ASBPE National Blog

446 Articles Can’t Be Wrong

2009-11-09T06:45:00.002-05:00

By Howard Rauch

Routine E-news Coverage Will Be Our Downfall!!

This commentary is based on the 50-site e-news survey I just finished and is a combination of my e-news philosophy and information that I found during the study that goes against that philosophy.

Reaction A: “Wow!!! What a terrific article!!”

Reaction B: “These people just don’t get it?!!?”

These two outbursts – clearly at opposite ends of the opinion poll – came to mind often depending upon whose e-news I was evaluating. The occasion of this evaluation was the several months spent conducting a 50-site study of B2B e-news delivery. Unfortunately, the former reaction was rare. The latter squawk occurred more often as I examined 446 e-news articles encompassing dozens of B2B industries.

Was the anguish justified? Maybe not. It depends upon which e-news philosophy you embrace. Mine is simple enough. No matter what day it is, breaking news highlighted in e-newsletters must be “best in show” calibre. Specifically, when assessing the presence of urgency on the basis of being High, Medium or Low, there is no room for Low. Knowingly or not, that is what we all signed up for when we embraced the web. Further, if enterprise is being judged on the basis of High, Medium or Low, “No” is not an option. Even so, two-thirds of the articles rated were in the “No” category.

Of course, there are obvious reasons – we all know them – why “best in show” remains elusive. “Time” tops the list. “Resources” also is up there somewhere. Most of us have had to add website responsibilities to a job description that includes print, show business and, most recently, digital. In some cases, the need to deliver hot news on a regular basis is a new adventure for veteran staffs.

With all this, we must do everything possible to avoid making routine coverage a regular habit. Here are five items … some major, others admittedly minor … that we might consider as we plan future e-news:

(1) Every e-newsletter edition must lead off with dynamite coverage. What is dynamite? Try this: When it came to reporting regulatory news, most items rehashed a press release and stopped there. On rare occasions, writers saw the wisdom of producing a reaction story. In at least one case, the staff in question definitely was hard pressed in terms of workload. But the desire to excel won out and a terrific reaction story was the result. When evaluated during my study, the article earned 89 out of a possible 100 points, making it number two out of 446 on the e-news delivery scale. The “best in show” article scored a remarkable 98. Most articles fell into the 40-50-point range.

(2) Clearly distinguish your coverage from competitors’. Before starting this blog, I was running some “like item” analysis as part of a competitive analysis project. “Like item” refers to how two competitive sites cover an identical event. In the case of one article, it immediately was clear that both parties rewrote the same news release. Even the quotes were exactly the same. Unfortunately, this happens a lot. It’s lack of enterprise coming back to haunt us.

(3) Make statistical articles more digestible. Numbers generate hot news, so it’s no surprise e-news reports often focus on the latest survey results. However, when you run a 600-700 word article that recites all sorts of percentage increases and decreases, you’ll probably lose the reader. Instead, follow the “one picture is worth 1,000 words” principle and run one or more quick-read charts.

(4) Use at least one stimulating quote in every article. Quote-barren articles definitely are insufficient if we’re looking to engage e-news visitors.

(5) Ban “source first, news next” articles. Yes, I keep harping on this one. If a person’s name, title and affiliation use up 11 words or more, please don’t launch an article with that albatross weighing it down. One factor measured in my survey is lead value. This is the number of words wasted before a key story point is reached. Most articles reviewed were pretty good, meaning the key point was made within ten words. But there were enough cases where anywhere between 20 and 150 words elapsed before a meaningful connection was made. “Source first” was the culprit in almost every case.

Tweeting from Digital Symposium

2009-11-06T14:15:00.003-05:00

If you can't be here, the next best thing is get the Tweets. Follow us on Twitter at #asbpe.

What are we doing today? ASBPE's Digital Symposium and Azbee Awards Luncheon in San Francisco. We're learning how to:

- Leverage the power of B2B social communities
- Organize print and online B2B editorial teams
- Write for search, navigation and the B2B reader
- Obtain information and tips from the ASBPE Web Site of the Year case study

And much more. So, come check out our Tweets.

Finding Alternatives to One-size-fits-all Advertising

2009-11-05T06:37:00.009-05:00

By Jim Carper

If I want to buy a car, Toyota offers a Corolla, Camry and Lexus. If I go on vacation, Marriott offers me the choice of a Fairfield Inn, Courtyard by Marriott and JW Marriott.

But if I want to buy advertising space, magazine publishers offer one choice. (Two actually: Take it or leave it.) B2B publishers don't offer a good-better-best option. They publish one magazine.

How do we serve the would-be advertisers who can't afford even the smallest page rate? It's not like these firms don't believe in advertising, they just can't afford your rates. So they turn to the cheapest publication in the competitive set. If that's not you, you are missing out on revenue.

There is no good-better-best option in B2B. Publishers force advertisers to buy the entire circulation. That's like Macy's making me buy one of everything in its men's department when all I can afford are socks and underwear.

Publishers need to create a "good" product to complement their "better" flagship publication. Publishers have two assets — their circulation and their editorial content. They need to exploit both and recombine them into new publications.

Here is an opportunity to use the pending names in the circulation file. You’ve paid to acquire the names; you might as well use them now instead of waiting for a subscriber to drop out.

Your good product comes with less circulation; thus, ad rates are priced accordingly. This magazine has lower paper, postage and printing needs. You select the names in the circ file according to criteria that make the most sense for your market. You could build a list taking every an Nth name. A better decision-making approach is to be customer-focused. Ask the would-be advertisers who they want to reach and go from there.

A good car has no power windows, GPS navigation systems and DVD players. Your good magazine has neither frequency bonuses nor agency discounts. There are no preferred positions. You fill the magazine from the front to the back, first come, first served. There is only one ad size — a full page. You do not offer terms; advertisers pre-pay by credit card (wave “bye-bye” to collection issues). You run a tight 75/25 ad-edit ratio to squeeze out every drop of profitability.

You fill the good magazine with editorial that has been repurposed from the “better” product. It is not uniquely prepared but it still has value. Think about new products, calendar listings, survey results, how-to articles, company profiles, and roundtable proceedings. The editorial in the good publication could be running concurrently in the flagship.

The additional labor to produce this publication falls on the production department to make up the pages and assemble the ads.

