‘‘Net Gain’Net Gain’

Building greater Web presence, revenue Building greater Web presence, revenue for your Catholic publicationfor your Catholic publication

By Mark Lombard, managing editor of By Mark Lombard, managing editor of www.AmericanCatholic.org and director of Web and director of Web

business development at St. Anthony business development at St. Anthony Messenger Press, andMessenger Press, and

Mike Hayes, managing editor of Busted Halo (Mike Hayes, managing editor of Busted Halo (www.BustedHalo.com).).

Overview – Watch wordsOverview – Watch words

• Passion.Passion.• Planning.Planning.• Feedback. Feedback. • Collaboration.Collaboration.

PassionPassion

• Passion becomes the engine to drive the Passion becomes the engine to drive the healthy organization forward in realizing its healthy organization forward in realizing its vision to have real, sustainable and vision to have real, sustainable and continued long-term impact to our audience continued long-term impact to our audience caught in a vortex of many ideas and too caught in a vortex of many ideas and too many voices in the media market today.many voices in the media market today.

What excites us about new What excites us about new media. media.

• Increase our news and/or feature Increase our news and/or feature hole as well as expand and “time-hole as well as expand and “time-shift” our weekly, biweekly or shift” our weekly, biweekly or monthly presence to include a monthly presence to include a potentially daily presence as potentially daily presence as well.well.

What excites us about new What excites us about new media.media.

• Increase our news and/or feature Increase our news and/or feature hole.hole.

• Give readers an easy way to Give readers an easy way to communicate electronically from communicate electronically from everything from letters to the everything from letters to the editor to subscription changes. editor to subscription changes.

What excites us about new What excites us about new media.media.

• Increase our news and/or feature Increase our news and/or feature hole.hole.

• Give readers an easy way to Give readers an easy way to communicate with you electronically communicate with you electronically from everything from letters to the from everything from letters to the editor to subscription changes.editor to subscription changes.

• Build revenue, including Build revenue, including advertising and circulation.advertising and circulation.

What excites us about new What excites us about new media.media.

• Increase our news and/or feature hole.Increase our news and/or feature hole.• Give readers an easy way to communicate with Give readers an easy way to communicate with

you electronically from everything from letters you electronically from everything from letters to the editor to subscription changes.to the editor to subscription changes.

• Build revenue, including advertising and Build revenue, including advertising and circulation.circulation.

• Extend our reach to and engage with our Extend our reach to and engage with our current and prospective audiences, current and prospective audiences, including engaging younger readers, including engaging younger readers, drawing on such technologies as blogs, drawing on such technologies as blogs, videos and podcasts.videos and podcasts.

What excites us about new What excites us about new media.media.

• Increase our news and/or feature hole.Increase our news and/or feature hole.• Give readers an easy way to communicate with Give readers an easy way to communicate with

you electronically from everything from letters you electronically from everything from letters to the editor to subscription changes.to the editor to subscription changes.

• Build revenue, including advertising and Build revenue, including advertising and circulation.circulation.

• Extend our reach in new more accessible ways, Extend our reach in new more accessible ways, including engaging younger readers.including engaging younger readers.

• Enhance our print product by Enhance our print product by complementing what is there and pointing complementing what is there and pointing the audience back to it. the audience back to it.

Who uses the Web?Who uses the Web?

• A study of online news media Web sites A study of online news media Web sites found that users:found that users:– Tend to be younger, better educated and more Tend to be younger, better educated and more

active Internet users.active Internet users.– They shop online (over 90 percent of online They shop online (over 90 percent of online

users do so, with almost all becoming users do so, with almost all becoming purchasers online). In fact, the Web has purchasers online). In fact, the Web has outpaced the Yellow Pages in business leads for outpaced the Yellow Pages in business leads for the consumer. the consumer.

– Tend to see news-related Web sites as second in Tend to see news-related Web sites as second in effectiveness to printed publications, but ahead effectiveness to printed publications, but ahead of TV, radio news.of TV, radio news.

Are newspapers and Are newspapers and magazines in a death spiral magazines in a death spiral

caused by the Web?caused by the Web?• The facts don’t seem to suggest so:The facts don’t seem to suggest so:

– More than 80% of Internet users read the More than 80% of Internet users read the printed news publication or online news site or printed news publication or online news site or both in the course of a week.both in the course of a week.

– Some 2/3 of all online news site users say both Some 2/3 of all online news site users say both print and online products are convenient and print and online products are convenient and useful depending on the time of day and useful depending on the time of day and situation in the world.situation in the world.

