We need a new storytelling tool kit to attract and better serve our audience on mobile. On a small screen, what’s the best way to tell a particular story: digest, explainer, bulleted live updates or what-we-know lists, photo, video, graphic, audio, games, curation, or some combination? And what are the tools to make that happen as efficiently as possible? The USA TODAY Network's senior product manager for messaging, leading strategy and development roadmaps for newsletters, notifications and alerts, Derrick Ho, is leading this session. @derrickhozw

1. of Mobile Storytelling
DERRICK HO
@derrickhozw
5Ws & 1H
The
A handy guide for making smarter decisions in
an ever-evolving mobile landscape

2. Say hello and look at phone
Good morning!
Paul Rogers/NYT

3. About me
Camera man wannabe . GA reporter . Tech journalist.
Interactive producer. Digital news editor. Deputy digital editor.
Senior manager for mobile. Senior manager for product strategy
Senior product manager for messaging
Put on your product hat with me

4. What we will cover today
• The ultra über complex mobile landscape and who’s using what
• A framework to build audience and publish on mobile platforms
• Ok, now that I’ve selected the platform, how do I write and format for it?

5. Not all audiences are equal. Where are
the most engaged - and in turn valuable?

6. Let’s break down all the touch points on
your mobile devices
Not all platforms are equal, which
ones do I pick to tell my story on?
Facebook
Instagram
SnapChat
Twitter
Maps
AI Assistants
Video apps
Podcast apps
Music apps
AR/VR
Stopwatch/Timer
Fitness apps
Guides
Transport apps
Mobile games
Lock screen
Push notifications
E-mail
Calendar
Messaging app
News app
Browser/Search

8. What the best way to choose and
approach this scary mobile landscape?
+Distribution
and publishing
Formatting and
writing

9. Why
5W1Hs in traditional writing provides us
with a framework for a news story.
Who
What Where
When
How
CARY - In a surprising move, IKEA, the hugely popular Sweden-based furniture
company, has decided not to open a store in Cary, The News & Observer learned
Wednesday.
IKEA said pulling out of the the Cary location was not about any deficiencies in the
town, but was part of a corporate strategy to curtail some of its expansion projects
and focus on other initiatives.

10. The digital world demands another layer
of 5W1H that can help us think about
our audience & distribution tactics.
Who What When Why Where How
are the communities
you are targeting?
do they want to
know?
do they need it
will people read
this?
are you connecting
with them
are you measuring
impact?

11. Deciding who you would like your story
to reach will not only help you angle it
better, but also how to distribute it.

12. What is the story and the tone?

13. When is the best time to be connecting
with them? A breaking news situation
can be very different from a regular day.

14. Why will readers engage?
Is it relevant to that target audience?
Is there a hook or is that a click bait?
• Survey your readers and conduct user research if possible
• What makes your content on that platform uniquely valuable to your target audience?
• Why will they find it so essential that they can’t take the risk of not reading it everyday?

15. Where and which screen are you
connecting them on?
Facebook
Instagram
SnapChat
Twitter
Maps
AI Assistants
Video apps
Podcast apps
Music apps
AR/VR
Stopwatch/Timer
Fitness apps
Guides
Transport apps
Mobile games
Lock screen
Push notifications
E-mail
Calendar
Messaging app
News app
Browser/Search

16. #threads
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/06/how-instagram-threads-
became-the-wikihow-for-gen-z/561998/
Teens say they’d basically do anything to avoid
searching for answers to their problems outside of
Instagram. Unlike threads, web pages don’t follow
any standardized format, and teens say that
navigating the open web, especially sites with ads
and pop-ups, was a frustrating waste of time.
“The format is just a lot easier to read than stuff like
Google,” says Sophie. “You can read longer things in
little chunks. It’s not like reading this giant
paragraph at once. No one wants to do that.”

17. How are you measuring success?
Even within a platform, should the KPIs be
the same?

18. Push notifications best practices
• Keep it local
Send local breaking news. Don’t send national breaking news unless it is our exclusive or there is
exceptional local interest or local impact.
• How frequent?
Let the news dictate how many more are sent - if they are quality and relevant, number doesn’t matter.
• Crowded locked screen
How do you differentiate yourself from the dozens of other notifications? Make sure the link is correct.
• Speed is crucial & be in the moment
“I want to know how my immediate safety is being affected”
• Sports pushes are special
Be ready to say more than just the score; give a reason to click/tap for more. But don’t wait for context
if you don’t have it ready.
• Click-through-rates aren’t always the most important
If your newspaper has a subscriber-focused strategy, customer satisfaction could be a better measure of
success
WHO
WHEN
WHAT
WHERE
WHEN
WHENWHY
WHY
HOW
**Italics are mine

19. Why the hell should I care? Isn’t this the
work of the “digital team”?
• The tools to create and distribute content are in your hands, and pockets
• What are your KPIs for which segment of your audience engagement or subscription funnel
• Are you meeting the needs to those whom you say you serve?

20. Mobile is urgent
Mobile is small
Mobile is intimate & conversational

21. Mobile is about brevity & speed
Mobile is about context & trust
Mobile is about knowing your audience
Is the regular story article still
relevant in the mobile platform?

22. Let’s play.
Pick a story that you’re familiar with
and define its other 5Ws1H.
Then pick a mobile platform and write for it.
Who What When Why Where How
are the communities
you are targeting?
do they want to
know?
do they need it
will people read
this?
are you connecting
with them
are you measuring
impact?

23. What can you implement today?
Why aren’t you already?
How can you do it?
Your mobile strategy is your digital strategy

24. @derrickho
derrickhozw@gmail.com
Questions & follow-ups