This document provides guidance and expectations for Gatehouse newsrooms regarding their Facebook presence and posting. It recommends newsrooms post to Facebook daily, with increased expectations for larger newsrooms. The goals are to increase website traffic from Facebook referrals and engage readers. It outlines best practices like having a personality but being professional, being transparent, and being responsive. It also provides ethics guidance and training resources for using tools like HootSuite and ideas for different types of Facebook posts.

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2. Agenda
• Inner Circle expectations
• Reasons behind expectations
• Facebook etiquette
• Ethics roundup
• Facebook best practices
• Post ideas
• Additional training

3. Inner Circle expectations
Starting in 2013, newsrooms will be asked to
post to Facebook every day of the week.
Larger newsrooms also will have increased
posting expectations.
• Readers are typically more active on Facebook
during the weekends, and we need to reach our
audience then.
• Posting more than twice daily gives more
opportunity to promote your brand and content.
GOAL Increase our website referral traffic from
Facebook for more pageviews.

4. Inner Circle expectations
1-2 staff members
2 posts per day
3-5 staff members
4 posts per day
6-19 staff members
5 posts per day
20 or more
6 posts per day

5. Reasons behind the expectations
From January through November, GateHouse
sites saw impressive increases from 2011 to
2012.
• 17% Increase in Facebook referrals
8.7M in 2011 to 10M in 2012
• 109% Increase in mobile Facebook referrals
365K in 2011 to 765K in 2012

6. Reasons behind the expectations
News consumption on
social media sites is
skyrocketing
• 19% of Americans viewed news
on social media within the last
day - up from 9% in 2010
• 33% of adults younger than age
30 viewed news on a social
networking site within the last
day. Only 13% read a
newspaper in print OR digital
- Pew Research Center, Sept. 2012

7. Reasons behind the expectations
• According to industry best practices and many
studies, newsrooms should post 4-6 times a day.
A greater frequency of posts drives more page
referrals and fan engagement.
• Studies have shown fan engagement – in terms of
clicks, comments and likes – is greater on
weekends, and outside of normal working hours
during the week.
• Facebook’s scheduler allows you to schedule posts
in advance, so your newsroom can be active on
Facebook even on days no one is working.

8. Reasons behind the expectations
An internal study of four GateHouse
newsrooms showed impressive traffic gains
when Facebook posting was increased
• Based off recommendations
of social media consultant
• Different sized newsrooms
• Five or more posts every day
• Strategic posting times

9. Facebook etiquette
Three rules to live by
(1) Have personality, but be professional
(2) Be transparent and provide explanations
(3) Be responsive and responsible

10. Facebook etiquette
(1) Have personality, but be professional

11. Facebook etiquette
What not to write:
“Those lazy windbags barely
made this crucial deadline.”
or
“We should push them off a
‘cliff’ for waiting until the
last minute.”
Steer clear of actual insults,
tone doesn’t always translate

12. Facebook etiquette
(1) Have personality, but be professional

13. Facebook etiquette
What not to write:
“Wow, another delay. Who’s
running the show over
there?”
or
“Yet another delay. This is like,
the never-ending project.”
Being funny or cute is fine with the right stories,
avoid critical or demeaning commentary

14. Facebook etiquette
(2) Be transparent and provide explanations
Reader asks a question
abut coverage
Editor responds and
briefly explains decision

15. Facebook etiquette
Reader expresses
disappointment
Editor respectfully
defends coverage
Ends on a positive
note

16. Facebook etiquette
What not to do:
• Ignore the comment
• Respond with snark or
humor
• Go overboard on detail
• Let it drag on and on
Make sure to:
• Keep responses brief
• Be respectful
• End on a positive note
• Ask to take the
conversation offline

17. Facebook etiquette
Other examples
A reader takes issue with an editorial
• Get editorial writer or board to weigh in
• Respectfully defend decision
• Invite other opinions
A reader is angry about coverage of sensitive subject,
like the death of a teenager
• Briefly explain your coverage policy
• Cite examples from industry leaders
• Do not let the conversation drag on

18. Facebook etiquette
Other examples
A reader complains there’s “no news in my paper”
• Highlight local coverage
• Ask what they would like to see more of
• Do not discuss company staffing or budgeting
decisions
A reader makes a serious accusation
• Alert your supervisor, investigate the claim
• Respectfully but strongly defend the employee
• Do not let the conversation drag on

19. Facebook etiquette
(3) Be responsive and responsible

20. Facebook etiquette
What not to do:
• Ignore the comment
• Crack a joke
• Alert the correct party,
without responding
Make sure to:
• Respond to the reader by
name
• Alert the correct party,
and tell the reader you
have done so
• Follow up

21. Facebook etiquette
Questions?

22. Ethics roundup
• Verifying Facebook sources
• Being transparent with sources
• Your personal Facebook page
• Halting the rumor mill
• Offensive posts
• Offensive fans

23. Ethics roundup
On verifying sources:
“Verify information separately; interview sources
independently of the social networks.”
• Direct message the fan, ask for phone number
• Speak to the person, get more information
• Use your best judgment

24. Ethics roundup
On transparency:
“Tell contacts what you are working on, why, and how
you plan to use the information they supply.
Explain that all information is on-the-record and
for attribution.”
• Don’t just grab quotes
• Be open and honest
• Tell them they will be quoted

25. Ethics roundup
On personal use:
“You are always a journalist; what you do on your
social networking site can and does reflect on you
personally and professionally and on the
company.”
• Give it the publisher/grandma test
• If you post it, someone can find it
• Be mindful of who you friend

26. Ethics roundup
Halting the rumor mill:
Do not publish unverified information you saw on
Facebook on your website.
• “According to Facebook sources” doesn’t cut it
• Let fans know you are working on verification
• If you see misinformation, call it out

27. Ethics roundup
On offensive posts:
If you accidently post something offensive, remove it
immediately and tell your supervisor
• Deleting the post doesn’t mean you pretend it never
happened.
• Prepare a response. Screen shots will bite you.
• People commented? Contact those people, deliver
prepared response.
• Publish that response in print and on Facebook, if
necessary.