What will happen with this good product is that companies get in the habit of advertising — with you, not your low-priced competitors. When their business increases, they step up to your better flagship publication (which charges higher rates) in order to reach a wider audience of potential customers. But even if they stick with the good publication, you still capture some or all of their ad dollars. And that's not a bad deal.

ASBPE member Jim Carper has started new magazines and revitalized old, tired magazines for large and small publishers. Currently an independent contractor, he is editing a new-products tabloid, consulting with a website owner, creating e-newsletter content for a marketer, and blogging for various clients. See more at www.jimbocarper.com and Gift & Home Today.

I Never Thought It Would Happen To Me

2009-11-02T06:55:00.002-05:00

By Tonie Auer
DFW Chapter President

While I don't mean the blog post title to be too suggestive, I really never thought I'd see the benefits of social media professionally. It was in the summer of 2008 at the ASBPE national convention in Kansas City that I started truly hearing the praises of social media.

Paul Conley told those in attendance that if they didn't join the 21st century, they'd be left behind. The curmudgeonly reporter in me listened, but with the disdain of an old-timer who still remembers pasting up galleys and working on VDTs (for you young'uns, feel free to email me and I'll tell you what those things are.) I've called my cell phone an 'electronic leash' and have resisted mobile Internet connectivity. But, I'm teetering on the ledge now.

At the insistence of the ASBPE board members, I joined LinkedIn. Then, I started to Twitter (but just a little), and Facebook came next. What has been the biggest surprise to me is how beneficial these things have been. I have had a few job leads come from LinkedIn and several bona fide jobs result from Facebook.

But, one of the greatest pluses I've found has been sources via Facebook. People see my status updates for articles I'm writing and they send leads my way. Truly, verily I say to thee: get off your duff and give it a try. Promote your publications, too, while you're at it. I just took a full-time job as a writer for Bisnow on Business (www.bisnow.com) and while launching the product expansion into the Dallas-Fort Worth market, I've gained more readers for the news site/e-newsletter and I've had story leads sent my way.

So, now I'm a believer. And, Paul Conley and the ASBPE professional development planted the seed. With that said, don't forget our Digital Symposium in San Francisco this week on Friday Nov. 6. You can still register and improve your skills, too.

B2B Digital Publishing Ideas From TABPI's Twitterfest

2009-10-29T09:00:00.007-04:00

By Katy Tomasulo
President, ASBPE Washington, D.C. Chapter

On Oct. 21 and 22, TABPI (Trade, Association, and Business Publications International) hosted its first Twitterfest, in which B2B journalists posted Tweets with ideas, questions, and answers about print and digital publishing. Each poster utilized the #tabpi hashtag so that participants and followers could see each tweet.

It was the first time I’d participated in one of these, and I found it quite rewarding — not only was I able to gain new ideas, it felt great to share some of my own thoughts with the larger B2B world. The event was a huge success, and event organizer (and TABPI president) Paul Heney is planning to host future ’fests (the next one is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 8-9; check back to www.tabpi.org for confirmation and details).

Below are some of the ideas posted by participants. To view the whole feed, including B2B questions-and-answers, search #tabpi on Twitter.

Post a Twitpic of the cover of your upcoming issue to get readers excited about it. (@MattySoccio)

Capitalize on helping your readers through these tough times, as with Hotel World Network’s 100 Days campaign. (@paulheney)

If you’re short on space in print, run an expanded version online. (@ADVANCEforNPs)

Compile a “Steal This Idea” issue, comprised of ideas for our readers to steal for their businesses. (@stambascio)

Use clear headlines when Tweeting. If readers are following hundreds of others, only the most compelling headlines will catch their attention. (@ktom17)

If you want to "get" social media, start your own blog. You'll get sent to company president's office — not to get fired, but for your ideas. (@b2beditor)

Repurpose archive material with a modern twist to produce niche industry features, e.g., cruising then and now. (@natalia_thomson)

Pay attention to page-view stats; they can reveal which e-newsletter subject lines work, the best time of day to send a newsletter, etc. (@ktom17)

Some e-news analysis systems actually will do an A/B-group split on subject lines for a message, sending bulk to "winner." In other words, 10% of mailings go out with 1 subject line, 10% with another. Remaining 80% to subject line with highest open rate. (@ScotsmanGuideEd)

Get to know the gurus in your subject area well enough and one of them may decide to blog for you. (@lmclaughlin)

We conduct a subscriber salary survey, and it's always a big hit; it’s very useful to our readers in salary negotiation. (@ADVANCEforNPs)

Searchable databases are a great, interactive way to make hard-to-find info accessible to readers. (@jtlongandco)

Don't just ask readers to follow you on Twitter, ask them to engage in a topic with other readers. (@ADVANCEforNPs)

Judge award programs. It's a great way to get ideas from magazines outside your industry you wouldn't see otherwise. (@ktom17)

Free business writing training can be found nationwide at www.businessjournalism.org. (@tonieauer)

Katy Tomasulo is Deputy Editor for EcoHome magazine and Building Products magazine at Hanley Wood Business Media in Washington, D.C.

Facebook Mania

2009-10-26T06:27:00.002-04:00

By Elena Gontar

When I first heard of Facebook I thought it was a social network website to communicate with friends and connect with long lost acquaintances. I thought it would be primarily for people who want to reach out to those they know. And apparently that was the idea a few years ago, when Facebook was first invented. It was initially restricted to college and high school kids to chat and swap photos with friends. But all that changed a couple of years later, when more and more people joined Facebook.

But lately I was surprised to find out that mid- and large-size businesses use Facebook to promote their organizations and/or their company’s missions and goals. It’s amazing. I find it incredible that Facebook not only helps people find each other, but also assists companies in advancing their businesses. I’ve been on a few job interviews in the last few months and Facebook has been mentioned almost every time.

I personally joined Facebook a few months ago to network with my former co-workers and to find out what happened to people I haven’t heard from in years. Facebook keeps you up to date with your friends/colleagues and you don’t have to go far to connect with someone. Some people are more open than others. While some might basically keep a journal on Facebook for everyone to read, others don’t display much information about themselves. For instance, I personally don’t write much about myself on Facebook – I’ve always been sort of a private person – but I just love to read what others write.

