the “monkey bread” of magazines: a publication designed to be pulled apart and forgotten

The Monkey Bread of Magazines: A Publication Designed to be Pulled Apart and Forgotten

Laura Herring, Web Content CoordinatorThe Kogod School of BusinessAmerican University@lauraherring88

Kogod Now: What We’re Going to Learn

• How is a hybrid print/digital publication effective on multiple media channels?

• How has individualized media outreach influenced the promotion of faculty research?

• What is the benefit of translating faculty research for broader appeal?

Kogod Now: What We’re Going to Learn

• What are the ins and outs of customized, targeted distribution for a modern college magazine?

• Why is the budget for such a publication still worthwhile?

What is Kogod Now?

What is Kogod Now?

• Published biannually, September and March Limited print run (2,000-2,500 copies) Custom website for each issue Segmented digital distribution

What is Kogod Now?

• Primary audiences (external-facing) Peer Deans Outside Media School Stakeholders

• Secondary audiences (internal-facing) Alumni Current students Prospective students

What is Kogod Now?

• Based on faculty research and school practices Each issue revolves around one theme Articles meant to flow together (print) and be pulled

apart when needed (digital)

But Why?

*photos via The Chronicle of Higher Education

But Why?• “Strategic Consequences of Emotional

Misrepresentation in Negotiation: The Blowback Effect” A Matter of Trust: Negotiation Tactics from a Social Capital

Standpoint

• “Intra- and Inter-Organizational Learning and Firm Response to Natural Disasters” How Support Networks Enable Firms to Weather Natural

Disasters

But Why?

But Why?• Increased visibility

Print product sent to peer deans, key for many rankings Easily digestible content makes it easier to promote our

faculty by our media relations team Creative Commons licensing encourages small outlets to

run the content as-written, boosts our faculty’s online presence

• Increased Understanding Bridges a gap between academics and non-academics,

allows for staff and faculty collaboration

The Process• How it Works

~six-month process for each issue

We select a theme, base editorial budget on that

Content goes through editor, copy editor, then final faculty sign-off

Constant process, as spring issue is coming together, fall is being pitched

The Process• Budget

Yes, is expensive both in time and resources, but…• Increased visibility and media placement make up for cost• Print runs decrease with each issue as delivery becomes more efficient• Content shelf-life allows for long-term use and promotion

Design• Long-term design contract keeps costs steady over time• We use a local design firm that also does other projects for us,

institutional knowledge makes for more efficient use of time Freelance

• Most articles contracted to regular freelancers• Some articles written in-house, most sidebars as well• Copy editor contracted as well

The Process• Finding a Theme

Finding 12-18 pieces of faculty research that go together for each issue

“Low-hanging fruit” long gone, new challenge with each issue

Faculty research roundtable• Even if it doesn’t go in the magazine, great way to find out what

everyone is working on

Challenges: The Themes

Challenges: The Themes

Challenges: The Themes

Distribution

• Email Distribution Alumni Current Students Faculty/Staff Outside Audiences

Email to Alumni

Distribution

• Print Distribution Co-Researchers Peer Institutions Misc. Groups

Opening page of the Fall 2014 issue

Distribution

• Public Relations Pitching opportunities Managed primarily by central university offices Increased collaboration among teams

Email Distribution

• Alumni Broad

• Promotes KN as a whole, notes top three articles

Segmented• Promotes single articles,

based on area of interest

• All about the content

Email to MST Alumni

Email Distribution: Alumni

• Some issues send same email to all alumni, some issues segment for content

• Segmented groups receive emails “from” program directors Blanket alumni emails

avg. 13% open rate, <2% clicks

Segmented avg. 17% open rate, 4% clicks

Email to MST Alumni

Email Distribution: Current Students

• Segmented by Graduate and Undergraduate Undergrad open rate

slightly higher (avg. 26%) than Grad (avg. 24%)

But Grad click rate (avg. 6%) double that of Undergrad (avg. 2.5%)

“Heat map” of student email clicks

Email Distribution: Prospective Students

• BAE story first pushed to direct undergraduate prospects Based on class work, not

research, 70% open rate, 9% click rate

Sent “from” admissions officer they were familiar with

• Other groups include Graduate admits (25% open, 10% click)

• Again, based on content

Original graphic for Creative Class article

Print Distribution

• Peer Deans For increased recognition

• Co-Researchers Thank-you notes

• Other MarComm teams Professional “heads up”

Spring 2014 Cover

Print Distribution

• Misc. Groups On-Campus locations,

mass student appeal

Campus tours and parent groups

Alumni Events by Content (NYC Finance)

Fall 2013 Cover

Public Relations Distribution

• Increased Visibility Provides constant fresh

pitch points

Timed to news cycle• Teens and alcohol for prom

• Auto Index as new models released

• Social mourning for TV

Original artwork for Teens and Alcohol story

Public Relations Distribution

• Cross-team collaboration Kogod Marketing works with AU Central Marketing

• Home page placement for select stories throughout semester

• Timed for campus visits and admissions events

Public Relations Distribution

• Stories that appear on the AU home page receive, on average, 250-300 referrals to the site.

