The document provides six steps to take a website from good to great. Step 1 is to improve story pages by varying story lengths, updating stories as information becomes available, adding pull quotes and polls. Step 2 is to improve multimedia content by adding video, audio, soundslides and podcasts. Step 3 is to go "all-in" with social media by creating multiple accounts tailored to audiences and live tweeting events. Step 4 suggests trying tools like Thinglink, Storify, Infogr.am and Piktochart. Step 5 is to manage the site every day. Step 6 is to learn from professional news sites and assess your own work.

1. Danielle Ryan, MJE
Taking your website
to the next level
Six steps that will take your sites from good to great.

2. Every good site
should have……
✤ A large photo or carousel to
greet the reader.
✤ Solid storytelling.
✤ Engaging photos.
✤ Multiple posting categories
with a variety of stories that
are updated regularly.
✤ Updated sports scores or
calendar.

3. But who
wants to
produce just a
GOOD site?
Adding a few tools to
your toolbox will not
only engage your staff
but will take your site
to the next level.

4. Disclaimer
Many of these suggestions are tested in my newsroom.
Some of them are ideas I have for next year.
Some of them I have begged my kids to do for years
because I know they are best practices and engaging
tools… but they sit unused.
I’m sure you can relate!

5. Step 1- Improve your story pages
✤ Create variety in your story lengths: Long-
form narrative, standard length and briefs.
✤ Update your stories as info becomes available-
why do all stories have to be complete? They
are editable!!!
✤ Add pull quotes to break up long stories.

6. Step 1- Improve your story pages
✤ Add polls in your stories to engage your reader.
✤ Use all those great pictures and turn them into
slideshows- either attached to stories or as
photo stories.
✤ Use hyperlinks to validate your position or give
your reader more information.

7. Shamu spashes
in a bigger
tank

8. Step 2- Improve your multimedia content
✤ Video- you have to have it! The pros do it… why can’t
we? Vary your video storytelling to engage your
audience.
✤ Audio- NPR has an incredible library of audio
reporting or podcasts. Some are even done by
students.
✤ Soundslides- really cool way to marry great photos
and multimedia storytelling.

9. Podcast

10. Step 3- Go all-in with social media
✤ Introduce multiple accounts that meet your audience’s interests.
Remember that your audience is not just your students.
✤ Create social media posting expectations and rules- avoid emojis,
no inside jokes, news purposes only, etc. Look to the pros to see
how they handle their accounts.
✤ Try to avoid intersecting purposes- Twitter might be for straight
news while Instagram might be more laid back and give a behind
the scenes look.
✤ Live tweet events- not everyone can be at away games.

11. Tips for Effective Social Media Reporting
✤ Some news can just be a tweet or Instagram post.
✤ Be selective- don’t push every article.
✤ Avoid generic push messages- create a unique message
for each post and tag featured students.

12. Tips for Effective Social Media Reporting
✤ Create a separate account for live tweeting. Excessive
posting can annoy readers if they don’t like the event
you are covering.
✤ Tweet when students will read them- lunch, end of the
day, homework time…. during class.
✤ Create a team who is in charge of the accounts BUT
guard that password AND change it at the end of the
year.

13. The Fires

14. Tip 4-Try some fun, new tools

15. Thinglink

16. Storify coverage of Poinsettia Fires
Storify

17. Infogr.am
or
Piktochart
Piktochart
Infogr.am

18. Listicle
Make visual Top 10 lists.

19. Step 5- Manage your site…
EVERY DAY
✤ Create class standards for publication.
✤ Name a managing editor.
✤ Schedule your posts- try to post every day.
✤ Watch for unplanned white space and column drops.
✤ Use an organization system like Trello or SNO Flow.
✤ Study Google Analytics

23. Step 6- Learn from the pros
and assess your work
✤ Use professional news sites for inspiration.
✤ See what other high schools are doing- NSPA Pacemaker
winners, School Newspapers Online winners list
✤ Get a critique from NSPA
✤ Find contests to enter.
✤ Write your own critique forms.

24. Questions?
Email- danielleryan15@gmail.com
Twitter- @CbadNewsTeacher
Slideshare- http:www.slideshare.net/danielleryan15