So, if you are not on Facebook yet, what are you waiting for? Join now. I think it’s addictive. And if you are looking for a job, like me, you’ll find it that almost every business is on Facebook . So, you’d better be prepared and explore it now…

Elena Gontar is a real estate writer in Brooklyn. She can be reached at elenagontar@gmail.com.

6 Ideas to Boost Revenue, Readership, or Recognition

2009-10-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

By Katy Tomasulo
President, ASBPE Washington, D.C. Chapter

During the ASBPE National Editorial Conference in July, I hosted a workshop that offered attendees 19 ideas for combating the down economy. These ideas — all of which have been implemented at B2B publications across the country — resulted in some sort of payback, whether through revenue, readership, or recognition, or a combination of the three. Here are six of my favorites:

1. Revenue: Remodeling Capitalizes on Current Events
When the stimulus package was introduced in February, Remodeling magazine editors immediately realized that the implications — and opportunities — for their readers were huge. The staff scrapped their plans, already in progress, for the June 2009 issue and produced a comprehensive guide to the stimulus package that explained to readers what it was and how they could take advantage of it. And not only were readers in need, manufacturers were eager to advertise so that it was their energy-efficient building products that were chosen for stimulus-dollar spending.
Result: The issue generated a 25%-30% bump in revenue for that month. It also spawned additional and future unbudgeted revenue generators in the form of a sister Web site, a Webinar, a virtual conference, and a pavilion at the magazine’s trade show.

2. Revenue and Readership: Hotel World Network Capitalizes on Down Economy
In response to the recession, Hotel World Network, which includes Hotel & Motel Management and Hotel Design magazines, launched an online campaign “100 Days to Fight the Recession,” a daily e-newsletter that gave readers actionable tips and advice on how to survive the tough market. In addition to the email, the content is housed on the Web in free downloadable PDFs that can be easily saved, printed, and shared. The content also is supported by forums that discuss each day’s topics.
Result: The company brought in a large chunk of unbudgeted revenue and received a fantastic response from readers.

3. Recognition: Engineering News Record Puts Itself in Its Readers’ Shoes
To investigate the state of crane safety at a time when accidents have been occurring too often, Engineering News-Record’s Tudor Van Hampton put himself in his readers’ place: He trained for and took a national certification course in crane safety. Only by experiencing the process could Van Hampton truly know what it was like, share the experience with readers, and bring attention to the importance of safety and training.
Result: ENR earned multiple accolades, including a Neal Award and an ASBPE award.

4. Revenue: Michigan Municipal League’s Business Alliance Program
The editor of Michigan Municipal Review created the “Municipal League Business Alliance Program.” Members (suppliers to local government) joined in exchange for benefits that boost their marketing visibility in the state, including discounted advertising rates and exhibit space. Once created, the program requires little effort or expense to administer.
Result: $150,000 in immediate annual revenue; encouraged further advertising and exhibit space purchasing

5. Readership, Revenue: Digital Editions
If you have a limited print circ, digital editions can expand your reach exponentially by being emailed to a larger subscription base not part of the print run. They also can provide a value-add to market to your print advertisers. Digital editions can require little effort on the part of the edit staff (the print product is simply converted by an outside vendor) or they can be updated with audio, video, and other rich media to enhance the experience even further. Utilizing digital editions also is an alternative, as well as less expensive and less risky, option for special supplements outside the regular print schedule.

6. Revenue: Journal of Light Construction Books
The Journal of Light Construction, a trade journal offering hands-on, in-depth coverage of building processes and techniques, capitalized on its trusted content by repackaging 20 years of how-to construction articles into a comprehensive book, “The JLC Field Guide,” and interactive CD-ROM. The book is filled with how-to illustrations, instructions, diagrams, and charts. It was so popular, a second volume was published.
Result: The book cost $300,000 to produce, but generated $750,000 in its first year alone.

Katy Tomasulo is deputy editor for EcoHome magazine, Building Products magazine, and ebuild.com at Hanley Wood Business Media in Washington, D.C.

Print and Digital: What's the Best Mix?

2009-10-19T06:22:00.006-04:00

By Maureen Alley

Sometimes it’s the simplest ideas that are the most innovative. The magazine industry has been trying to figure out for some time how to manage digital opportunities with its print products. And with that, some magazines try too hard where others excel.

Last year, during my New Media and Technology graduate class, we discussed Esquire’s October 2008 cover. This cover was different than any cover before it. The cover had electronic ink – an image that flashed and scrolled. FOLIO: magazine also reported on the cover in July 2008. According to FOLIO:’s article, the battery for the electronic ink lasts for 90 days and the issue sold for $2 more than the normal cover price.

Esquire’s October 2008 cover literally combined print with digital. But, I’m not sure that’s what is meant when we say we want to complement print products with digital opportunities.

On the other hand, magazines like BtoB are successfully using print and digital opportunities in ways that take advantage of the opportunities available from each medium.

BtoB magazine has daily articles on its website that are original content written by the magazine’s staff. They aren’t wire articles that are simply pushed to its site automatically. This provides the magazine with original content and its readers with industry information from a source they trust.

Articles on its site are set up for reader comments creating a community for readers. By providing this function to your readers, you’re making them feel valuable and part of the conversation.

In addition, each article provides the opportunity for the reader to bookmark, share, and e-mail articles. A big part of online success is syndicating content. By not including these functions on each article, you’re ignoring a viral readership.

The magazine also has a very strong social media presence. By following BtoB on Twitter, followers get up-to-the minute breaking news. This also adds to the magazine’s syndication.

BtoB magazine is used simply as an example of the many magazines that are doing it right online. There are many more out there. And there are many magazines out there that have yet to provide online communities for their readers, viral sharing options, and original content instead of wire content.

Where do you stand in this mix?

Maureen Alley is managing editor for Website Magazine, a trade publication dedicated to Web professionals. She was formerly managing editor for Residential Design & Build magazine, a property of Cygnus Business Media. Alley graduated with a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and is currently attending Roosevelt University in Chicago for her Masters of Science in Journalism. She has been a member of ASBPE since 2006 and was a judge for the 2009 Azbee Awards program. She writes a blog at www.maureenalley.com about young journalists and new media. Contact her at malley13[at]gmail[dot]com.

Two-Day TABPI Twitterfest Oct. 20-21

2009-10-15T06:30:00.000-04:00

Want to get advice from B2B editors around the world on how to help your publication through the economic downturn? Or how best to combine print and the web to serve your readers? Then participate in the first Trade, Association and Business Publications International Twitterfest Oct. 20 and 21, 2009.

