Presented to the Swift Communications Editorial SOT

1. +
The Care & Feeding of an
Engagement Editor
Presented by Steph Merkle, Engagement Editor
for CountrysideNetwork.com

2. +
Agenda
 Background
 A Formula for Success
 Day in the Life of an Engagement Editor
 Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
 How to Hire Me

3. + Background
Launching Countryside Network and
hiring an Engagement Editor

4. +
* Chickens * Livestock * Beekeeping * Gardening * Food Preservation *
* Soapmaking * Emergency Essentials * Renewable Energy * Farm to Fork *
CountrysideNetwork.com: A Homesteading Community

5. +
Four Magazines – One Website
Backyard Poultry + Countryside + Dairy Goat Journal + sheep!
So much more: online-only stories, live chats, videos, quizzes, giveaways,
guides, book & magazine previews and a bookstore.

6. +
Attract visitors to a website by promoting Google-friendly daily content
Capture visitors with a freemium (free report, giveaway, etc.)
Engage newsletter subscribers with content of interest.
Monetize: Serve frequent magazine and book offers in newsletters.
The Mequoda Model

7. + From F+W Media (niche publisher following the Mequoda
model)
3 years with Swift (MountainHop.com, first audience
development team)
15 months working as the Countryside Online Editor
Yo, I’m
Liz!

8. +A Formula for Success
Time + Passion + Training = Winning

9. +
Time
We make it a Priority.

10. +
Passion
We have the Desire.

11. +
Knowledge
We know how to Win.

12. + Day in the Life of an
Engagement Editor
From a Niche Perspective

13. +
5 Focus Areas

14. + Editorial Planning
What makes digital different?

15. +
Where Does Digital Content Come From?
NEW content – pitched from or assigned to the writers,
digital elements baked in.
OLD content, new treatment – from archives, optimized
before published.
Print to digital – for subscribers only (not SEOed).
Where Does Digital Content Come From?

16. +
Decision Making By The Numbers
We do keyword research: volume & competition.
80% of newsletter signups via blockbusters – 90 days.
Only 20% of stories in email and social are new.
Refresh vs. new (evergreen, listicles, events).

17. + EE creates a treatment plan depending on content type.
EE plays heavily in evergreen content.
EE isn’t necessarily directing the digital ed calendar.
What About My Organization?

18. + Creation & Distribution
Releasing our content into the wild.

19. +
Creation & Distribution
Writing & Editing: Brand v. stories; editing stories.
Social: Team effort for posting; EE high-level trends.
Email: Daily & Week in Review email creation.
Other: Contesting, video, live chats.
Creation & Digital Distribution

20. +Communication & Support
And warm hugs as needed.

21. +
Communication & Support
Collaborating with editors, sales and circulation weekly.
Teaching digital trends to team members.
Participating in special initiatives & SOTs.
Mentoring Swifties in other disciplines.
Communication & Support

22. + Analysis
I was told there’d be no math.

23. +
Digesting Digital Data
Site: Pageviews, TOS, bounce rate, conversions, devices.
Email: Open rate, CTR, revenue by send, traffic drivers.
Social: Reach, engagement, traffic, trends in new page likes.
Search: Rankings, GVI, % of traffic.

24. + Innovation
noun: A new method, idea, product

25. +
An
Reading trade newsletters daily.
Engaging with digital professionals on Facebook groups.
Attending conferences on digital best practices.
Brainstorming new ideas, even paid opportunities.
Making Time for Innovation Daily

26. + Teamwork Makes the
Dream Work
Do’s & Don’ts of Adding an EE

27. +
GM’s and Publishers:
Invest … Especially Emotionally
 GM commits to learning
(& teaching).
 GM shows enthusiasm
for digital.
 GM facilitates a culture
of innovation.
 GM makes digital a
team effort.
 GM does not take an
interest in digital.
 GM does not invest in
digital.
 GM creates a culture
that only supports
status quo ideas.
GOOD NOPE

28. +
Editors:
Collaborate and Trust
 Collaboration with
autonomy.
 Identify and plan for
different audiences.
 Create content plans
that work in harmony,
but are not mirror
images.
 Having one content
plan that is print-first.
 Creating silos between
print and digital.
 Digital and print
compete for resources.
(Digital often loses.)
GOOD NOPE

29. +
Writers:
Commit and Grow
 Writers SEO their own
content.
 Photos and multimedia
elements meet the
needs of the digital
audience.
 Writers understand
WHY it matters.
 Content is not
optimized by writers.
 No digital elements to
make content stickier
on search & social.
 Writers see digital
“extras” as busy work.
DO THIS  NOT THIS GOOD NOPE

30. +
Sales and Circulation:
Leverage the Knowledge
 Transparent and
accessible ed plans.
 EE helps sales & circ
understand audience &
digital trends.
 Teams co-manage
native (writers pitch)
 EE creates content that
speaks to the category
 Lack of coordination.
Promo messages do
not match the stories.
 Creating iron-clad walls
between sales &
editorial.
 Allowing a sales team
to stop evolving their
digital offering.
DO THIS  NOT THIS GOOD NOPE

31. +
Support Staff:
Help and Learn
 Remove some low-
hanging fruit, allow EE
time to innovate.
 Have a back-up plan for
vacations.
 Cross-train team
members: good for job
development, too!
 An overwhelmed EE
becomes a bottleneck.
 Digital performance
lags when an EE can’t
focus on needle-moving
efforts.
 Digital just ain’t a one-
wo(man) job.
DO THIS  NOT THIS GOOD NOPE

32. + Hire Me
I Promise Not to Steal Your Stapler.

33. +
13 Must-Haves
When Hiring an EE
1. BA in journalism, English, marketing, etc.
2. Passion for digital storytelling.
3. Experience leading true digital efforts.
4. Uses data to guide decision making.
5. Google Analytics and CMS knowledge.
6. Superior time management skills.
7. Ability to work independently and as a team.
8. Ability to adapt to a fluid work environment.
9. Ability to write and edit quickly
10. Excellent writing & message development skills.
11. Must have strong attention to detail.
12. Creative thinker.
13. Effective coaching and mentoring skills.
By Randy Essex and Steph Merkle

34. + Questions?
Thank you. 