topical websites presentation
TRANSCRIPT
DECEMBER 2010
Topical Websites 1.8
Topical sites – What are they?
Journalists file nuggets, tidbits and other accurate information to a topical website.
A good rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t put it on TV or in the newspaper, don’t publish it here.
Community members engage with them by adding their own accurate tidbits and information.
Topical sites – What are they?
The basics
Phase I (External)
Topical sites
Public/organizations/etc. file news to appropriate sites.
Engage there.
Phase II (External)
Topical sites
Public/organizations/etc.
file news to appropriate sites.
Engage there.
Public offers expertise
Phase II hurdles
Buy inParticipation in public
network
External pushback
Non-participation
Potentially contributing public
Internal pushback (voiced
publicly)
Positive reinforcement (internal)
Positive reinforcement (external)
Topical sites – News Now
Topical sites - Business
Topical sites - Schools
Topical sites - Outdoors
Topical sites – High School Sports
Topical sites – Sports and Rec
Topical sites – Government
Topical sites – Life
Topical sites – Higher Ed
Topical sites - Health
Topical sites – Weather
SourceMGNews.com
Topical sites – Successes (Fall 2010)
In some instances allow journalists to file in one place.
Taking steps toward reporting as we are going. (Reporting in the first instance class talks more about this.)
Community engages: More than 1,300 community-contributed posts by November.
Topical sites – Could be better (December 2010)
Get more community members. (Social media class from earlier this year) Engage with them. Coach them. Interact with them. Respond to comments.
Market your site (Marketing your blog class) Find relevant opportunities (Schools in The Gazette,
Life on TV9, Chamber luncheon for Business, for example)
Public generally is not confused!
Where to file?
Take your best shot at where it fits.There are some gray areas.Sometimes if it’s a gray area you may decide
to file to your primary site over somebody else’s primary site.
If it fits on Health and Life, file it on Health. Narrower site to larger (catch-all site)
Exercise – where to file?
Car accidentEGG PLANT INSPECTION……by attorneys representing the plaintiffs in
class action salmonella lawsuitNobody getting flu shotsPrank at Olin High School closes school earlyUI President Sally Mason and others will
share the findings of a comprehensive studySomebody won the lotteryStory on Geo caching
Topical sites – When you file
Make it “look” nice: Words Pictures (Pull from archive if nothing new) Maps (Umapper class) Videos Audio Charts Other multimedia
Topical sites – The future
They will continue to evolve.Ways of filing will change.Community contributions will increase.We need to adjust to changing times.New layoutWe may have to split some of the catch-alls
(Life, particular up into more topics.)Let’s have fun!
Topical site
Questions?Comments?