Being a part of digital media is hard. We feel an obligation to get news out to our readers in a timely manner, but we also want to make sure that what we report is accurate. Often those two things are at odds with each other. Speed (along with a number of other factors) doesn?t always allow us the time or bandwidth to do the in-depth research that a story deserves. If we?re trying to break news or be on the frontlines of a conversation, it?s critical that we lock in our story with relevant SEO keyphrases early. That traffic can mean a lot to us, not just for that article, but for helping us rank better overall.
Then comes the downside. We miss facts. Details of the story get obscured. We fail to do our due diligence in researching something, taking for granted that what we?re typing out is right based on the source we got it from. But the damage is done. The story is already out there. Often when it?s discovered, we?re forced to take some kind of action. Maybe we have to issue a correction on the story. Maybe we?ll write up a whole new article to make sure it gets seen. And sometimes, the error is bad enough that we are forced to pull an article altogether for one reason or another.
Look, I?m not saying that this is a regular occurrence with us or even any other media outlet, but the nature of our industry does mean that it unfortunately happens with an alarming frequency that?s can be embarrassing. I?ve been on the receiving end of it, getting new information that needs ...