6 minimal-effort ways to jumpstart your newspaper staff’s excitement about the web
Thanks for visiting New Media Bytes. If you like what you see, subscribe to my RSS feed.
Image by Payton Chung
While newspapers are working on getting their staff members interested in online, the fact remains that many print writers and photographers aren’t all that interested in paying attention to the ups and downs of their newspapers’ websites.
From the online perspective, here’s a few strategies I’ve seen work in getting newspaper people thinking about success they can have online.
1. Pick one person to start with and cultivate
This tip comes from Ryan Sholin, who brilliantly says in these transitional times “you can’t mandate mindset. But you can grow culture.” How very true.
By focusing your efforts on one person or a very limited number of people, you up your chances of building online evangelists who can help you achieve your goals. Get one person excited who can influence his or her desk, and build from there. This is a whole lot easier than trying to convince an entire newsroom that your latest web idea will matter.
2. Start small to get more buy-in
Going for the whole shibang on an online initiative is great if you can pull it off. Those of us on the web side know it’s not quite that easy.
For example, instead of launching a huge staff-wide video initiative, pick a couple of people who would be interested in creating their own online show and stick with it. By starting small with new projects, you may be able to inspire other staffers that they can do it too. If you can lower the barriers so technology or web stuff is not so overbearing and scary, your staffers might be more interested in trying out your project
3. Share the stats
Reporters want to know how many people read their story - and if they don’t, it’s likely because they’ve never thought about actual readership statistics. Informing your newsroom on online stats can even spur some competition among staffers, with some desks wanting to make an extra effort to beat out another section on page views. Why not?
This tip could be discouraging for some sections too. Help put stats in perspective for reporters of sections with disappointing numbers to keep them interested in the success of your online sections. You can also find motivation here as sections with low numbers offer staffers the opportunity to take ownership and grow a section. Seeing those numbers climb can be a very gratifying experiment.
4. Congratulate staffers on online successes
If someone nails a great story online and pulls in a high unique visitors count, make a note of it in your newsroom meetings. Send emails to reporters and copy section editors when an online effort meets and especially when it exceeds its goal. Everyone wants a pat on the back, and giving one might just help get your newspaper staff pay more attention to how their works play out online.
5. Encourage creative outlet and expression
Do you have a business writer who loves to talk fashion and American Idol? What about any writers with a personal blog or Facebook addiction? While your paper might not be the place for personal commentary, your online site could thrive as users latch on to the personalities of your writers. Ask those with an interest to participate online for your news org. Success may influence other writers and photographers to share their hobbies on the website.
6. Give your reporters a voice
And by voice, I mean a blog. Yes, some reporters will react that writing a blog on top of their beat duties is more of a pain than a reward. But the right coaching and encouragement can help you turn that view around! Discuss the interests of your reporters with them and pick a blog topic that gets them hungry for writing. Next, explain how blog writing can heighten their personal brand and name recognition. After a few comments on their posts, it’s likely your reporters will see a spark.
What are your tips?
I’ve written a few tactics that I’ve seen work. What are some of the strategies you’ve used to get your newspaper staff more interested in online success?
If you've enjoyed this post, please subscribe to the New Media Bytes RSS feed.
April 20th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Well, a blog about American Idol certainly helped at the newspaper I worked at
…. especially when the numbers were great.
I think the idea of sharing numbers helps … especially when you can put them in perspective for folks.
April 20th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
An extension of No. 4: Keep an eye out for articles in trade and mass media that highlight your news organization’s successes. Send those around to everyone on staff. As you say, people like pats on the back; when it comes from industry watchers it adds additional weight. And it works for online news sites that aren’t newspaper driven too. I say this from first-hand experience.
Also, don’t limit the initial request for ideas to reporters. There are plenty of others who work on story development (photogs, editors, copy editors, designers, video journalists) who also have great story leads and concepts as well.
And finally — and I realize this is could be considered heresy — let the business side share what they know about the way things are are going with the editorial side, and vice versa. While the business division should not influence reporting, I think it’s important for all the editorial staff to understand the big picture. In addition, it’s helpful for the business staff to get their heads around what editorial is doing. Careful symbiosis is the name of the game.
April 21st, 2008 at 6:34 am
@mcwflint I def agree about sharing numbers. When people see that what they’re doing has a real, measurable effect, it can grab their attention and get them more invested in creating content that will bring in even bigger numbers.
@Chrys Good points. I seem to make the mistake too often of referring only to reporters. Everyone on the staff, from the people at the front desk to the ENC can contribute, and should! Great idea about the business side too. I think that relationship has been too strained at too many places for too long. Right now, newspapers have to incorporate more content promotion principles on the editorial side. The Business side might have some great ideas for that and both could work hand-in-hand in creating more interactive features. Great suggestions!