The TABPI Twitterfest will be like an open chat room where B2B editors worldwide can talk about issues and ask questions.

You can participate in the way that suits you best:

Join Twitter and post Tweets on Oct. 20-21. These 140-character messages must contain the tag #tabpi so that other editors around the world can see your Tweets.
Point your browser to twitter.com/search?q=%23tabpi and watch what other editors worldwide are talking about.
After watching online what others are saying, you can join in on the conversation at any time. While TABPI is encouraging editors to talk about two main topics — the economy and the web — you’re free to discuss anything of interest to our profession.

TABPI president Paul Heney says the main goal of TABPI Twitterfest is to help editors around the globe to exchange ideas, but a very important secondary goal is “to give B2B editors an opportunity to try out Twitter in a friendly, nonthreatening environment — to see how it works and to determine if there is anything that might translate to their publication's industry. As journalists, we should be willing to step outside our comfort zones and see what the readers of tomorrow are doing.”

ASBPE will be participating in the Twitterfest. Please join us on Oct. 20-21!

Happy Columbus Day

2009-10-12T05:33:00.002-04:00

By Tonie Auer
DFW Chapter President

In honor of Columbus Day, the ASBPE National Blog is taking a much-deserved day off. But, in honor of this historic day that most of us know very little about, I thought I'd do a bit of research.

According to the History Channel, the first recorded celebration honoring the discovery of America by Europeans took place on Oct. 12, 1792, in New York City. The event, which celebrated the 300th anniversary of Columbus' landing in the New World, was organized by The Society of St. Tammany (also known as the Columbian Order). San Francisco's Italian community held its first Columbus Day celebration in 1869. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison urged citizens to participate in the the 400th anniversary celebration of Columbus' first voyage. It was during this event that the Pledge of Allegiance, written by Francis Bellamy, was recited publically for the first time.

Colorado was the first state to observe the holiday in 1905. In 1937, President Roosevelt proclaimed Oct. 12 as "Columbus Day" and in 1971, President Nixon declared the second Monday of October a national holiday.

So, there you go. Am I the only one who didn't know about the holiday's significance in regard to the Pledge of Allegiance? That is pretty fascinating. Enjoy the holiday and we'll resume our blog posts on Thursday Oct. 15.

With Gourmet Gone, You Know There’s a Recession

2009-10-08T06:57:00.005-04:00

By Thomas Temin

If General Motors and Lehman Brothers can bite the dust, why not Gourmet magazine, for so many decades the Bible of chefs and foodies alike? A Wall Street Journal story on Oct. 6 noted that being reviewed in Gourmet could make a chef’s reputation.

Also out the door is Modern Bride, for a while some years ago part of the Cahners stable. The late Cele Lalli was the editor then, and at the editors’ meetings – back when they still had chief editors gatherings in nice resorts or conference centers – she was always a joy to hang out with. Maybe it was the fact she had earlier been editor of Amazing Stories that made Cele so cool and unpretentious.

In those days, Modern Bride might have been chasing Brides – which Conde Nast will continue publishing – but there was advertising enough that they could both have 600-page issues. Those of us in the electronics and engineering magazines would be gaga at the amount of advertising carried in such a seemingly frivolous topic as wedding planning. Cele used to say that readers would continue their subscriptions for six months or a year after getting married.

But even the bosses at Conde Nast must have been dreaming to think that they could publish both Brides and Modern Bride (and Elegant Bride to boot) and sell some differentiating story to advertisers. The acquisition of competitors under a single roof – has there ever been a successful stunt like that where both survive long term? Certainly not in a market where, as in so many markets, ad pages are dropping 25 percent, 30 percent, 40 percent.

Conde, like other publishers, is focusing ever more resources on digital products. In a market like bridal fashion, planning and accessories, the digital possibilities are rich, for sure. Brides.com has all sorts of online toys, such as the fun, if somewhat useless, Create a Cake to full-scale financial and party planning tools for the Big Day. Where else but in a bridal blog might you find out about a new necktie for “hubby” from Thomas Pink that incorporates an i-Pod pocket?

But I suspect this is a market where there will always be at least one dominant print product. Print is still the best way to display the gorgeous wedding gowns and resort destinations, and where a reader can fantasize about her wedding day while lying across the bed instead of sitting at a desk.

Thomas R. Temin is a consultant with 30 years of publishing experience in media and information technology products and services. He is co-host of “The Federal Drive” with Tom Temin and Jane Norris, a weekday morning news and talk program on Federal News Radio AM 1050 in Washington D.C. You can see his weekly column on the op-ed page at www.federalnewsradio.com and contact him at tom.temin@gmail.com.

Got a Social Media Policy?

2009-10-05T06:13:00.004-04:00

By Steven Roll
ASBPE Past President

The Wall Street Journal has one, the New York Times has one, Bloomberg has one. What about your publication? Does your publication have a social media policy?

Like many B2B publications, chances are your publication has been dipping its toes in the social-media ocean, but hasn’t jumped in yet. Maybe you’ve set up a Twitter account or a fanpage on Facebook, but nothing more.

Even if your publication is still in the exploratory stage, it’s probably a good idea to adopt a social media policy.

After making a few informal inquiries last week to some tech-savvy editors, I was somewhat surprised at how many publications still haven’t adopted a policy for how writers and editors should conduct themselves when communicating in a professional capacity on social media. Many of the people I spoke with said they were in the process of developing one. (Of course, the reason I was asking is because I'm drafting a policy for my company.)

Maybe editors are reluctant to adopt a formal policy because they feel social media initiatives are something that should be built from the “ground up.” After all, it’s mostly the younger people who have fully embraced it. Perhaps adopting a formal policy might somehow inhibit the free flow of conversation on Twitter etc. Both the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg were criticized for adopting overly rigid policies.

It seems like the danger of off-message or inappropriate communications outweigh the awkwardness of adopting a policy concerning a medium many of us don’t fully understand yet. But it seems like it would be a lot easier to change an misguided policy, than to try to somehow compensate for an offensive Tweet or misguided blog post.

The social media policy I’m working on has two levels. The first level is a set of broad principles that outline some basic rules of conduct. Here are a few:

be honest and transparent;
coordinate your messages with your publication;
add value;
blog about what you know;
if you make a mistake, admit it, and correct it; and
be diplomatic and professional — especially with the people who are behaving rudely or with whom you disagree.

