What is Blazer Bulletin?
Welcome to Blazer Bulletin, DSU's newest source for information. Blazer Bulletin exists to educate, promote, entertain and inspire the Dixie State University community. This crowd-sourced digital bulletin allows the people most knowledgeable and passionate about a topic to directly reach those who love Dixie State and want to learn more about the institution.
We know what you are thinking: “That’s awesome! I’m so excited to write a post. What is my next step?” Fortunately, it’s super easy. All you have to do is follow three easy steps:
1. Select the "Submit a Post" option on the menu bar to the right.
2. Write a post about the upcoming event, accomplishment, campus happening, etc., you want to share with the world. This can be as short as 100 words or as long as 700 and take whatever form you prefer. It’s really up to you! (See the tips below for some ideas.)
3. You know what they say, a picture is worth 1,000 words, so don’t forget to upload a photo, illustration, logo or any other type of imagery to accompany your post.
Posts will be published within three business days. Be sure to submit posts ahead of events so readers have plenty of time to mark their calendars.
Still a little apprehensive on where to start? Don’t worry; we got your back! Keep reading for some tips on how to get going.
Tips for contributing
· Don’t be overwhelmed; a post can be as short as a couple sentences if photos or graphics are included and as short as three paragraphs for more traditional narratives
· Write in a tone that feels like you’re sitting next to the intended audience, individually telling the story
· Answer frequently asked questions
· Submit content that is entertaining and will quickly grab the reader’s attention
· To maximize exposure, link to Blazer Bulletin from external sites such as social media
· To increase search engine optimization and help readers get all the information they need, link to relevant pages on utahtech.edu
Get your content on DSU's social media
Most Blazer Bulletin posts that have good-quality photos will get shared on DSU's Facebook and Twitter. What does “good” mean? Here are the things we look for in order of priority:
· High enough quality (not blurry or pixelated)
· Relevant (related to your post)
· Less than ~20% text
· Less than ~25% vector art (vector art examples: text, graphics, illustrations)
Benefits to contributing
· Contributors control their own messaging
· Contributors reach their desired audience with the personality and tone that suits their cause
· Contributors can format content as they see fit; a post can be a traditional narrative, series of photos, a video, a list, a series of questions and answers, a how-to, etc.
· Blazer Bulletin reaches a diverse audience
· Blazer Bulletin is a professional platform that can be shared with niche audiences
· Blazer Bulletin allows contributors to share untold and obscure stories
· Blazer Bulletin is a good way to celebrate accomplishments
· Content will be considered for press releases, magazine articles and University promotion as UMAC goes through blogs for publicity ideas
Before we go, we thought we ought to share the fine print with you, so here it is: Content must be regarding and relevant to Dixie State University, its academic programs, sponsored organizations, students, alumni, faculty, or staff. Contributors are welcome to express their opinions in their posts; however, content disrespecting or disparaging any person or organization is not allowed. Additionally, content including vulgarity, copyright infringement or plagiarism is not allowed. Content may be subject to editing. Dixie State University reserves the right to deny any submissions.
Of course, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! Contact me at 652-7547 or jylhall@utahtech.edu.
Happy posting!