The sharable, remixable, and permanent nature of digital media means small things can have a large impact. Anyone who creates online content about bullying—from casual tweeters to paid journalists—can use their online presence to accurately inform and connect with readers about the topic, guide them to quality bullying resources, and ultimately be part of the solution.
Here are some suggestions for creating content online.
Stay in the conversation
Engaging in the comments and staying with repackaged versions of your story about bullying can further engage readers, strengthen and clarify your message, and help correct an internet full of misinformation about bullying.
- Engage in discussions. Because bullying is at the forefront of public attention, expect that any piece on bullying will get comments, often a range of them. Your reactions set the tone of the conversation. Thoughtful responses can go a long way toward advancing your point of view about the issue of bullying and providing your public with something they need—good and accurate information. In reality, it isn’t always possible to respond to every comment. If you can’t comment on a bullying piece, think about inviting experts to do so.
- Follow your repackaged story. Repackaged versions of your story about bullying are like the childhood game of “telephone”—your message can be misinterpreted, misunderstood, and even misrepresented. Try to follow your story and the comments it gets so you stay in the conversation. You can set up an alert to get emails when your story is referenced.
Connect your audience to trusted online resources
Inevitably, readers have questions that cannot be answered in the context of your story, tweet, or post about bullying. Give them access to great information by linking to additional resources in both the main content and comments. In comments, hyperlinks to quality sources also can help you refocus threads that are going off topic. Find quality information and resources on StopBullying.gov.
Use best practices for creating bullying content
The suggestions found in other sections of this website can help anyone writing about bullying online. Check out Best Practices as well as What to Avoid. If a topic you are covering or even just re-tweeting differs greatly from the information found in Facts About Bullying, consider the guidance for finding a recognized authority in the Expert Help section.