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--

knightdigitalmediacenter.org5

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?


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


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


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?



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

[email protected]@susanmernit

http://oaklandlocal.com

Susan MernitKnight Circuit Rider,

Oakland Local Editor/Publisher

THANKS!


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.

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Virtual Class: Raising Visibility // Week 3