This document discusses the evolution of online newsrooms and media consumption. It notes that (1) news outlets are focusing more on verification and curation of breaking news rather than being first, and publishers are recognizing the importance of social media, blogs and user generated content. (2) Audiences now want conversations rather than just being spoken to, and online media consumption is increasing. (3) Journalists now have to investigate, report, engage with crowds, package stories for multiple platforms, and promote to communities. The document provides tips for online newsrooms to have conversations with audiences and optimize content for search engines and social sharing.

1. Online Newsrooms
In conversation with everybody
Julio Romo
@twofourseven

2. The way things were
Let’s start at the beginning… The Newsroom

3. Understanding today’s web
“The semantic Web is not a separate
Web but an extension of the current one,
in which information is given well
defined meaning, better enabling
computers and people to work in
cooperation”
Tim Berners-Lee

4. The power of the crowd
The key change is the internet’s ability
to support ‘many-to-many’
conversations, in additional to the one-
to-many broadcast model
Clay Shirky

5. Where the media is today
The news industry has changed:
• News outlets are “abandoning attempts to be first for
breaking news, focusing instead on being the best for
verifying and curating it.”
• Publishers have realised that “social media, blogs
and user generated content are … creating an
important extra layer of information and diverse
opinion.”
• We’ve entered the era of ‘social recommendation,’
which is playing a significant role to driving traffic
to traditional content.
• News organisations are devoting significant
resources to exploit social networks to drive
search.

6. The Present
Audiences have changed:
• People today do not want to be spoken at, they want a conversation with
people and brands.
• The growth of the crowd has “an alternative source of news, as well as
another option for politicians, businesses and other public figures.”
• Online media consumption up, from 6hrs 14 mins in September ‘09 to
7hrs 28 minutes in March ’10. [KPMG Media and Entertainment Barometer]
• There has been a growth across the board of online video, with the total
audience base growing 18% to 35.6 million viewers [comScore, December ’09]
• Facebook now accounts for 20% of all time spent online in the UK. [Internet
Advertising Bureau Fact Sheet, IAB, March 2010]

7. How journalists are adapting
Journalists today have
have to:
• Investigate
• Report
• Engage with the crowd
• Package up a story for
multiple platforms
• Promote to the
community

8. Social Media Newsrooms: what we can we do
Online newsrooms – learning
from the media:
• You are having a conversation
with more than one person.
• Offer links in all your social
content – with the title of your
post.
• Headlines – write them for SEO.
• Optimise all your content for
SEO and site search.
• Syndicate your social media
newsroom.

9. Social Media Newsrooms: what we can we do
• Video – remember to offer
embed codes for bloggers and
journalists.
• ShareThis – make sure your
content can be shared on the
main platforms, Twitter,
Facebook, Buzz and others.
• List your and your teams
contact details – they should be
in the conversation.
• Twitter: show your
conversations
• For pictures, offer tags so that
you can pool your community’s
images.

10. Social Media Newsrooms: what we can we do
Social Media Press Releases:
• Embed video.
• Include links.
• Enable people to share the
story.
• You are writing for humans,
search engines, and social
networking sites.
• Improve navigation by tagging
your release.
• Don’t forget journalists – they
want contact with a PR
• Linkbacks, linkbacks,
linkbacks…

11. … and finally!
Remember, your audience can become
your advocates.
Have a conversation with them!

12. Where you can find me…
Julio Romo, MCIPR
julio@twofourseven.co.uk
www.twofourseven.co.uk
@twofourseven