Integrating print and web teams
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The document discusses how the Daily Herald Media Group merged their print and web teams to adapt to the digital world. They reduced posting time from 12 minutes to seconds by integrating the teams. This eliminated redundancies and improved quality, SEO, and engagement. As a result, traffic increased to its highest level and they won awards for innovation and best website. The document provides tips for implementing change, which include having a business plan, training staff, managing the team, and being prepared to revise plans. The key is focusing on goals, providing context, listening to feedback, and continuous improvement.
Integrating print and web teams
- 1. Changing newsroom culture in a Digital World How to merge your print, web teams … and survive Teresa Schmedding, AME, Daily Herald Media Group tschmedding@dailyherald.com
- 3. Daily Herald – new way
- 5. Daily Herald: Why Reduce posting time Eliminate redundancies Increase quality, esp. for pay wall Improve SEO Improve morale, communication Increase newsroom engagement Increase posts in peak traffic times
- 6. Results Posting time reduced from 12 min. to few seconds Isolated web team folded into newsroom Positions shifted to content creation Significant drop in quality complaints, direct contact with readers SEO hits increased Traffic hit highest level since implementation
- 7. Results Multimedia assets tripled Tangible morale improvement Payroll savings Increased posts in peak traffic times Paywall a “success” Won E&P innovation award, won AP best website in Illinois
- 8. Tips for implementing change How you can do it without killing yourself, your staff or your bosses – and without getting killed by all
- 9. Business plan Change can’t be for change’s sake Need a business plan Layer goals: Critical, would like, not important Timeline and backup timeline When are you done?
- 10. Manage people Adult learners need context Culture of show me how Why important to them? How will this make my job better? Solicit their input. And listen to it. Sometimes, it’s OK to say “just cuz”
- 11. Big training Little handouts in digestible bites with pictures Follow up with tips Reward, praise Overtrain, overte ach, overcoach
- 12. What’s your PR campaign? Plan it out What are you celebrating? What are you excited about? What are others excited about?
- 14. Manage your team Don’t go it alone Find strongest and weakest links, train to both Keep your team enthused Stack the deck in your favor Admit up front that no plan is perfect Be prepared for backsliding Continuous feedback loop
- 15. Manage yourself Make sure you take breaks Prepare yourself for the questions Hide when you need to Give yourself time 4-6 weeks after implementation for questions Give yourself 1 day a month forever Plan for revisions Plan for failure Plan to change the plan
- 16. Manage your Saxo team Change you, not the system Describe goal, ask how to get there Ask how others do it Be realistic about unique needs Put needs in context Say thank you Say thank you again
- 17. Final thought “Society is always taken by surprise at any new example of common sense.” Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)