The Most Tweeted 10,000 Words Posts of 2011

This was a busy year for 10,000 Words. It saw the departure of founder Mark S. Luckie as a regular contributor and the addition of most, if not all, of our current bloggers. What stayed the same, however, was our commitment to sharing great content with you, our readers.

In honor of the end of this year, I’ve compiled a list of the top 11 posts on 10,000 Words. Those that made the list are the top-tweeted posts, not the top stories in terms of pageviews. I used this form of generating the top 11 posts because I think it’s a fair representation of what our tech-savvy readers, many of whom use Twitter, found the most interesting, useful, and worthy of being read and shared.

2012 will be filled with even more posts on the latest tools, gadgets and ideas you can use to enhance your reporting. But we’re always looking to improve. Is there a topic you’d like to see 10,000 Words cover? Let us know in the comments section below or on Twitter.

Without further fanfare, here are our 11 most tweeted posts of 2011. 

1. How To Run A News Site And Newspaper Using WordPress And Google Docs
Total Tweets: 1,541
Our most tweeted post of 2011 focused on The Bangor Daily News and its decision to fully transition over to WordPress, an open source blogging software. Written by Lauren Rabaino, the post explained how and why other news organizations should consider following the paper’s lead.

2. Twitter Announces Twitter For Newsrooms, A Best Practices Guide For Journalists
Total Tweets: 970
In June, Twitter announced its decision to create “Twitter for Newsrooms,” a best practices guide aimed at journalists. Jessica Roy’s ensuing post gave readers a quick overview of the new guide’s highlights.

3. Happy V-Day: Valentines for Journalists (Part III)
Total Tweets: 707
Valentines for Journalists is a yearly 10,000 Words tradition, created by Luckie. Using both the blog and the hashtag #journolove, users submit their favorite journalism-related valentines.

4. The New, Convoluted Life Cycle Of A Newspaper Story
Total Tweets: 583 tweets
Rabaino’s post on how a story is written from when the news breaks to its final version succinctly sums up the confusion facing news consumers today. The story garnered a lot of interest, with GigaOm’s Mathew Ingram basing his own blog post on it.

5. 30 Holiday Gifts For Journalists
Total Tweets: 516
Our annual list of journalism-inspired gifts is always a readers’ favorite.

6. How The Stop Online Piracy Act Could Impact Journalists
Total Tweets: 456
When congressional hearings began on the Stop Online Piracy Act, more commonly known as SOPA, Roy was on the case. She breaks down the act and explains how it could have far-reaching implications for many journalists.

7. Five Tips To Prevent Your Newsroom Twitter Account From Being Hacked, Like @foxnewspolitics
Total Tweets: 417
2011 saw numerous news organizations’ Twitter accounts getting hacked, spreading incorrect information. Follow Ethan Klapper’s five recommendations to ensure this won’t happen in your newsroom.

8. 3 Social Media Skills They Should Teach In Journalism School
Total Tweets: 396
Ben LaMothe weighs in on whats social media skills should be included in journalism schools’ curriculum. The first? Content (scheduling) Is King.

9. The Top 10 Ways Journalists Use the Internet
Total Tweets: 390
The big news from a 2011 survey from PR firm Arketi Group found that the number one way journalists use the Internet is to read the news. Elana Zak shares the nine other ways reporters are using the web.

10. Five Alternative Devices To Replace The Now-Dead Flip Cam
Total Tweets: 389
When it was announced that the once extremely popular Flip Cam would be discontinued, Roy immediately crafted this list of substitute cameras.

11. 8 Journalists Who Were Fired for Tweeting, Part 1
Total Tweets: 370
Many newsrooms are still trying to get a grasp on how their reporters should use Twitter. The first of a two-part series, Zak lists those who have lost their job over a tweet.

2011 Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net