The second level reads more like a style guide. It will include more specific information such as:

a sample blog post;
what a typical Tweet should look like; and
best practices for sharing a blog post on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

To be sure, the policy my company ends up adopting is likely to look entirely different than my conception of it. But even if that turns out to be the case, I think it's a worthwhile exercise to start establishing some guidelines. Otherwise, how else will you be able to identify inappropriate conduct. Like old age, having a policy to point to sure beats the alternative.

Through a colleague, I found the following gem at the Online Database of Social Media Policies: Chris Boudreaux, author of the upcoming book Social Media Governance, has assembled 82 such policies on the book’s website. From companies to charities to military organizations, it’s a treasure trove for those struggling with social media guidelines.
Source: Social Media Governance (via Mashable)

Digital Symposium:Practical Online Strategies and Tactics for the B2B Editor

2009-10-01T05:52:00.008-04:00

Digital Symposium: Practical online strategies and tactics for the B2B editor
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009
Hyatt Regency
San Francisco Airport

You can’t afford to stop learning, especially now. High value. Affordable. Always from ASBPE.

Included in your registration fee:

One full day of interactive sessions designed with B2B editors in mind.
Real-world solutions from experienced experts.
5 sessions, 11 speakers.
Network, share advice with other B2B editors.
Digital Azbees winners slideshow and luncheon. See the best of the best.
Affordable registration compared to other industry events.
Convenient location by the San Francisco airport.

Among the sessions are:

Writing for search, navigation and the B2B reader presented by Harry McCracken of Technologizer.
Leveraging the power of B2B social communities presented by Jim Sulecki of Meister Media, who was named a Top Innovator by BtoB Media online; Kellie Parker of Sega, who blogs about social media and online strategy at KellieParker.com; and Hinda Chalew of Staffing Industry Analysts. Hinda blogs about marketing.
Working with a new content management system presented by Tyler Davidson of Meetings Media; Jeff Freund of Clickability; and Frederic Paul of bMighty.com.
Organizing print and online B2B editorial teams presented by Eric Knorr of InfoWorld; Mary Slepicka of Advanstar’s Powersport Group; and Steve Towns of Government Technology and group editorial director at e.Republic Inc.

The symposium also includes the Digital Azbee Awards luncheon.

Symposium fees

Member: $295; nonmember: $395. Includes Azbee Awards luncheon; luncheon NOT sold separately.

Discount: If three or more attend from the same publication, a 10-percent discount applies. Additionally, if you want to join ASBPE ($75 for regular membership; $100 for affiliate membership — for vendors; $50 for freelancers, you get the member price.
Register online at www.asbpe.org/conf/reg200911/

Call for Entries: Excellence in Online Journalism Award

2009-09-29T17:47:00.005-04:00

$2,500 for Excellence in Online Journalism Award
Deadline: Oct. 5, 2009

The Online Journalism Award carries a $2,500 prize and is presented at the National Press Foundation's Annual Awards Dinner. Finalists will be selected by faculty from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication at Syracuse University. The winner will be elected by representatives from the Newhouse School and NPF. The deadline for applications will be 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5.

There is no application form. Any online site dealing with journalism is eligible. Applicants should e-mail the following:

1. The URL and a statement about the site and its unique properties

2. Information about journalistic achievements in the period of September 2008 through September 2009

3. Contact information including name, email and direct telephone number

Email applications to npf@nationalpress.org.

Success Means Using Second-Day Approach

2009-09-28T05:51:00.003-04:00

By Maureen Alley

Social media, RSS feeds, newsletters, blogs, video and more are everywhere allowing for faster and easier news syndication and information sharing. Great news, right? Well, it could be hurting your brand if you’re not doing it right. Are you using the second-day story approach to producing content online? If not, then your website visitors won’t even bother to read what you have to say because they’ve already heard it from a hundred other people.

So what’s an editor and writer to do? Think analytically. When news hits your desk, are you looking outside the box? Are you questioning what hasn’t been covered yet? Or are you simply repurposing it? If the tremendous growth of Web products tells us anything, it’s that people love information. So give it to them. Make your brand a must in their need to stay informed.

A few examples lately can highlight the exhaustion of the same news over and over: Patrick Swayze, Michael Jackson, racism and senators, Google and eBooks, Kanye West and Taylor Swift, plus many more.

For business-to-business editors, the news is much more niche, with fewer news sources covering the same industry eliminating the level of exhaustion we feel from regular consumer news. However, it’s still something to keep in mind. Even though there are fewer players covering your industry, it doesn’t mean your readers won’t feel annoyed by seeing the same stuff everywhere. Consider what’s missing in the coverage and give it to them. If you’re providing readers with quality content, they will see value in your brand and continue to come back to your site – ultimately increasing consumer engagement, loyalty and increased traffic numbers.

Maureen Alley is managing editor for Website Magazine, a trade publication dedicated to Web professionals. She was formerly managing editor for Residential Design & Build magazine, a property of Cygnus Business Media. Alley graduated with a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and is currently attending Roosevelt University in Chicago for her Masters of Science in Journalism. She has been a member of ASBPE since 2006 and was a judge for the 2009 Azbee Awards program. She writes a blog at www.maureenalley.com about young journalists and new media. Contact her at malley13[at]gmail[dot]com.

Legal Alert: Three Ways to Keep Out of Trouble

2009-09-24T06:16:00.001-04:00

By Howard Rauch

Occasionally we need to remember that there is life beyond websites and digital issues. Basic editing snafus — especially those of a legal nature — can land us in hot water. Even experienced editors fall into an occasional trap involving libel or some other snag. Here are three reminders worth including in your editorial manual if you have one … or in a policy statement distributed to all staff members.

1. Avoid midstream reporting of undecided legal disputes. For example, the fact someone is charged with committing a crime or otherwise violating a regulation doesn’t mean the accused will be found guilty. In my editorial director days, I dealt with several situations where an editor interviewed the plaintiff in a dispute while the case was still in progress. The interviewee took some serious pot shots at the defendant’s character. If the article made it into print, we would have been up the creek. However, we had a policy that all articles of an inflammatory nature had to be cleared by a member of top management. That policy kept us out of trouble.

