Robyn Bateman is a former newspaper journalist-turned communications professional, specialising in content, social media, community engagement and mobile journalism. She currently works for The Open University's (OU) social media engagement team and is passionate about visual storytelling and the difference education makes to people's lives. Speaking of which...

Mature (ish) student

In the summer of 2017 Robyn will complete her MA in Online Journalism, studied part-time via distance learning with Birmingham City University and under the watchful eye of Paul Bradshaw. This book is the final project for the MA and follows Ralphie.co.uk, a community site for dog walkers in Milton Keynes; Ladies Wot Blog, a series of interviews to highlight the power and opportunities blogging presents to women; ContentEdMK, a hyperthetical business to provide content and social media training to small businesses in Milton Keynes; and MobyClick.co.uk, a resource for anyone interested in mobile journalism. You can follow her student journey at journonest.co.uk

Going back a bit

Robyn's career started when she joined Midland News Association's training scheme at the tender age of 18 (gaining a place possibly on the fact she knew the then local MP liked to eat honey sandwiches). Random knowledge will get you everywhere. She then joined the Ludlow Advertiser as a trainee reporter; the Shrewsbury and North Shropshire Chronicle as a senior reporter, then acting news editor; the Newport and Market Drayton Advertisers as chief reporter, deputy editor, then acting editor; and back to Shrewsbury as assistant editor to work on campaigns, resulting in the title of Campaigning Newspaper of the Year for the North Shropshire Chronicle's Sink or Swim Campaign to keep a local swimming pool open. She was also twice nominated for Headline of the Year in the Regional Newspaper of the Year Awards. She then moved to Leicestershire as editor of the Coalville Times group of newspapers, conquered it and fancied a bit of a change. Robyn joined The Open University in 2007 combining her journalism skills with a new technical ability, working on everything from community websites, multiplatform, multichannel campaigns and social media, always flying the flag for good storytelling, best practice and experimenting with new tools, technologies and processes.

Robyn blogs (not as much as she would like) at robynbateman.co.uk and you'll find her tweeting as @robynbateman. She's also blogged for a handful of third party sites like Wannabe Hacks, Lollipop Lane, Del Monte and Social Sign In.

InstHEgram

InstHEgram is her first (and possibly last) eBook and it would make her very happy if people download it find it useful.