Transcript Developing an Online Presence

Developing an Online Presence
for a High School Newspaper
Cindy Royal, Ph.D
Associate Professor
Texas State University
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
[email protected]
www.cindyroyal.com
www.onthatnote.com
tech.cindyroyal.net
twitter.com/cindyroyal
facebook.com/cindyroyal
linkedin.com/in/cindyroyal
Digital Media Agenda
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Why Go Online?
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Overview of Web Topics
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The Role of Social Media
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Tuesday pm – HTML/CSS – Learn the basics of Web design
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Wednesday am – Choosing a Content Management System &
Basic Wordpress Functionality and Site Evaluation Exercise
Wednesday pm – Posting to the HSJ site
All content and materials presented can be found at
cindyroyal.com/asne
Why Go Online?
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Broaden audience/distribution – parents, alumni, community
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Additional coverage
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Breaking news
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Promoting events
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Multimedia features
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Social media interaction
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Archives
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Mobile access
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Additional advertising opportunities
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Introduce students to digital media concepts
Challenges
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Limited online skills, difficult to keep up
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Limited funds for equipment
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Technical Support
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Don't know how to host; options for hosting
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Don't understand the online environment; don't know
range of options
Not enough time with existing requirements
Managing online comments – either on sites or social
media.
Administration not supportive or even blocking
Dealing with Admin Challenges
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Working with administration
– Understand and address their concerns
– Explain the importance of digital skills
– Outline online benefits
Working around administration
– Use smartphones/tablets with 3G capability
– Work from home
Know that students are online and communicating
with social media; show them best practices,
professional usage; model trouble-shooting
behaviors
Getting Started
• There are a lot of things to learn about
the digital environment
(skills, terminology, keeping up with trends),
but you can take things slowly. Don't need
to know everything there is to know at once.
• Familiarize yourself with digital terminology (see terms and concepts
handout)
• Stay in touch with technology news, basic information about
companies like Google and Facebook. Look at Wired, Fast
Company.
• Develop a plan for implementing a digital strategy over time.
• Start small, but make sure you start.
• There are no rules. Be creative. Don't be afraid to try things out.
Encourage student exploration and curiosity.
Developing An Online News Operation
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Define audience
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Establish goals for online
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Understand how it fits in with
print strategy
Identify existing platforms
Identify the tools and resources
you have/need
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Students
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Other faculty
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Admin/tech support
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Outside resources
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Seek out training – online resources, Lynda.com
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Leverage social media in appropriate ways.
Establish Goals
• Take your Web presence seriously and professionally. Not just a
sideline or repository for your print product. It can be the center of
your news operation.
• Are you interested in developing a digital media curriculum or simply
getting an online presence for your paper?
• Think Digital First Journalism (includes mobile)
• What is the purpose of your site? How will it complement/support
your print product?
• Decide on type of content, appropriate voice
• News story
• Blog post
• Video/Slideshow content
• Other?
• What opportunities do you have to engage your audience(s)?
Options
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Not really a timeline, but a list of options from simple to more complex; can build a
Web presence over time
Use social media tools like Twitter and Facebook to promote newspaper stories,
break news, do additional coverage, experiment with photos and video. Put a Twitter
widget on your school's website – Free.
Experiment with things like YouTube, Pinterest, Storify, Tumblr and Instagram – Free.
Encourage students to use tools they already have, like smartphones with cameras
and video to enhance coverage. - Free; check into existing resources for multimedia
editing: Photoshop, iMovie or other video editing tools.
Start a blog – host with Blogger.com or Wordpress.com. Experiment with different
types of posts, content, features - Free.
Start hsj.org site. Easy way to get started, post newspaper content, photos, etc. Free.
Check into a Wordpress site, either via a host (like Bluehost or Dreamhost) or through
School Newspapers Online. - $$$
Ongoing - Look at other sites for inspiration – other high school sites, pro sites, etc Free!
Resources for an Online News Operation
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Integrated with your print operation
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Digital-first journalism – Web and mobile
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A Web editor can approve online stories, assignments for Web-only
projects
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1 or more Web producers can be responsible for multimedia aspects
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Integration with print and reporters to add visual interest to stories
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A content-management system with editor approval that allows
multiple people to post to site
A person with design responsibilities to oversee layout and design
issues
A social media editor who can oversee and integrate Twitter,
Facebook presence, engage audience
Multiple Twitter accounts, staff. Develop a policy with guidelines for
how these accounts/personal accounts should be used.
Equipment
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You don't need expensive equipment
Most students have digital cameras or cell
phones that can shoot photos/video
Can even post content to social media or site
via smartphone – mobile reporting
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Low-end cameras with video
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Digital audio recorders
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Camcorders
Analytics
• Track visits to site – Google Analytics or analytics
associated with your CMS platform.
• Monitor Twitter, Facebook, YouTube analytics
• Use social media to track/solicit comments from
audience
• Make decisions based on analytics, but also other
factors. Give things time to catch on.
Use social media to engage audience
• Make it easy for people to share and talk about your
content
• Twitter
• Facebook – pages or groups
• Social bookmarks on posts
• Add widget on site
• Foursquare or Path location-based promotion/events
• Flickr/Picasa/Instagram
• YouTube
• Use Storify to aggregate
social media on a topic
Keeping Up
• Google News/Yahoo News - Technology
• NY Times Technology/David Pogue
• Wired or Fast Company
• Scobleizer
• TechCrunch
• Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang
• Techmeme
• Social Media Today
• Mashable
• Smashing Magazine
• 10000 Words
• Use Twitter or Facebook to follow tech news organizations
• Many cities have meetup groups for various tech interests. Check out
Social Media Club or groups that focus on Web development,
Wordpress, etc. Encourage your students to attend.