Game Changer

ideas shared by Sarah Nichols, MJEMonday, December 20, 2010

What’s the yearbook climate

these days?

What are our most pressing concerns?

How can we stayin the game?

Monday, December 20, 2010


the conversation

• beating delayed gratification

• playing their game on their terms

• delivery speed, style

• open dialogue

• opinion sharing (likes, comments)


know your audience

• 77 percent of WHS students are on Facebook• 74 percent with Myspace accounts• 50 percent on Twitter• 62 percent spend more than one hour

per day on social networking sites


• profile, group, fan page• friends• news feed• event reminders & invitations• staying in the conversation is key

Facebook is your friend


reach out to readers


internal use


internal use


post-event


pre-event


story generation



post-event


post-event


remind your readers



adapting interactivity


Twitter is here to stay


• constant updates• personal, sometimes

emotional or trivial content• immediate reactions• common discussion threads &

trending topics

why does it matter?


• short, personal quotes• multiple perspectives

on news events• emphasis on editing• timely and time-sensitive

responses

how can it influence us?


invite participation


promotion (not journalism)


it’s all conncted


guidelines

• limited access to accounts• mission statement and purpose• correcting mistakes• avoid being in the story• announce yourself as a reporter the same

way a camera would identify you


online opinion polls

• easy way to conduct reader research

• simple creation process

• free or inexpensive account options

• link or embed to spread quickly

• responses tallied automatically




things to consider

• shared link might generate non-student responses

• representative sample (gender, age, type of student responses)

• computer lab or profile

• oversaturation




add value

• more is more with selective buyers

• additional content

• expand coverage

• introduce multimedia

• update beyond deadlines


online yearbook

• how to begin

• hosting, name, CMS

• plan site map first

• matching the print edition

• launch date

• marketing/promotion


WordPress

• simple, free setup

• variety of themes

• customization options

• forums, support


online yearbook

• content

• topical or chronological coverage

• photo galleries

• personality profiles

• audio slideshows

• about: staff, publication, purchase, etc


online yearbook


online yearbook






audio slideshows


captions, of course





hear for yourself


non-book content


audio slideshows



Whitney Update staff


analytics

• free (Google)

• track visitors

• bounce rate

• see what works (reader patterns)

• set goals for increased traffic


another idea

• designated page on school site

• no hosting/URL or CMS decisions

• possible tech help

• built-in traffic from parents, students

• opportunity to expand

• BUT may be limited or more static and is harder to track w/ analytics




other considerations

• fresh content rather than repeat from print publication(s)

• updated in regular intervals or once?

• students upload content, not adviser

• students design, manage site


video clips

• complement print coverage with video footage of important events

• embed on website OR simply post on Vimeo, YouTube, SchoolTube (or CD)

• camera recommendation: Canon T1i

• indicate in print edition how to find/view additional content online (or CD)





digital staff manual

• from paper to PDF

• attach to Google Group

• store online via Issuu

• free, easily accessible




digital tutorials

• Jing tutorials

• PDFs linked to website or network

• slideshare options



community journalism

• let readers in on the process• crowdsourcing or expanding coverage to

events your reporters cannot attend• inviting submissions generates interest,

involves the audience• online submission tools make it simple


survey says• 70 percent upload photos to Facebook

to share with others• 68 percent to Myspace• 51 percent to Photobucket• 7 percent to Flickr• 21 percent to “other”



online photo submission


diversified coverage


from you to them

• Flickr

• Smug Mug

• staff site (Shutterfly, etc)

• Facebook

• photos with tags

• pages in progress


Flickr




Smug Mug


fund-raising



tagging to create buzz



work smarter

• time-saving devices

• Social Oomph for scheduled updates

• staff positions for constant progress

• less on school network, more online

• Evernote


Google

• Docs, Forms, Spreadsheets

• possible uses: reporting, ladder, index, applications


simplified production


simplified production


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e-mail: [email protected]: Sarah Gliemmo NicholsTwitter: @sarahjnichols


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Technology

Game Changer