamic, being presentable in front of the camera and your ability to tell a storywould not be enough to help you survive in this increasingly competitive industry. Tohelp, this blog discusses five useful tips to help you pursue a successful career injournalism.

1. Blog YourWay to Glory

How many times have a guest post enamored us and we start following the writer onTwitter, Facebook and other social media platforms? Many a time, for sure. That’s thepower of blogging. You too can start your own blog; a personal space where you canshare stories, ideas, trends, and life events. You can also try collaborating with otherpeople online, or join an existing blog, if your job is keeping you extra busy and youdon’t have enough time to start your own virtual mouthpiece. The skills that you possessas a blogger will help you score extra points with your employer and boost your resume,thereby projecting you as someone who is not only adept at breaking news, but can alsoweave interesting and engaging storylines.

2. Study Tweets to Get Your Next Big Story

Twitter is a huge and unending reservoir of stories that you can work upon to get yournext breaking news. The social networking site is used by millions of people worldwideand scanning tweets can help you learn more about any regional or internationalhappening that has the potential to impact the lives of people. A word of caution though;while using Twitter always let the journalist inside you take precedence over thestoryteller that’s craving for a story. It is therefore, imperative that you learn everythingabout the news source to ensure its authenticity, and cross check the information beforegoing ahead with your decision to work on the story. After all you won’t want an error ofjudgement tarnish your image, and project you as a journalist who promotessensationalism.

3. Work on Gaining SEO Skills

A successful journalist, apart from knowing how to identify the stories to push, alsopossesses skills that will help them optimize their work and improve the discoverabilityof their stories. By learning how to use keywords accurately, you’ll have a distinctadvantage over other professionals who might be good storytellers, but are limited bytheir inability to use Search Engine Optimization to their advantage. The next time yourSEO specialist starts optimizing articles, we suggest you grab a chair next to them tolearn more about the tricks of the trade.

4. Improve the Readability of YourArticles

Bored of reading gigantic paragraphs or is information overload killing your desire toskim through a particular story? Remember, the same is applicable to your readers. Makeyour stories more presentable and streamlined by providing relevant information to yourconsumers, if possible in an easy-to-consume listicle format. The secret here is to keepyour writing as short and simple as possible, to help users skim the information that isrelevant to them. You’ll be delighted with the results and thank us when you’ll receive anumber of emails appreciating your work.

5. Get a Hang of Tagging

Wonder why certain news articles attract more traffic than others? Of course, thesignificance of the news and its presentation are two of the most significant aspects thatdecide the virality of a story, but that’s not the end of the line. Tagging your content withthe right keywords is probably the most important thing you need to do, apart fromworking on creating high quality content relevant to your target audiences. Taggingcontent will help your readers find your news and is a sure way of attracting more visitorsto your articles.

Final Words

The most intriguing fact about future events is that no one can predict them withpin-point accuracy, especially with regards to as dynamic an industry as media. You can,however, take the above steps to ensure that you’re ready to face future challenges and

beat the competition. Whether you’re a beginner in the mainstream media industry or aveteran looking to make it big; we, at ActingKeeda, can help you explore and choosefrom various journalism jobs complementing your profile. Contact us today to apply foran opening or learn more about how we can help shape your career.