Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Uploading your SoundSlides project (and embedding)

UPLOADING
  • Instructions for embedding your completed SoundSlides production in Blogger can be found in this video tutorial.

EMBEDDING
  • The video tutorial references an embed code tool that you can use to convert your hosted video to embeddable code.
  • Here is the link to that tool.

Soundslides Assignment

ASSIGNMENT:
Please finish by Wed., March 10
We will upload and embed on Mon., March 22

Create your own captioned 60-second audio-narrated photo slideshow using Soundslides.

This is a free downloadable program that is used by several mainstream and independent news organizations, as well as by citizen bloggers.

If you have a digital camera, you can use it to take pictures that document an event or tell a story. If you do not have your own digital camera, you can check one out for free at WSU's Academic Media Services located at 150 Holland on campus.

This project can be completed on your home computer or during lab hours.

The completed project should be about one minute in duration. The content of this project should be focused on the theme of your genre-specific team blog.

After you have completed the assignment, you should upload it to a Web host service, such as WebNG.com and then embed it in your Web site. Note: It is important when you start your production to choose the "small-blog embed" option. If you did not do this at the beginning, then you can modify your output size before you "Export" your project. This is important because modifying the output size will ensure that your final production is compatible with the dimensions of your blog.

To do this within SoundSlides, choose MODIFY from the top menu, then select OUTPUT SIZES. A pop up window will appear where you can select SMALL-BLOG EMBED. This will ensure that your export will result in a smaller slideshow for your blog.

Instructions for embedding your completed SoundSlides production in Blogger can be found in this video tutorial. The video tutorial references an embed code tool that you can use to convert your hosted video to embeddable code. Here is the link to that tool.

Here is an example of a recent creation with a Murrow theme:

In Search of Murrow's England (A Soundslide presentation)



Creating Multimedia: A Novice Shows the Way

And... Interview with the creator of Soundslides

Other examples of Soundslide presentations:

Wrestling Apple Festival Queen

Note: Some of the above examples come courtesy of a great blog by Mindy McAdams

Slideshare.net Audio "Slidecasts"

Slideshare.net is a new site that allows you to upload audio-narrated PowerPoint presentations to the Internet. You can then embed them into your blog or Web site. You can use this feature to tell a story by uploading photos and then adding narration.

Here is a quick overview of the "Slidecast" feature on Slideshare.net.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Online PR Summer Class at WSU

Looking to take a class this summer -- even if you are not in Pullman?

I'm teaching an online-only PR 313 class (beginning May 10). This course covers the basics of PR campaigns, but also new media. Topics covered include: hands-on experience with PitchEngine social media press releases, Google Documents, Vertical Response I-Builder, VisualCV, LinkedIN, social media campaigns and more!

More info can be found here.


Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads is an influential Web ad service that enables you to target specific audiences inside the popular social network.




Related Links:


Google AdWords

Here is a quick overview of Google AdWords:



A Beginner's Guide to Google AdWords

Real-life Lessons in Using Google Adwords (NY Times)

To preview what ads are already displaying for a particular keyword, use the Ad Preview Tool

Use the Ads Diagnostic Tool to further research the performance of your ad.


Understanding Analytics

There are several online resources that you can help you better understand and analyze the data that you get from the various Web analytics services.