Editorial Guidelinesto Maximize Merlin & COVE

PROJECT MERLIN GROWTHPBS.org public launch: October 25, 2010

Web objects: pilot stations and national producers• Launched with approx. 2000 now at 6971 • In first 3 months of ingesting, ranges between 500-800/per month with more in

October (season premieres) and less in December (pledge)

COVE Video Objects: Cove Pro stations and national producers• Launched with approx. 11400 videos now at 19493 • In first 3 months of ingesting, growth ranges between 1100-1400/per month

also with more in October and less in December

Content Channels• There are currently 917 active content channels set up in Merlin.

METADATA BEST PRACTICES• Need for Consistency: The volume and diversity of content

presented outside the context of your site or COVE PRO program pages require consistent metadata to guide users effectively.

• Basis for the Editorial Standards: We considered the unique nature of our content as well as SEO and editorial industry standards.

• Experience to-date: Local station and national producer content have common needs to transition to this new, common API.

• Multiplatform Production is Not Agnostic: As Merlin metadata is used for a new platforms, expect new and unique editorial formats and audiences.

WHY ROBUST METADATA WORKS• Better engagement of users• More click-thrus to your content• Better promotional opportunities• Improved SEO• Easier display in multiple environments

THE COVE-MERLIN CHALLENGE

• COVE was the first platform with specific title, image, and description elements

• Merlin changes the way we use metadata• Video is now more than just a portal on your site

Create metadata that optimizes your video content for multiple platforms.

THE COVE-MERLIN CHALLENGE II

• Titles: dates, episode numbers, show titles vs. headlines

• Images: logos/repeated photos

• Description vs. copy• Topics: multiple

selections

ANATOMY OF METADATA

KEY METADATA• Titles

• Images

• Descriptions

• Topics

• Dates

• PBS.org Homepage Dynamic Lead (DL)

• PBS QA

WRITING TITLES – DO’SUnique to PBS the System

Full episodes of disparate segments: Nightly news,weekly news, weekly community/arts programs

• Title: Day of the Week, Abbreviated Month, Date, Year (example: Friday, Oct. 15, 2010)

• Description: Provide an introductory sentence and briefly describe the segments.

• Topic: Until you can segment the video with specific headlines and topics, assign the full episode to one primary topic. Chicago Tonight = News & Public Affairs

WRITING TITLES – DO’S

A general approach for all types of content

• Think headline, not just an asset title.

• Communicate the essence of the feature/video.

• Have it stand on its own to attract a click-thru.

• Be concise and limited to 60 characters (including spaces.)

STRONG EXAMPLES

TITLE OPTIONS – DO’S

Some content favors certain types of headlines.

Music1. Song:

Pearl Jam’s “Just Breathe,” KT Tunstall Performs "Madame Trudeaux"

2. Full Episode/Concert: Pearl Jam ConcertCelebracion! Dudamel, Florez, and the L.A. Philharmonic

3. Interview: L.A. Band Ozomatli on Working at the Bush-era State Dept

TITLE OPTIONS – DO’SSome content favors certain types of headlines.

News: Who, What, Where, and/or Why?

1. Story: • Recession Business Success Stories• Haiti Reconstruction Aid Falls Short, New Figures Show, • The Return of Moktada al-Sadr

2. Interview: Prominent Person X on Y Subject, Title of Person X on Y Subject

• New Rep. Renacci Aims to Keep Outsider Perspective • Interior Department Deputy Secretary on Deepwater Drilling; • A Doctor's Role in End-of-Life Decisions (Uses the interview focus)

3. Debate: • Senate Debate: Person A and Person B; • Person A and Person B Debate on Taxes, Education, Mortgages

TITLE OPTIONS – DO’SSome content favors certain types of headlines.

Recipes: Dish name and if applicable, with a qualifier

• Healthy Mac & Cheese

• French Carrot Lentil Soup

• Asian Pork Dumplings

TITLE OPTIONS – DO’SSome formats favor common headlines.

