Younger, Jennifer: lighntning talk, Digital Preservation: Aggregated, Collabo...
Rji digital dimesmpatosend
1. Turning Digital Dimes into Dollars
Michigan Press Association
Reynolds Journalism Institute
Missouri School of Journalism
January 26, 2013
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
2. Measuring Readers
vs.
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
3. Measuring Digital Readers
• Get a tracking system
– Google Analytics, Omniture
• Create daily, weekly, monthly reports
– Where are your digital readers?
• Capitalize your traffic
– Sell what readers visit
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
4. Measuring Digital Readers
April Page Visits: March Page Visits:
Source: Google Analytics, Tidewater News 2012
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
5. Print obits
• Written by?
• Section?
• Most read?
• Premium ads?
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
6. Digital Dime Opportunities
• Leverage the data
• Create revenue streams
• Meet the market needs
– Readers and advertisers
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
15. Digital Dime Opportunities: Texting
Market Need:
• Timely info
• Opt-in
• Push delivery
• Community service
Revenue Source:
• Platform sponsorship
• Text “rental”
• BTYB sponsors
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
20. Digital Dime Opportunities: Email
Market Need:
• Customized news
• Opt-in
• Push delivery
• Segmented audiences
Revenue Source:
• Platform sponsorship
• Email ads
• Advertiser Email blasts
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
21. Digital Dime Ideas: Contests
Readers
Participants Email/Text
Contests Revenue
Bigger
Email/Text Lists
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
27. Digital Dime Opportunities: Contests
…put your name front and center for fans returning week
after week to make their picks.”
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
29. Digital Dime Opportunities: Contests
• Cutest Baby
• Cutest Pet
• Backyard Makeover
• Beauty Makeover
• Room Makeover
• Green Home
• Travel
• Recipes
• Photos
• March Madness
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
30. Digital Dime Opportunities: Contests
Market Need:
• Opt-in
• Fun
• Leverages key events
• Generates buzz
Revenue Source:
• Title sponsors
• Weekly/Secondary sponsors
• Increases text/email lists
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
31. Digital Dime Strategy
Readers
Participants Email/Text
Contests Revenue
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
33. Newspaper Today
Community
Information
Provider
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
34. Be the Leader!
• Tribute.com—targeting funeral homes & TV
• Radio listener clubs—contests & email lists
• Groupon/Living social—segmented databases
• Meguiar—hyper-local text messaging
Own Your
Market!
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
35. More Digital Dime Ideas
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
36. More Digital Dime Ideas
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
37. Local Media Insider Offer
• Weekly case study • Promo Code:
– Proven success stories
–ThreeFree
– Contact info
– Practical & actionable
• Access to 3 case studies
items • 20% off subscription
• Product and vendor – Good for 30 days
reviews
• Searchable database
University of Missouri Missouri School of Journalism
So now that we know that obits is a highly read section, how do you earn your digital dimes?
Most obit pages, look much like this one from the Frankfort State Journal.There are two key “above the fold” ad spots. For this publication, clicking on a specific obit opens up a small window — it’s not another page but a pop-up — but there is another leaderboard spot. Not a bad start to earning dimes the traditional way—through ad sales.
To create highly specific targets, the marketing department added opt-in "VIP Newsletter" choices to all of its online registration forms. In total there are 21 commercial opt-in categories listed in check boxes on the form, and integrated with its email partner, Presslaff:
The manager of the program at the paper had this to say: “When we first got the PressLaff delivery system, our advisors said that we needed to put “Special offer brought to you by The Elkhart Truth in the email subject line, They also told us to put a banner across the top of each email that said ‘This savings brought to you by The Truth.’ “ Open rates, however, were low. When The Truth experimented by changing the subject line to represent the advertiser, some open rates shot up to 20 percent, especially on the targeted e-blasts. It seemed more relevant to (the audience).Now they have made the (e-blast) look like it’s coming from the advertiser... though at the bottom it does say 'Brought to you by The Elkhart Truth', and there’s an opt-out option as well.They also insist that advertisers provide offers which true value—not the same offer you can find all over town. Keeping the offers exclusive and higher value improve open rates.Which are two more critical elements to success email blasts: c. Pricing and packaging,Developing demographics for email audiences and Policing programs to guard the value and integrity of the lists.
Elkhart partners with Presslaff interactive to launch their email service.
The results? $42,000 in email blast new revenue first year, from both upsells and new clients. 30,000 daily circThe Truth's marketers started by pricing e-blasts slightly higher than competitors’ blasts, which don't have the same quality of opt-ins. The email cost begins at $12 CPM, and each target add-on raises the CPM by $5.Advertisers do not see or rent the list. It’s all controlled by The Truth staff.
They designed a simple form, and tied it in to Facebook to encourage sharing.Notice they also have a section to tell friends about the contest.
The ad packages were truly multi-media. .
Promote: To sell the program, Wichita created a “plan book” that included a bullet-point reference sheet, mini spec layout of what the double truck looked like with the single box and double box, sales sheet with early bird pricing and the program agreement. Sales incentives motivated the Eagle staff. “If you tell the rep they’ll make $100 or $150 from every sale, it really helps. From local travel agency Air Capital they solicited four $900 trip-for-two vouchers, one of which became the award for the Eagle’s top sales performer.PRIZESPapa John's is one of the most aggressive marketers looking to build its own data lists and seems to pop-up on a lot of contests. Do you know the regionalcontact in your market? Other fast and semi-fast food partners include Dairy Queen who developed a text-back campaign around high school sports, Wendy's, Hero's Pizza, PopEyes and Buffalo Wild Wings. Get to know the marketing manager for your city or region. Auto dealers also love local football sponsorships. Dealerships we've seen sponsoring these around the country include Honda, Toyota, Suzuki and Chevrolet as well as pre-owned lots, but your list really includes any dealer with whom you have a relationship. Beer sponsors we've seen stepping up to football contests in include both Bud Light and Miller Light, and Pepsi has shown up as a title sponsor in one market. Have fun: Letting the advertisers play in the contest and publishing their scores also helped make this broader model work by giving merchants added community celebrity status. Making multiple sponsorships exclusive by category adds security and prestige to the buy. Sports stores and sports bars also like football contests. If you have a weekly contest, you may allow sports bars to buy the weekly "The party's at..." sponsorship. Several papers have attracted as a prize sponsors a home electronics store that gives away a flat screen television — a great tie-in with sports fans.Be Social: Share results and info on Facebook, Twitter
Remember—the better and more defined the list, the greater the value to advertisers.
Until now, newspapers have tended to focus on two key elements of the news business—the press and the paper.
Includes a checklist on how to sell text messaging service.Ten Ways to grow email lists quickly21 contests that work (with media references included)