Promoting Content Better

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Promoting Content Better

• Stacy LynchReadership Institutewww.readership.or
  g

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3-D Readership Driver

• One of eight imperatives to grow readership
• Makes the newspaper easy to read another of
  the 8 imperatives
• Promotes positive brand perception yet another
  imperative

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What Is In-Paper Promotion?

• Standing brand promotions
• Page 1 Flag
• Standing how to subscribe boxes
• Editorial refers
• Skyboxes
• Rails
• See related story on Page 10
• House ads
• General brand, web site, content (editorial and
  ads)

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Reading styles

• Describe how someone you know (who is not a
  journalist) reads the paper

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9 Types of Readers

• Heavy
• Skimmer
• Selective
• Sunday heavy
• Light

• Sunday heavy only
• Weekday only
• Sunday light
• Nonreader

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Readership Trends
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Promotion Reaches At-Risk Readers
upcoming content promotion frequency
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Average Daily In-Paper Promotion
Focus on these in this order
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Focus Groups Taught Us

• Ads need to be seen

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One Works, One Doesnt
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Focus Groups Taught Us

• Subjects have to be interesting

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Focus Groups Taught Us

• Once you have the steak, make it sizzle

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Billboard Sunday Bulldog
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Focus Groups Taught Us

• Promotion helps readers prioritize

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Index, Upcoming Combo
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Upcoming
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
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Focus Groups Taught Us

• One size doesnt fit all

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Rule 1 Promote stuff that readers want to read

• Dont waste space on the obvious.

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Rule 2 Sell, dont tell

• Short, pithy text
• Make it visually interesting
• Keep it simple clear
• Sell on benefits

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All this week, Tom Jicha gives you the inside
scoop on this seasons hottest shows.
Tomorrow in Lifestyle, meet the REAL stars of the
new Fox drama 24
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8 Reasons for 7 Days
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Rule 3 Be specific

• List page numbers, not just sections
• Go beyond generic fillers
• Go beyond section announcements
• Say why they should read this story

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Rule 4 Use existing space better

• Audit your promotion, what do you run?
• Are you getting the most out of the space you
  have.
• Kill the idea of ads as filler

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Best use of space?
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Classifieds experiment
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Rule 5 Make promotion routine

• Audit your promotion, what do you run?
• Are you getting the most out of the space you
  have.
• Kill the idea of ads as filler

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Billings experiment
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Upcoming Section-by-section
Upcoming content is promoted at the bottom of the
rail on each section front
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Production hurdles
Donut
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For more resources visit www.readership.org/resou
rces/reports.htm