Why a byline should be effective.

Include a brief but informative intro paragraph about what is in this post, the benefits  and why you should read it.

Editors and journalists have always known that to be successful and effective, a byline must draw readers in. A byline tells readers who wrote the article, who to contact with questions and feedback, their qualifications for writing on this topic (if any), whether they are an expert in the field or are just passing along facts from other sources- every fact helps build credibility. A strong byline will make readers feel like what they are reading is coming from someone with expertise that can help them navigate their own lives.

Any byline will do what a strong byline does, but how many of us feel like we've had to turn down a job due to a bad writer's byline? That's what makes it important. It is one of the first impressions you will have as a reader and your brand as an author. It can help you stand out from the crowd or leave a reader flipping pages in search of another article to read instead.

The golden rule for bylines is to be specific and informative. For example, compare these two bylines:

"by an anonymous author" vs. "by Logan D. Zinman, 23, of New York City."

This advice seems simple but an overwhelming number of writers on the internet choose to be vague with their names and credentials. The first option is understandable- you don't want to give away too much information about you or your company...especially because so many writers are not being paid for their work and want to remain anonymous anyway. The second example is a more effective byline because it allows someone to research the author if they are interested in doing so. They can also contact you after reading your article, or even better- contact you before reading it. This way, you will know from the start who your readers are and what they want from an article.

As a writer coming into this field without any prior credentials, I need to put my name out there and let people know my qualifications for writing on the topics I do. Writing about social media? Check out my twitter @loganzinman. Writing about breaking news? Check out my blog at loganzinmanblog.com. If I am doing a job for a company, my byline will tell them to contact me at loganzinman@gmail.com. If I am doing freelance work, the byline will usually say: LZ in New York City. This helps reinforce the fact that I am an expert at my field and learning about others- but it also gives my clients something to look for before contacting me if they have questions or want to give me feedback on their products or services.

The first thing an editor will do is look at your byline and gauge their reaction to it. If you are a freelance writer, this may be the only time an editor sees your name before hiring you for more work or sending your article off to be published. Make sure it stands out and makes that editor want to know more about you and what you have to say.

If you're a regular person who wants to get their voice heard, make sure you have a strong byline as well- because otherwise your ideas will not get heard on their own merit. They will just be another blog or another post on social media- easily forgotten by anyone who has something else they need to do in that moment.

When you start looking at content online, take a second to consider the bylines attached to those pieces of content and how they made you feel. Did it make you want to know more about the author? Did it make your trust in the work increase? Did it make you want to share that article with people in your social circle? If not, then study other authors' bylines and ask yourself what makes them effective.

Background:

I'm Logan Zinman, an aspiring journalist from New York City. For my first few years in college I wrote for my school newspaper as a reporter, but I also wrote for different websites on many different topics from music to politics. I also wrote articles for my own website and other people's sites, which is how I got involved in freelance work.

I usually write about social media marketing, but I've also written about break-ups, the American military and even self-improvement. I'm currently finishing up my first book coming out in June 2014 about social media and creativity.

I have several years of experience writing for different websites on all sorts of topics from business to technology, from self-help to personal growth. I have been a published writer since 2007 or 2008 on various financial, politics and weight loss websites.

More about me:

I founded a couple of different websites. One was Weightlossfailures.net, which has been spun off into its own community, Fat Failure Community . The other one was myKonnect , which was an online magazine created for college students to share their stories, advice and experiences with each other.

I did freelance work for various companies and startups that I can't mention here due to confidentiality agreements. I also worked on a few books as well as the self-help website www.SelfHelpBoy.com .

I have lived in New York City since I was 10 years old getting my education here. Since then, I've been living in different parts of the city and other parts of New York State as well. Today, I live in Staten Island and am finished with college after taking a few years off to work on my own projects.

I've worked as a freelancer for groups and organizations like the United Nations Association of the USA to the NYC Council on Foreign Relations. In addition, I was also hired by some startups that I can't mention due to confidentiality agreements.

I write about social media and online marketing for individuals, businesses and organizations.

Conclusion:

If you're an online writer or blogger, you need to create a buzz around your articles in order to get them seen and shared by others. You can do this by having great ideas and writing effective content that people want to know about. This is where bylines come in- they make your articles more memorable. If you choose to include your name, make sure it's specific and informative so the reader will know who they are reading. If you do not include your name, then include something that the reader can look for before contacting you or clicking on "read next" so they will have enough information to know who they are contacting when they contact you.