The 'real reporting' label/identifying original content

letting readers know it's exclusive material

[lucertola]

Wonkette started sticking a graphic on stories that said "real reporting" as a joke though it did go around blogdom as a serious idea before they got it...
It's an interesting question -- do you identify your content as original and if so, how?
All of our content is original, we've currently got a tag that says either writer's name or staff, with a descriptive tag on the end about our indie journalism -- we were thinking of shortening it because it already seems to be a bit much...
Just the same, I was amazed to find a reader comment this morning along the lines of: I just realized you guys write this stuff & it's not wire services, I'll have to keep reading you...

Any thoughts on best practices for labeling original content?

[rogerd]

Lucertola, I see a couple of issues related to identifying your content as your original work.

First, it's always good form to put a copyright notice on your content, even though it may not be legally required. Making it a bit more prominent than the typical "fine-print-in-footer" may help dispel the illusion that the stuff on your site is regurgitated public domain content and free for the taking.

Second, it sounds like you are most concerned about the marketing aspects of the issue, i.e., how do you emphasize to new visitors that your content is original?

I'd probably include a prominent "about us" link for starters, and use that content to talk about your editorial staff, how you identify topics of interest and write about them, etc. Sell your people here, and your content will look better to readers!

On each page, perhaps you could use a slogan or tagline. Something like, "Original Articles for Discriminating Readers" (only not so boring!). A little creativity might yield your own equivalent of, "All the News That's Fit to Print."

You might also make the slogan a link to a more detailed explanation of what sets your site apart. Good luck, it's good to see there are still people who place a value on creating high quality, original content.

[lucertola]

It's good to know we're on the same wave length -- the only thing I'd guess we should tweak then is the final tag line, we've already got the copyright and the "about us" sections much as you described...

The current end tag line does say something about it being the work of a freelance journalist -- but i'm always amazed with internet how much you really need to come out & clobber people with the message.

thanks again for the suggestions...

[ControlEngineer]

If you have articles, you could have by-lines at the top listing the author name, such as:

My Live As A Widget Salesperson
An original article by ControlEngineer

I first started selling widgets when.... blah blah

or something simlar. Of course, anything not original should be so labeled, with credit to the copyright owner, proper copyright notice, and "used by permission".