– Print publications and online news sites reach Print publications and online news sites reach more 18-34 year olds than the average half hour more 18-34 year olds than the average half hour of prime time TV, a.m. TV news and morning of prime time TV, a.m. TV news and morning radio. radio.

New audience ethos – The New audience ethos – The World (without borders) is World (without borders) is

my oystermy oyster• Defined by their desire for:Defined by their desire for:

– Openness.Openness.– Participation.Participation.– Interactivity.Interactivity.– Individual empowerment (and Individual empowerment (and

questioning of authority).questioning of authority).– Choice.Choice.– Convenience.Convenience.– Control.Control.

What does your audience want and What does your audience want and why are they turning to the Web why are they turning to the Web

and other new media.and other new media.• It’s at their fingertips.It’s at their fingertips.

– But are we a click away or many But are we a click away or many clicks to the info they need? And do clicks to the info they need? And do they know how to find us and is easy they know how to find us and is easy to do so?to do so?

What does your audience want and What does your audience want and why are they turning to the Web why are they turning to the Web

and other new media.and other new media.• It’s at their fingertips.It’s at their fingertips.

– But are we a click away or many clicks But are we a click away or many clicks to the info they need? And do they know to the info they need? And do they know how to find us and is easy to do so?how to find us and is easy to do so?

• It has immediacy.It has immediacy.– But does our site? Are we updating But does our site? Are we updating

regularly and frequently with regularly and frequently with compelling, timely content?compelling, timely content?

What does your audience want and What does your audience want and why are they turning to the Web why are they turning to the Web

and other new media.and other new media.• It’s at their fingertips.It’s at their fingertips.

– But are we a click away or many clicks to the But are we a click away or many clicks to the info they need? And do they know how to find us info they need? And do they know how to find us and is easy to do so?and is easy to do so?

• It has immediacy.It has immediacy.– But does our site? Are we updating regularly and But does our site? Are we updating regularly and

frequently with compelling, timely content?frequently with compelling, timely content?

• It answers questions they have.It answers questions they have.– But are we being responsive to answer their But are we being responsive to answer their

questions or offering information to questions or offering information to questions we would hope they have?questions we would hope they have?

What does your audience want and What does your audience want and why are they turning to the Web why are they turning to the Web

and other new media.and other new media.• It’s at their fingertips.It’s at their fingertips.

– But are we a click away or many clicks to the info But are we a click away or many clicks to the info they need? And do they know how to find us and is they need? And do they know how to find us and is easy to do so?easy to do so?

• It has immediacy.It has immediacy.– But does our site? Are we updating regularly and But does our site? Are we updating regularly and

frequently with compelling, timely content?frequently with compelling, timely content?• It answers questions they have.It answers questions they have.

– But are we being responsive to answer their But are we being responsive to answer their questions or offering information to questions we questions or offering information to questions we would hope they have? would hope they have?

• It’s interactive.It’s interactive.– But do we offer ways for our audience to engage But do we offer ways for our audience to engage

with the content and do we offer a feedback with the content and do we offer a feedback loop?loop?

What does your audience want and What does your audience want and why are they turning to the Web why are they turning to the Web

and other new media.and other new media.• It’s at their fingertips.It’s at their fingertips.

– But are we a click away or many clicks to the info they But are we a click away or many clicks to the info they need? And do they know how to find us and is easy to do need? And do they know how to find us and is easy to do so?so?

• It has immediacy.It has immediacy.– But does our site?But does our site?

• It answers questions they have.It answers questions they have.– But are we being responsive to answer their questions or But are we being responsive to answer their questions or

offering information to questions we would hope they have? offering information to questions we would hope they have? • It’s interactive.It’s interactive.

– But do we offer ways for our audience to engage with the But do we offer ways for our audience to engage with the content and do we offer a feedback loop?content and do we offer a feedback loop?

• It’s searchable.It’s searchable.– But is our content data based so readers can pull But is our content data based so readers can pull

various information together in ways we’ve never various information together in ways we’ve never thought of?thought of?

What does your audience want and What does your audience want and why are they turning to the Web why are they turning to the Web

and other new media.and other new media.• It’s at their fingertips.It’s at their fingertips.

– But are we a click away or many clicks to the info they need? But are we a click away or many clicks to the info they need? And do they know how to find us and is easy to do so?And do they know how to find us and is easy to do so?

• It has immediacy.It has immediacy.– But does our site?But does our site?

• It answers questions they have.It answers questions they have.– But are we being responsive to answer their questions or But are we being responsive to answer their questions or

offering information to questions we would hope they have? offering information to questions we would hope they have? • It’s interactive.It’s interactive.

– But do we offer ways for our audience to engage with the But do we offer ways for our audience to engage with the content and do we offer a feedback loop?content and do we offer a feedback loop?

