Select Page

SOP Blog Posts 

by | Jun 18, 2026 | SOPs | 0 comments

​​Standard Operating Procedure

SWEFC Blog Posts

Updated 2020-07-07 by Francine Stefan

Created by Tara Hackel and Heather Jones​

DESCRIPTION OF SWEFC BLOG POST INITIATIVES

  1. The SWEFC typically aims to post at least one blog post, and ideally two blog posts a month. As of April 2019, we post one blog for the Small Systems Project as​ well as one for the EPA Base Grant.
  2. Each SWEFC technical staff member should write about 4 blog posts a year. We want to have 12 to 24 blog posts in reserve annually so that we can post them each month.
  3. As a guide, a blog post should be fairly brief and not take more than a days time to prepare.

WRITING BLOG POSTS

  1. Update SWEFC Blog Post Tracker as you work including title, short description, author name, key words, and link to a photo. 
  2. ​Selecting a Topic
    1. Think about knowledge you already have developed as part of your education or work with the SWEFC. Select a small area of this knowledge to turn into a blog post. 
    2. Use the SWEFC Blog Post Tracker to record your brainstormed blog topics so that there is no duplication in what staff will write about.
    3. ​Skim the past SWEFC blog post topics to make sure you are writing about a new topic.
      1. SWEFC Blog Post Tracker
      2. SWEFC Direct Blog Page https://swefc.unm.edu/home/blog/​
    4. Review recent topics on the EFCN small systems blog to avoid duplication​. You can also search by topic area (AM, energy, water loss, etc.) from the Blog drop down on header.
      1. EFCN Small Systems Blog https://efcnetwork.org/small_systems_blog/​
  3. Editing
    1. Ensure every blog post you write is read by at least two others to make sure there are no grammar, spelling, or content issues with the posts.  The editors’ names are recorded in the SWEFC Blog Post Tracker.
    2. Sandi may be able to be a resource in reading final content and editing it.
  4. File Location:
    1. Save the final copy of your blog post as a Word document in the year’s folder that the blog is written ​according to the naming convention SHORT DESCRIPTION AUTHOR NAME. 
    2. Get blog posted online. Francine Stefan, Luke Andrews, Hayley Hajic, or Mark Ogrentz can assist.
    3. Once the blog is posted to the website, add the date to the front of the file name according to the convention 20yy-mm-dd.
  5. Find photo.
    1. ​Include link to the photo in the Blog Tracker OR save a high resolution version of the image in the Blog Post folder. 
    2. One free stock photo website we have used is https://www.pexels.com. Also https://unsplash.com/
  6. Determine keywords and add them to Blog Tracker
  7. Blog Writing ​​​Resources
    1. ​​UNC’s Blog Writing Guide https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/blogs/  

POSTING BLOGS TO SWEFC WEBSITE

  1. Sign in to the SWEFC Website (https://swefc.unm.edu/home/wp-admin) using the Word Press Admin Credentials (in credentials document— password protected, Tara and Mark know password​)
  2. ​Select “Posts” on the left. 
  3. Select “Add New” at the top. 
  4. Open the blog post’s Word document and Tracker to obtain the ncecessary info about the blog. 
  5. Post in the necessary info. Upload the photo. Add keywords.
  6. Click Publish.
    1. Note: You can also schedule posts in advance of the date of publication.
  7. Verify the blog published at https://swefc.unm.edu/home/blog/​ and the formatting/image/keywords/etc. look appropriate.
  8. Add Direct link and date of publication to the SWEFC Blog Post Tracker 
  9. Send email to SWEFC list serv about blog post.
    1. Example: Hi All, We went live with a blog post today that Dawn wrote about the benefits of joining Water and Wastewater Agency Response Networks (WARNs). http://southwestefc.unm.edu/benefits-of-joining-water-and-wastewater-agency-response-networks-warns/ Thanks!
  10. Send to funders and update SWEFC Blog Post Tracker ​
    1. ​If Base Grant: Include into Base Grant Report for that quarter
    2. If Small Systems: Send to Allison Perch (perch@sog.unc.edu) and Tess Clark (pclark@syr.edu​) about disseminating.
      1. Example: Hi Tess and Allison,
        SWEFC went live with a blog post today:http://southwestefc.unm.edu/pfas-new-drinking-water-standards-coming/
        I thought you might want to push through the Small Systems blog and the EFCN Facebook.
        ​Thanks,