A presentation I helped lead for Suburban Newspapers of America on user-generated content.

1. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
INVOLVE
YOUR
READERS
GATEHOUSE NEWS & INTERACTIVE DIVISION
UGC: About Us
Brad Dennison, Vice President
News & Interactive, GateHouse Media
— Oversees all GateHouse content operations
— Manages business aspect of news
David Arkin, Executive Director
News & Interactive, GateHouse Media
— Oversees all field implementation, training
— Manages Ghnewsroom.com, News Service
Alice Coyle, Managing Editor
GateHouse Media New England
— Editor of several weekly New England papers
— Leading way in reader involvement effort
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 1 4/7/2011

2. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
The agenda
GateHouse‘s callout strategy
How we define UGC
About our platform
How small papers can do this
Getting photos and text
Developing partners
How a small weekly did it
UGC
More local content for print and Web
Community conversation
Content we’re not getting today
Develop more sources
‘Soft’ callouts lead to hard news tips
Development of user-generated content platform
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 2 4/7/2011

3. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
How we define UGC
Content a newspaper gets from specific callouts
This is more than getting letters to the editor
Content that’s building new pages, opportunity
Builds a new culture of sharing with readers
Challenges, obstacles
Convincing newsrooms this content is important
Not making callouts an ad building process
Working hard to get callouts submitted
UGC
2009: Started building
culture for UGC
2010: Newsroom
expectations kicked in
2011: Starting to see
measurable results,
new online platform
being implemented
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 3 4/7/2011

4. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
Making callouts work
Consistency is key
Use an anchored promotion
Pick a prominent spot on A1, A2 or A3
Sections fronts also for Sports, Lifestyles content
Promote well in advance
Continue to promote right through the event
UGC
Follow a calendar to be consistent
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 4 4/7/2011

5. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
When news happens, seek photos
UGC
Norwich (CT) Bulletin
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 5 4/7/2011

6. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
UGC
Promote it
Pekin (IL) Daily Times
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 6 4/7/2011

7. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
Coldwater (MI) Daily Reporter
UGC
These aren’t “ads”
Go big and bold with type, art
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 7 4/7/2011

8. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
Find a home to
feature this
content
Don’t bury it in the
back of your
community section
UGC
Adrian (MI) Daily Telegram
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 8 4/7/2011

9. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
Work with groups to get content
UGC
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 9 4/7/2011

10. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
UGC
UGC
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 10 4/7/2011

11. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
How to use your website for callouts
Near your navigation
Your featured story
Open inventory space
Within stories and galleries
UGC
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 11 4/7/2011

12. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
Springfield (IL) Journal-Register
UGC
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 12 4/7/2011

13. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
UGC
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 13 4/7/2011

14. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
UGC
Rockford (IL) Register-Star
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 14 4/7/2011

15. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
Galesburg (IL) Register-Mail
UGC
New Philadelphia/Dover (OH) Times-Reporter
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 15 4/7/2011

16. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
New Philadelphia/Dover (OH) Times-Reporter
UGC
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 16 4/7/2011

17. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
Springfield (IL) Journal-Register
UGC
Why use social media?
Facebook
Twitter
Galesburg (IL) Register Mail
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 17 4/7/2011

18. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
Twitter vs. Facebook
Use Facebook for every callout - photos, stories and sources
Use Twitter for breaking news - more urgent stories –
asking for sources and/or stories and photos from a scene
UGC
Galesburg (IL) Register Mail
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 18 4/7/2011

19. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
When appropriate, find a voice that is more
conversational, even amusing.
UGC
• Pose a question to go
with an opinion piece or
controversial story.
• Highlight the salient
point of a story.
• Pull a great quote from
a story to draw readers
to click on your link.
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 19 4/7/2011

20. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
It all leads to Local Loop
Destination for UGC
Proven workflow needed
Categories of content
Recent callouts
Related content
Facebook hook
Big page view potential
Easy moderation
Inner ircle: Local Loop
UGC
Community partner
Journalism outreach
More local news
Newsroom manages
Regular contributors
Uses new story formats
Become local bloggers
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 20 4/7/2011

21. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
UGC
Next level to building
community partners
Higher education
Health care
Religion
Types of content
Q&A profile
Briefs
Calendar
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 21 4/7/2011

22. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
How a weekly editor
made UGC work
Initial reaction to strategy
When did it click for staff
Why it works for her
papers
UGC
What callouts worked
Anything to do with kids
Saluting veterans
Halloween
Most holidays
Pets
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 22 4/7/2011

23. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
When callouts turn into news stories
UGC
Tips to leave with
Prime the pump
Contests, with sponsorship
Build promotions into your template
Make an e-mail group
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 23 4/7/2011

24. SNAF Webinar: User Generated Content –
Tapping Your Readers to Create New Streams of Content
UGC
Brad Dennison
bdennison@gatehousemedia.com
David Arkin
darkin@gatehousemedia.com
Alice Coyle
acoyle@wickedlocal.com
Get more at Ghnewsroom.com
INVOLVE
YOUR
READERS
GATEHOUSE NEWS & INTERACTIVE DIVISION
Presenters: Brad Dennison, David Arkin and
Alice Coyle, GateHouse Media 24 4/7/2011