• It’s searchable.It’s searchable.– But have we made sure our content is all data based?But have we made sure our content is all data based?

• It’s habit forming.It’s habit forming.– But do we offer enough content and keep it fresh to But do we offer enough content and keep it fresh to

encourage our audience to return over and over and tell encourage our audience to return over and over and tell “family, friends and neighbors”?“family, friends and neighbors”?

A field of dreams?A field of dreams?

Many organizations follow the precept of Many organizations follow the precept of Field of DreamsField of Dreams and THE line from that and THE line from that movie: “If you build it, they will come.”movie: “If you build it, they will come.”

We as managers might think that “if we build We as managers might think that “if we build it,” we will realize:it,” we will realize:

1.1. New audience.New audience.

2.2. Greater circulation for the print Greater circulation for the print publication.publication.

3.3. Greater advertising revenue on the Web.Greater advertising revenue on the Web.

Keep dreamin’Keep dreamin’

Not necessarily so. “If you build it … they will Not necessarily so. “If you build it … they will come” ONLY:come” ONLY:

1.1. When they can find it easily.When they can find it easily.2.2. When they need it.When they need it.3.3. When they want it.When they want it.4.4. When there are reasons for them to return When there are reasons for them to return

to it.to it.5.5. When there are reasons for them to tell When there are reasons for them to tell

others about it.others about it.6.6. When you have correctly identified how you When you have correctly identified how you

can make their lives easier, deeper, broader.can make their lives easier, deeper, broader.

The results of the dream The results of the dream fulfilledfulfilled

• Increased Web traffic.Increased Web traffic.• A more engaged, more loyal audience that A more engaged, more loyal audience that

ultimately can say, “our faith, our love of God ultimately can say, “our faith, our love of God is enhanced by coming to this site.”is enhanced by coming to this site.”

• An audience that is looking to your An audience that is looking to your organization for print or new media products.organization for print or new media products.

• Increased advertising, as advertisers begin to Increased advertising, as advertisers begin to see your increasing numbers and have a see your increasing numbers and have a sense that there message is not buried or in a sense that there message is not buried or in a place that your audience would have no place that your audience would have no reason to go to.reason to go to.

How do we make changesHow do we make changes

• Innovation must be poweredInnovation must be powered by a thorough by a thorough understanding of understanding of what our audiencewhat our audience wants and wants and needs in their lives, what they like or dislike needs in their lives, what they like or dislike about how we make, package, market and about how we make, package, market and support our message.support our message.

• Leaders understand that building innovation is Leaders understand that building innovation is rarely accomplished by breakthroughs or rarely accomplished by breakthroughs or lightning strikes. lightning strikes. Rather it is the result of Rather it is the result of hard work AUGMENTED by creative human-hard work AUGMENTED by creative human-centered discovery processes and cycles of centered discovery processes and cycles of prototyping, testing and refinementprototyping, testing and refinement..

How to beginHow to begin• Seek what your audience needs from you at the Seek what your audience needs from you at the

outset. Have your staff begin the process of outset. Have your staff begin the process of interacting with your audience at all levels as well as interacting with your audience at all levels as well as to organizations to which yours is associated.to organizations to which yours is associated.

• Look to work being done on the Web that might be Look to work being done on the Web that might be idea starters. But the key is not the newest gizmo, idea starters. But the key is not the newest gizmo, but those approaches that best reach your audience. but those approaches that best reach your audience.

• Take a human-centered approach, rather than a Take a human-centered approach, rather than a business or technology oriented approach. If they business or technology oriented approach. If they come, the business opportunities follow; the tech come, the business opportunities follow; the tech issues should be at the service of the human needs.issues should be at the service of the human needs.

• Develop a plan, a map of where to go, before laying Develop a plan, a map of where to go, before laying down the pavement of that new road.down the pavement of that new road.

Some issues to considerSome issues to consider

• What now gets the highest traffic on your site. What now gets the highest traffic on your site. Are you tracking your traffic, and are you Are you tracking your traffic, and are you closely examining those reports?closely examining those reports?

• What takes advantage of your advantages. If What takes advantage of your advantages. If you’re in a diocese, for instance, are you using you’re in a diocese, for instance, are you using the multi-media resources from other offices the multi-media resources from other offices and joining those with work your staff is doing?and joining those with work your staff is doing?

• Are we connecting with local schools, parishes Are we connecting with local schools, parishes and other offices to tap what their audiences and other offices to tap what their audiences need and getting the word out through them need and getting the word out through them about how you can meet some of those needs.about how you can meet some of those needs.