A variation on this theme is that X, one party to a dispute, issues a press release announcing intent to sue Y. The release includes a description of stiff penalties Y would incur if found guilty. You publish that information at your peril. Instead, wait until the case is settled. Meanwhile, obtain a copy of the complaint as a way of verifying the accuracy of the information contained in X’s press release.

2. Fact-check information excerpted from other media before it gets printed. If certain details are misleading or totally inaccurate, you may end up on the wrong side of a complaint. The fact that the excerpted material did not originate with you is no defense. In my consulting practice, I constantly needle editors who frequently use excerpted material in news sections. The better practice is to use, say, a newspaper article as a lead only. Then develop your own exclusive slant by following up with sources cited. Most likely, you know the parties quoted in the original story. If not, now you have an opportunity to make a new contact.

A variation on the above theme occurs when editors routinely reprint information from websites without obtaining clearance to do so. Remember that copyright privileges apply. Aggrieved parties are within their rights to make your life miserable.

3. Beware of using “endorsement language.” At the very least, resulting infractions will haunt you forever with important contacts. In this case, typical goofs occur in the way we edit (or don’t edit) new product announcements. I’m sure you know the drill. A product announcement lands on your desk filled with glowing descriptions of an item’s value to your readers. Experienced editors assume a “glow must go” position and routinely red-pencil all the puffy stuff. But from what I’ve seen, this is not real life at every publication. Among the glitches that sneak through are statements alleging that product X is better than all competitors. Or the announcement will claim that the product is the only one of its kind out there … or the first one in its field. You had better verify that competitive claims are true. If you can’t do that, please have a policy in place describing how to field complaints from competitors who have a legitimate beef.

Howard Rauch is president of Editorial Solutions Inc., a consultancy focusing on B2B magazines. Rauch is the 2002 recipient of ASBPE’s Lifetime Achievement Award. You can contact him directly at howard@editsol.com.

Drive Website Traffic, Boost Readership

2009-09-21T05:48:00.003-04:00

Learn how to use online communities, social networks, and search engine optimization to increase readership, in print as well as online.

Save the date Thursday, Sept. 24 to join ASBPE and explore how to harness Web 2.0 to spread the word about your brand and content. Hear from a panel of digital content experts who will reveal how to effectively integrate social media and search engine optimization (SEO) strategies into a publication's reader-engagement activities.

You'll learn how to use Web 2.0 to...

build reader interaction and grow circulation.
boost brand recognition.
facilitate networking among readers.
recharge existing e-products and print products.

And find out how to...

select which social media and SEO strategies will be most effective for your organization.
involve the entire editorial staff in social media and SEO activities.
plan, launch, and integrate a social media and SEO strategy into your editorial operations and reader-interaction strategies.

Date: Sept. 24, 2009

Time: 1-2 p.m. Eastern

Price: ASBPE members: $10; nonmembers: $35.

To register:

Option 1: Pay online. Use the web form directly below to pay online via credit card or PayPal. Instructions for obtaining webinar access will be emailed to you once you have paid.Option 1: Pay online. Use the web form directly below to pay online via credit card or PayPal. Instructions for obtaining webinar access will be emailed to you once you have paid.
Option 2: Pay by check or pay for multiple registrations at one time (regardless of payment method). Fill out this registration form (76K Word doc) and return it to Christina Pellett with your payment by Sept. 23. Webinar access information will be provided once you have registered.

About the Panelists

Elizabeth Glagowski, managing editor, interactive, leads the editorial production of 1to1 Media's online content, including 1to1 Weekly and The Marketing Xfactor e-newsletters, as well as the 1to1 on the Run podcast series. She is also a contributing writer to 1to1 Magazine and 1to1 Media's daily blog. Previously she served as director of Web content and design for 1to1 Media. Prior to joining 1to1 Media, Liz was the Web editor for Internetnews.com.

Joe Haddock is a seasoned eMedia professional with strong experiences in online strategy, sales management, audience/business development, and technology. As director of eMedia Business Development at Summit Business Media, he is currently responsible for improving the financial performance and audience engagement of the publishing company's core media products. Prior to joining Summit, Joe served as the Vice President of eMedia at WiesnerMedia and as a director of technology at Wicks Business Information.

Economy Still Unstable?

2009-09-17T06:42:00.000-04:00

By Elena Gontar

Given the industry’s current slump and the declining economy, any major real estate deal is particularly promising. In the last few months there have been quite a few of those. In view of the turbulent state of the market as of late, the latest leases and sales could provide some hope that a recovery is nearing. On the other hand, as the economy remains in the slump and continues to demonstrate evidence of instability, can occupancy across major sectors reverse its recent downturn? Is there likely to be a large-scale recovery anytime soon? May we dare to hope?

Also, as the difficult economic times continue, the unemployment rate keeps on the increase. However, when I was still working at Commercial Property News, new-hire announcements used to hit my inbox every day, and I had to write news briefs for CPN’s People on the Move section on an almost daily basis. One thing that has caught my attention is that many firms were busy tapping new managing directors, senior vice presidents and other high-level executive positions. As the nationwide unemployment rate continues to march upward, will real estate firms continue to make new executive hires? Or could the employment slowdown reach the upper management levels?

Elena Gontar is a real estate writer in Brooklyn. She can be reached at elenagontar@gmail.com.

Social Media Addiction

2009-09-14T06:41:00.003-04:00

By Tonie Auer
DFW Chapter President

After reading the notes taken from the Chicago chapter's roundtable discussions (here and here ), I started thinking more about social media. I'm relatively new to the game and I'm usually dragged into it by someone else.

The National Board of the ASBPE pressured me into getting a LinkedIn account. Unwillingly, I dipped my toe in and actually started networking. It was pretty fun and has connected me with people in a positive way. It has been two or three years since I set up that account, but I've gotten a few viable leads for work out of it with minimal upkeep on my part.

Facebook came recently, and I really am addicted to it. Personally, it is a lot of fun to watch my friends. Professionally, I've seen some businesses really promote themselves in great fashion. For instance, a regional Mexican restaurant runs Facebook contests, and routinely I see dozens (sometimes pushing hundreds) of responses from fans of that restaurant. Another regional business that makes condiments runs posts every few days about something they are promoting or a recipe. There are many shining examples of how businesses can promote themselves on Facebook. And, once someone becomes a fan, many friends of that person may join in, too. It is like the old Faberge Organic shampoo commercials: You tell two friends and so on and so on.

