Virtual Class: Raising Visibility // Week 3

Raising visibility, awareness and reach for

your online project: Distribution & Syndication

& Viral social mediaAPRIL 30, 2013

Susan MernitKnight Circuit Rider,

Oakland Local Editor/Publisher

Type questions here

WHO’S THE INSTRUCTOR?Susan Mernit, Linked In:http://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmernitTwitter: @susanmernitFacebook: Facebook.com/susanmernit

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STARTING WITH PARTNERSHIPS—WHY DO THEM?Who ever goes to a web site anymore

with so many choices? We’re talking today about how partnerships can increase reach, traffic--

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What we will look at:

Who are your “official” partners?

Do they send you any traffic?

What kind of 3rd party links do you have today?

Is any of it good traffic?**

**Good traffic: viewers who spent more than .65 minutes on the site, return, and/or look at 2+ pages per visit

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Who are good prospects to syndicate to?

Look for:•Local media (newspapers, radio, web)•Local government (city, county)•Bloggers & hyperlocal sites (news sites, individual sites)•Local and regional mobile apps & directories •Portal sites with regional or niche content (Yahoo! News, Google News, Huffington Post, Patch)

Connecticut Mirror has a large number of partners, including the NY Times

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Tools for getting partners!

Materials for reaching out:•Description of your organization•Information about your content•Content samples•Information on RSS/XML feed•Information on photo licensing/right•Daily or weekly news budget email

Economic Hardship Reporting Project has a model that focuses on content distribution

Economic Hardship Reporting Project has a model that focuses on content distribution

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Bay area KQED public media partners with many different news sites, blogs and non-profits to gather quality local news.Each of these stories is from a different partner—and sends that partner traffic.

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Once you’re syndicating/distributing

Content distribution (posting on a partner site)

•Post consistently•Use photos•Increase posting on sites with most click-through to you•Send news budget to staff•Push the specials•Keep adding partners

•Content syndication: Sharing through feeds

•Regularly check indexing is working•Build new feeds for specific partner requirements•Keep adding new partners

•Content syndication: Sharing through feeds

•Regularly check indexing is working•Build new feeds for specific partner requirements•Keep adding new partners

Check stats on Google Analytics/Traffic Sources

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Assignment--Action steps to take to improve visibility with syndication/distribution

•Review your third-party referrals on Google Analytics over 6 months •(set the date range to see 6 mos.)

•Note the top 10 third-party referrers—how many do you know andconnect with already?

•Rate 3-6 referrers as A/B/C as partner prospects—What are you basing•your assumptions on?

•Tell us—who are 1-3 new partners you might approach and why?

•Review your third-party referrals on Google Analytics over 6 months •(set the date range to see 6 mos.)

•Note the top 10 third-party referrers—how many do you know andconnect with already?

•Rate 3-6 referrers as A/B/C as partner prospects—What are you basing•your assumptions on?

•Tell us—who are 1-3 new partners you might approach and why?

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Switching gears--Social media: Critical tool to build visibility for your project via virality, sharing

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We’ll also talk abut viral sharing via social media and how POWERFULthat has become in driving traffic, engagement, attention…

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Use social media platformsto increase users, drive interaction & engagementAnd reach more diverseaudiences

Use social media platformsto increase users, drive interaction & engagementAnd reach more diverseaudiences

Important: Think about VIRAL SHARING as a new goal

CHECK IN: Are you using share buttons on your site?Do you encourage sharing interactions?

CHECK IN: Are you using share buttons on your site?Do you encourage sharing interactions?

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To build visibility, add visible share buttons to your site for key social networks**Make it EASY to share**

To build visibility, add visible share buttons to your site for key social networks**Make it EASY to share**

Note buttons for Reddit, Stumbleupon,Google +, Linked In,--whereare your people?

Note buttons for Reddit, Stumbleupon,Google +, Linked In,--whereare your people?

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SHARING IS DRIVEN BY WORDS, PHOTOS

CAPTIONS ON ON PHOTOSGood contentPhotos w/ captions posted to Facebook& TwitterCopy with the captioned photos that engages deep curiosity—and doesn’tgive much away

If Facebook is your top referrer, focus on that—and use crafted headlines& captioned photos

(Hat tip: Upworthy.com)(Hat tip: Upworthy.com)

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Oakland Local caption/headline test on Facebook

Methodology:Took 5 stories and build captioned photosPosted photos & new headlines on FacebookCompared results to previous promotions

ResultsPie photo: Feb 24: 14 hours after posting: 1,187 people saw this post; Feb 17 (no caption), 300Occupy photo: Feb 24: 14 hours after posting: 1,037 people saw this postFeb 21: 502 saw this post

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Remember the 2012 Olympics & the #NBCFail hashtag?

Thousands of people used the tag.

And don’t forget the power of the hashtag

At the 2013 Oscars,#hathawaynipples went viral due to a Prada dress

Create hashtags for yourevents, coverage and issues--and see if they catch on

Create hashtags for yourevents, coverage and issues--and see if they catch on

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Resources for building skills

SOCIAL MEDIA & VIRALITY•The rise of digital influence by Brian Solis, Altimeter, http://www.slideshare.net/Altimeter/the-rise-of-digital-influence•Upworthy: 10 Ways To Win The Internets http://slidesha.re/15faQUs•Upworthy: How To Make That One Thing Go Viral http://slidesha.re/15faVrd•Susan Mernit: Test slides (in resources in class folder)

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Assignment (Pick one , or do both):

SYNDICATION/DISTRIBUTION FOCUS: Who are your best partners?• Check Google Analytics to see your third-party referrers.• Create a list of potential partners and why you want them.• Compare the two lists.• Develop a timeline and action list to go after new partners.

SOCIAL MEDIA/VIRAL FOCUS: Practice your (viral) headlines• Read the UpWorthy presos in resources and Susan’s test preso (they

are fun).• Get 3 pictures. Write great captions in this style for each photo. • Post on FaceBook if you are brave; share with us if you are less brave.• Discuss.

Please post your work by Friday, May 3, so we candiscuss, share, comment before the May 7 class.Please post your work by Friday, May 3, so we candiscuss, share, comment before the May 7 class.

Type questions here

mernit@gmail.com@susanmernit

http://oaklandlocal.com

Susan MernitKnight Circuit Rider,

Oakland Local Editor/Publisher

THANKS!

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Virtual Class: Raising Visibility | Starts on April 15, 2013Go to bit.ly/raising-visibility for more information and to find out how to apply.Virtual Class: Raising Visibility | Starts on April 15, 2013Go to bit.ly/raising-visibility for more information and to find out how to apply.