Quizzes: Pose questions/dichotomies to the audience.

• You Think You Know Monty Python? • Myth or Reality: Immigration in America

Galleries: What is the hook, story? Focus on the format only if the images are rare.• 2000 vs. 2010 • Political Cartoons with Ulysses S. Grant

Timelines: What and over what course of time are you tracking?

• History of Cooking in America• Cancer Rates over the Last 100 Years

WRITING TITLES – DON’TS• Avoid including the call letters. They are included in your

content channel name and take up title space.

• Avoid repeating the program name/content channel.

• Avoid writing the season or episode numbers.Riverside Nights: WKRP I Season 2TK435, TK436, TK437

• Avoid titles that are vague, lacking modifiers or verbs.• Ian Duda (Who is he; why is he interesting?)• Cardboard Boxes• Reshaping Texas

SMART TOPIC ASSIGNMENT• Less is more.

• Be highly specific and limit to 2 primary and/or 2 subtopics.Tips on raising children Relevant Parents and Health subtopics Not• Arts & Entertainment/Literature & Writing• News & Public Affairs/Education• Home & How-to

• Consider assigning subtopics independent of the primary. Arts news story on a gallery opening News & Public Affairs/Arts & Entertainment

• Refer to the topic taxonomy regularly.

DESCRIPTIONS

• Start with the lede; who is or what is this about? • Provide the “hook” to grab a reader.• Set user expectation; is this a full episode, a clip, behind the

scenes, etc? • Keep it short and clear. Though the limit is 400 characters,

including spaces, consider less. • Don’t repeat the short description or other long descriptions.

STRONG EXAMPLES

CHOOSING IMAGES

• Images dramatically impact click-thrus.• Use striking photos, not program logos or text.• Don’t repeat images for multiple objects.• Try to use promotional photos instead of

screengrabs, when possible.• Hi-res requirements: 16x9, at least 640 x 360px.

STRONG IMAGES

DATES1. Availability Date: Time in past, present, or future that an object is

created – useful for archival objects 2. Expiration Date: The time the object is removed from the front end, but

remains in the system on the backend. This is useful for rights restricted content, seasonal, and elections content.

3. Publish Date: The time it appears on the frontend which is the default date if the above two are empty.

NOTE:Video objects: COVE-Merlin dates do correspond, thus a rights-restrictedvideo will expire in both platforms.

Web objects via a feed: setting the ‘availability’ and ‘expiration’ dates is onlypossibly if available in your CMS. If not available, the default date will be thetime of feed ingestion/refresh.

PBS.ORG DYNAMIC LEAD

PBS.ORG DYNAMIC LEAD

PBS.ORG DYNAMIC LEADBest Practices

Content types: Preview/Tune-in, Cove Program Page, Interview,Deep Web feature

Images: Clear, compelling images that work with the roll-over state

Titles: Don’t assume people know your programs, hosts.• Overt calls to archives: Watch Check Please! Bay Area now!• Tune-in with program name: Oregon Field Guide: Volcanoes in Our Backyard

Description: Concise, yet overt explanation of the feature, episode, interview, etc.

Rotation: Change weekly

Amount: 1-3, otherwise it’s more work than necessary

PBS QA CriteriaMerlin is for long tail content and the following are flagged. • Pledge pitches• Duplicate images, titles, or descriptions• Previews on dynamic pages• HTML or styling in text, such as <em> in headlines,

descriptions• Excessive topic assignments, such as a reading program for

parents filed under News & Public Affairs

REVIEW

• Metadata translates platform.• Metadata promotes your content.• Clarity of experience.• Conduct QA: Help us, help you. • Check your Merlin account for flagged objects.• Refresh your homepage dynamic lead objects.

RESOURCES

Visit the Merlin Resource Centeron SRC for more best practices.

http://www.pbs.org/remote.control/toolsindex/services/Merlin%20Resource%20Center/index.html

QUESTIONS

Feedback? pbsi_stationservices@pbs.org

Editorial: Jessica Duda, jaduda@pbs.org