Trying New Things: Social Media Edition

Trying New Things: Social Media Edition• Twitter contests

#FollowtheMoney for the Finance issue, hidden Monopoly money around campus, tweeted hints, cash traded in for prizes

• Most successful campaign, prizes claimed mostly by students not in Kogod, spread word about Kogod Now to other schools

Tweet a story, use #KogodNow, win a prize, for the Business and Entertainment issue

• Less successful, only one or two claims, needed more promo time

Trying New Things: Social Media Edition

• Pitch Tweets Identified bloggers, niche

news outlets, etc., for specific articles in each issue, tweet directly at them • Most successful way of

getting our faculty mentioned in other publications

• Less about re-sharing Kogod Now content than about getting faculty in outside media

Trying New Things: Social Media Edition

• Pitch Tweets Not all content is created

equal

Actively pitch only those stories most likely to be picked up

Where “pulling apart” comes into play

Trying New Things: Email Edition• Kogod Now Wire Service

Instead of sending one email promoting full issue to outside media contacts and sources, rolled out stories in a metered “wire service” model

Allowed for greater description of each article, tried to build anticipation with each email

Stories sent monthly

Tried for three issues, never really got off the ground, discontinued after Spring 2014 to focus energy on other distribution methods

Trying New Things: Email Edition• Faculty Emails

Relevant stories sent “from” faculty members in that program to alumni, prospective students, and personal contacts

• Highest open rates of any email for any issue, especially the Fall 2013 Finance issue

• One more way we can work closely with our faculty to involve them with the magazine

Trying New Things: Website Edition

Original kogodnow.com, circa March 2011 Kogodnow.com circa September 2014

Trying New Things: Website Edition

Kogodnow.com circa September 2014

• Design better-integrates magazine illustrations Allows for more cohesion

between products

Redesigned for Fall 2012 issue

Currently exploring options for migrating entire site + archives to .edu umbrella

Sticking with the Old: Email Edition

• Primary email template hasn’t changed “Heat map” of email clicks

has remained constant, with most readers clicking on “Read Now” button, followed by first individual story link and clickable magazine cover

Success Stories: Kogod Made in America Auto Index

• Cover story for Spring 2013 issue The all-time most popular

story, accounts for 66% of pageviews to kogodnow.com

Most outside media placements of any article

Original graphics for the Auto Index

Success Stories: Kogod Made in America Auto Index

• Cover story for Spring 2013 issue So popular has spawned

an annual review of the data

Created a new mailing list specifically for updates

Original graphics for the Auto Index

Success Stories: Kogod Made in America Auto Index

• First part of Kogod Now to be migrated to .edu website 2014 Edition >29,000

pageviews to date, 12th highest on Kogod subsite

• Annual update keeps faculty at the forefront of auto research industry More than half of

pageviews came from outside media referrals

Success Stories: Kogod Made in America Auto Index

• Searchable chart show how “American” a vehicle is Data points for R&D,

parts manufacturing, corporate HQ, etc.

Success Stories: Media Placement• Getting the word out

Kogod faculty have been quoted more than 25 times for Kogod Now research since the first issue

Publications include the Atlantic, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post

More than 50,000 pageviews have come from media traffic referrals

37% of all traffic to the site Most for the Auto Index

Success Stories: Faculty Feedback• Faculty Luncheons

Each issue culminates with a thank-you lunch for participating faculty

Provides opportunity for faculty members to discuss research with colleagues, especially those in other departments

Success Stories: Faculty Feedback• Co-Researcher Comments

Anecdotal feedback from co-researchers are other schools, many thanks for being included in a Kogod mailing when represent another school

Many express a desire that their institution had a way to promote academic research in a more approachable way

Kogod Next?

• Where do we go from here? Continued evolution of print product

Changing content forms, more infographics Branching out from just published research

Website changes Migrating kogodnow.com to kogod.american.edu

umbrella site Exploring online-only content

QUESTIONS?@lauraherring88

#KogodNow

KOGODNOW.COM