So, what are you waiting for? My productivity has only gone down a small amount with my Facebook addiction. But, if you're my friend, you'll know my favorite movie quotes and maybe get a few referrals to some neat businesses. Why not try it and see how you can make it work for you and your publication?

Do-It-Yourself Roundtable, Part 2

2009-09-10T06:32:00.006-04:00

As we blogged about on Sept. 3, here is the second part of the notes taken by the Chicago chapter of the ASBPE held its first Do-It-Yourself Roundtable discussion.

Some of the information gathered included using Twitter and Productivity Tools.

TweetDeck – Downloadable application for your computer that offers “one-stop-shop” for posting, retweeting, replying, direct messaging, following topics, searching for topics.

Twhirl – Downloadable desktop application for posting, replying to and shortening URLs for Tweets.

Twitterfeed – allows you to pull in RSS feeds and send them into your Twitter stream.

Bit.ly – allows you to shorten URLS and track click throughs on Tweets.

Twitter Search – lets you search for topics, words, etc. to find out what is trending or who is talking about it.

Tweeters to follow:

@prsarahevans
@problogger
@prnewswire

More Twitter Tips

Use PowerTwitter on Firefox (as opposed to IE).
If you’re going to be Tweeting as a group, use your pub name and real name:
FoodProcessing_Erin (not a real address)
ErinErickson (not a real address)
If you use your real name to tweet for your brand, but be careful not to mix too much pleasure with business:
FoodProcessing_Erin: Pepsi CEO steps down; cites unruly eyebrow
FoodProcessing_Erin: OMG that bartender is hot!
Use #hashtags to point out keywords in your tweets. Be sure to see if such a hashtag exists already.
@Twitter the “@” is part of your address.
RT = ReTweet
Example of a retweet:
@Ehal76 RT@foodprocessing Looking for examples of your favorite ice cream flavor. DM me your ideas!
DM = Direct Message

Facebook

Fan Pages. Similar to personal Facebook pages. Can post images, videos, Twitter feeds and RSS feeds which people can “friend” and see updates from. It will not show who created it.

Use Facebook’s Twitter application to feed tweets into Facebook.

Use RSS Feed to feed tweets into Facebook – OR – Twitterfeed + Twitter application will feed your RSS into Facebook.

Group Pages

Are related around a cause or commonality.
Can not be “friended” but joined.
People need to visit the page to find out updates. Will not feed into their Updates.
Person who created the group is visible to others.

Widgets

You can create widgets for your site(s) to display Twitter posts, RSS feeds, news updates.

Blogs

Usually two types of B2B blogs:

Personal/Personality blogs can be informative, controversial or instructional (or all three).
Group blogs can combine different personalities or different reporters of information or instruction.

Personal/Personality blogs – it’s your name/you opinion. Attribute (and link) the same way you would an article. Let comments in unless they are downright attacks (“Purina tastes like crap”). Make sure you’re correct in your reporting and don’t publish false news.

You are not liable for other people’s opinions on your comments.

Happy Labor Day

2009-09-07T06:37:00.003-04:00

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

According to the Department of Labor:

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.

To honor the American worker, I think we deserve a day off, too. The ASBPE National Blog will resume posting on Sept. 10. Enjoy your day off.

Do-It-Yourself Roundtable, Part 1

2009-09-03T06:26:00.007-04:00

Earlier this summer, the Chicago chapter of the ASBPE held its first Do-It-Yourself Roundtable discussion. Why a do-it-yourself? Because we realize that more heads are better than one, and what better way to learn than from your fellow publishing professionals! The attendees picked the topics, and ASBPE provided the moderators.

The format was simple: four roundtables, each with its own topic and moderator to get the discussion rolling. After 45 minutes, everyone switches tables and topics or stayed where they were.

Some of the information gathered included the most popular social media sites B2B editors can use for free:

Twitter
LinkedIn
Facebook
YouTube

Helpful social media sites to read:

Mashable
Chris Brogan
TwiTip
ProBlogger

Important things to remember:

Have a plan for why you’re using social media with your site. Is it to find more readers? Sources? Advertisers? To conduct market research? To be in the mix with everyone else? To communicate with others?

Social media is an extension of your brand, not a replacement. Don’t bet everything on your Facebook Fan Page becoming incredibly popular or on Tweets. They are tools to communicate with the masses about who you are and what you do.

Use different information for different social media sites. Be friendly and communicative on Twitter. Invite and entice action. Post events and fun things on Facebook (in addition to news, videos, etc.). Create a group for like-minded folks on LinkedIn. Assume a more business-like persona.

Be Authentic. If you have a happy-go-lucky personality let that shine in your Tweets, blogs, Facebook posts, etc. People want to interact with a human, not a machine.

Try using social media personally first; then when you understand how to use it, do it for work/site.

On Sept. 10, we'll run more notes from the event. We're taking Labor Day off. We hope you get to, as well.

Back to the Future

2009-08-31T05:57:00.008-04:00

Update, Sept. 1, 2009: McCracken has written an answer post on Technologizer, “The Future–August 1999 Style!” Read it to see his take on how the reality of 2009 stacks up with these 1999 predictions.

Looking back at our news archives, we found an interesting piece titled "Future News: What will our jobs be like a few years from now?" published August 1999. The article was written by Harry McCracken, who was the secretary for the ASBPE Boston Chapter at the time. (He later became the editor-in-chief of PC World and is now editor of Technologizer.) McCracken came up with the response "The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's News in the Future project offers some answers."

Here is the article he wrote in 1999. How "on target" was it?

Since 1985, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Laboratory has been at the forefront of research into electronic publishing, imaging, digital music, artificial intelligence, and other technologies.

Recently, members of the Boston chapter toured the Lab and listened to a thought-provoking talk by Professor Walter Bender, director of the Media Lab’s News in the Future (NiF) research consortium, a group devoted to exploring technology’s potential to make news media more efficient, relevant, convenient, and timely.

Media Lab Projects

Media Lab researchers demonstrated or discussed the following projects, among others, with members:

Electronic paper.

The Lab is developing an inexpensive, flexible material that looks and acts like paper, but can display information that can be changed electronically, without the use of consumable materials. Its inventors believe that this medium could eventually be used to produce a computer for about $10.