28. Ethics roundup
Offensive posts, cnt.
If you are the editor, and have reporters posting to
your Facebook page, train, train, train.
• Ask to review posts when the reporter is just
starting out
• Provide examples – have the reporter look at other
GateHouse pages
• Monitor the reporter’s posts

29. Ethics roundup
On offensive fans:
Block offensive fans. Your Facebook page is a
representation of the entire organization.
• Politicians and political groups are fine
• Extreme political, social or religious groups are not
• Use your best judgment, explain yourself

30. Ethics roundup
On obnoxious fans:
Don’t let your page become a dumping ground for
someone else’s cause.
• Don’t address the
person in public. Private
message, tell them to
knock it off.
• Be clear - it’s not
their message, it’s the
volume. Some posts
are OK.
• Delete, delete. Don’t
let others get ideas.

31. Facebook ethics
Questions?

32. Facebook best practices
Time your posts
• Inner Circle requires posts seven days a week.
• Schedule posts to meet this requirement on
Facebook, or using a social media dashboard.
• Weekend posts do not have to be hard news.

33. Facebook best practices
Time your posts 7 a.m.
Use a scheduler to post content
11 a.m.
during times of peak engagement 4 p.m.
– every day of the week.
7 p.m.
Facebook best practices 11 p.m.

34. Facebook best practices
Ask a question when you can
Posts that ask a question receive more feedback than
raw links or commentary.

35. Facebook best practices
Post other content in addition to hard news
• Promotions
• Online poll
• Sports
• Callouts
• Reader submissions
• Entertainment, lifestyle
• Comments on national stories
More ideas at end of presentation

36. Facebook best practices
Add your (nice, mild) opinion or prediction
Commentary pays off - with 20% more referrals,
according to a Facebook study. But be positive.
Good: “We think running back Joe Smith will set a
new record in tonight’s game.”
Bad: “We think the local sports team will get
slaughtered in tonight’s game.”
Good: “The new high school is going up fast – we
think construction will be complete on time.”
Bad: “Wow, things are moving slow at the high
school. Construction looks never-ending.”

37. Facebook best practices
Include a photo: Photos got 50 percent more
referrals, according to Facebook.
Be wordy: Four or five line posts get the most
feedback
Choose your topics: Education, politics
Have good timing: Thursday - Sunday posts get
the most referrals and feedback, and before
work/after work
Use fun language: Clever wording, puns attract
more likes and referrals

38. Resources
• More information can be found in the 2013 Inner Circle
Handbook. Download at www.ghnewsroom.com
• Contact your content team manager:
Mike Turley Carlene Cox
mturley@ ccox@
corp.gatehousemedia.com corp.gatehousemedia.com
Sarah Corbit Brad Jennings
scorbitt@ bjennings@
corp.gatehousemedia.com corp.gatehousemedia.com

39. Resources
HootSuite basics
Brief tutorial on how to use HootSuite, a social media
dashboard, to time-stamp posts for Facebook and
tweets for Twitter.
When: 2 p.m. Central, Tuesday, Jan. 22
2 p.m. Central, Wednesday, Jan. 23

40. Resources
Twitter for Reporters
A basic session for reporters who have little or no
experience with Twitter. Training will cover how
and when to tweet, how to gain followers and will
explain basic Twitter terminology. Also included will
be ideas for posts, ethical boundaries and how to
time-stamp posts to appear on non-working days.
When: 2 p.m. Central, Thursday, Jan. 24

41. Resources
"Coming in Print"
Explains the strategy behind “Coming in Print” and
offers suggestions on how to write engaging
promotions.
When: 2 p.m. Central, Friday, Jan. 25

42. Resources
Seen-on-scene photo galleries
Covers how to maximize time spent taking and
uploading seen-on-scene galleries and effectively
translate those efforts into page views. Includes
suggestions on where to shoot seen-on-scene
galleries.
When: 2 p.m. Central, Tuesday, Jan. 29

43. Facebook etiquette
Questions?
Up next
Facebook post ideas
(Log off if you’ve seen it)

44. Examples, examples
The Facebook “Mom, I’m bored” list
A roundup of 30 any-time posts to liven up your page
1- Group shots for tagging
2- Vote on online poll
3- Every video you ever post
4- Every photo gallery you ever post
5- Something upcoming from events calendar

45. Examples, examples
6- New blog post
7- Weather updates
8- Random pictures around
town
9- Online only canned
content
10- Questions about
national stories

46. Examples, examples
11- Stuff your newsroom is doing
12- Comments on national sports
13- Sweet deals, freebies
14- Gratuitous cute kid photos
15- Historical photos

47. Examples, examples
16- Cool story quotes
17- Political cartoons
18- Entertainment-driven
commentary
19- Local editorials,
columns
20- Local sports
predictions

48. Examples, examples
21- Gratuitous pet photos
22- PDF of cool print design
23- Local athlete stats
24- Popular on our site
25- From the archives

49. Examples, examples
26- Newsroom poll
(keep it clean)
27- In case you
missed it
28- Share a fan’s
post
29- Random “It’s
(blank) day!”
30- Shameless
Twitter
promotion

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