A notepad that listens.

The Lab has developed a reporter’s steno pad with a built-in digital audio recorder. As the user records an interview or other event and jots notes on it, the notes and audio are synchronized; later, the user can select any note on the page and listen immediately to the corresponding sound bite.

High-tech product placement.

Attendees saw a soap-opera video clip in which all of the items depicted — clothing, furniture, and more — had been electronically identified and cataloged. Using an electronic pointer, the viewer can pick any on-screen item and see its name, its price, and details on ordering it from J.C. Penney (which funded this project).

Web sites that turn senior citizens into journalists.

Silver Stringers is an NiF program that helps senior citizens report on news in their communities and publish it on the Web. Take a look at stringers.media.mit.edu.

The world’s smartest coffee machine.

Not a media-related innovation per se, but any java-loving journalist will envy the Lab’s own coffee machine. Stick your own mug (with a special chip on the bottom) under the dripper, and the coffee brews to your exact preferences — while a radio plays your favorite station.

How the Net Will Change News

The discussion with News in the Future director Walter Bender was wide-ranging, focusing as much on philosophical issues as technological ones.

Because almost anyone can publish information on the Internet, Bender believes that many consumers will become de facto journalists themselves — and therefore be increasingly demanding of the media. Of participants in the Silver Stringers Web-publishing project, Bender says that "their relationship with [newspapers] has changed — they’re more critical, more engaged. As people’s level of engagement rises, they’re not going to tolerate sloppy journalism.

"What people want are not answers but questions," Bender told the event’s attendees. "They want things that will get them to think, that let them be part of the discourse. I’m after making news harder — if you’re going to be involved, you’ll actually have to think a bit."

Members’ Questions

Among Bender’s answers to attendees' questions:

What will happen to editors?

"Editors become more and more valuable — people are looking for judgment. The service an editor provides in print is transferable [to electronic media]."

Will old-media brands thrive online?

"CNN and USA Today have done a good job. On the other hand, it seems that you can create a new brand online, and it can happen pretty quickly. A lot of organizations have thrown away their opportunity — not that they can’t recover."

Will consumers pay for online news?

"Most news is going to be free online — the economics will be such that the bottom line is that if you have eyeballs, you have a vehicle for deriving revenue. But if you don’t have something that people are interested in, it doesn’t matter."

Will print media be crushed by electronic competition?

"Tell me a medium that’s ever gone away. They change in purpose, but they never die. Text is so damn efficient — I can read and skim in a way that I can’t do with audio or video."

Competitive E-News Strategy In a Rat Race Environment

2009-08-27T06:19:00.004-04:00

By Howard Rauch

How are some of us surviving in an e-news content environment that seems to be assuming rat race proportions? The situation is getting to be an old story: Publication Y's competitor — Publication X — launches an e-newsletter, so Y follows suit. Who'll staff this new project? Why the same people who edit Y's magazine … what else? Then X goes twice a week. Y cannot be left behind. Then out of nowhere, competitor Z weighs in with a daily. What now for X and Y, especially since there's no budget for added staff necessary to generate credible content on a multi-frequency basis?

The above scenario clearly suggests that in many X vs. Y competitive analysis evaluations, obvious e-news weaknesses will stand out like the proverbial sore thumb. So while there's still time, you need to strengthen your position against any competitive assault. To this end, seek answers to the following three questions:

(1) Do I offer sufficient variety in every issue or has my content become predictable? One way to learn the truth is by running a source analysis based on breaking stories featured in e-newsletters during the past three months. You may find you are in a rut in terms of overusing convenient sources of information.

(2) Do I offer ample coverage of key topics? Are my competitors outdoing me where it counts in terms of reporting key developments? During one project, I came across a site with a "daily news" link that led visitors to a choice of nine hot topics. Yes, there may not be breaking news every day in each category. But the editors clearly had established target areas of information that had maximum site visitor appeal. Many of us lack this strategy. Instead, we publish whatever e-news happens to be available in order to fill space two or three times a week.

(3) How do site visitors rate your current e-news coverage? You don't need a shotgun e-blast survey to get decent feedback. If you've got an editorial board of ten or more authoritative members, sound them out. Is available e-content clearly superior to what had been available in print sections? In what areas of coverage have your competitors surpassed you?

While all this analysis is ongoing, start setting goals for improving e-news content delivery in terms of eight areas I've identified in previous columns [Editor’s note: See here, here, and here.]:

(1) urgency;
(2) enterprise;
(3) direct quotes;
(4) fast-paced leads;
(5) readability;
(6) brevity (particularly average sentence length);
(7) depth of coverage (word count);
(8) link usage.

Immediate improvements for factors (1) and (2) may take some doing. But you can turn over a new leaf quickly if categories (4), (5), (6) and (8) are not up to snuff.

Howard Rauch is president of Editorial Solutions Inc., a consultancy focusing on B2B magazines. Rauch is the 2002 recipient of ASBPE’s Lifetime Achievement Award. You can contact him directly at howard@editsol.com.

2009 Digital Azbee Call for Entries Reminder

2009-08-26T09:52:00.003-04:00

The time is right for entering the only digital competition exclusively for B2B editorial, sponsored by ASBPE, your nonprofit professional editorial association. The deadline has been extended by a week.

New submission deadline: Sept. 15.

Enter online now.

Why enter the digital Azbees?

Entry fees: half the cost of other contests.
Developed by "in the trenches" editors for editors.
29 digital categories that reflect virtually all the work you, as a B2B editor/writer, do everyday.
Best practices criteria in seven critical judging areas.
More than 80 awards exclusively for B2B.
Winners promoted on ASBPE Web site, email and print newsletters, and press releases.
Winners get award logo for use on all their publications and marketing materials.
The most competitive contest: You compete in ALL B2B markets against ALL publications, the only way to truly know where your exceptional work stands among the crowd.

The categories:

Web Site of the Year
Multi-Platform General Excellence
New Web Site
Web Site Redesign
Microsite/Special Section
Members-/Subscribers-Only Premium Content
Trade Show/Conference Coverage
Web Database
Social Community
Digital Magazine
Five writing categories
Four email newsletter categories
Three blog categories
Four podcast/videocast categories
Slideshow, Widget, Wiki categories
Submit your best work today.

Full description of Digital Azbee rules and categories.

For more information, email info@asbpe.org.