think visually, act locally

© Readership Institute© Readership Institute

Think Visually, Act Locally

ASNE Readership ProgramCristal Williams, ASNE

Steve Duke, Readership InstituteEd Baron, Ed Baron & Associates

What Appeals to Readers, Why It What Appeals to Readers, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do Matters, and What You Can Do

About ItAbout It


Readership TrendsReadership Trends

3035404550556065707580859095

100

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2004

55+35-5425-3418-24

Average Weekday ReadershipAverage Weekday Readership

Source: Newspaper Association of America (Simmons 1970-1997; Scarborough 1998-2003)Source: Newspaper Association of America (Simmons 1970-1997; Scarborough 1998-2003)


Readership by Age Readership by Age GroupGroup

• % reading a weekday % reading a weekday 1967 20031967 200318-24 yrs 71% 40% 18-24 yrs 71% 40% 25-34 yrs 73% 41% 25-34 yrs 73% 41% 35-44 yrs 81% 50% 35-44 yrs 81% 50% 45-54 yrs 45-54 yrs 79% 59% 79% 59% 55-64 yrs 78% 64% 55-64 yrs 78% 64% 65+ yrs 72% 70% 65+ yrs 72% 70%

Source: NAA; Scarborugh Top50 DMAs; Scarborough unpublished survey data as reported in The State of the News Media 2004;


Aging ≠ More ReadingAging ≠ More Reading• % reading a weekday % reading a weekday

1967 20031967 200318-24 yrs 71% 40% 18-24 yrs 71% 40% 25-34 yrs 73% 41% 25-34 yrs 73% 41% 35-44 yrs 81% 50% 35-44 yrs 81% 50% 45-54 yrs 45-54 yrs 79% 59% 79% 59% 55-64 yrs 78% 64% 55-64 yrs 78% 64% 65+ yrs 72% 70% 65+ yrs 72% 70%

Source: NAA; Scarborugh Top50 DMAs; Scarborough unpublished survey data as reported in The State of the News Media 2004;


Identify Identify audience audience and their and their interestsinterests

Make Make content content

and and market/semarket/se

ll ll newspapenewspape

rr

Measure Measure results: results:

circulation, circulation, satisfaction, satisfaction, readershipreadership

How We Reach ReadersHow We Reach Readers


Look ForwardLook Forward


Identify Identify audience audience and their and their interestsinterests

Make Make content content

and and market/semarket/se

ll ll newspapenewspape

rr

Measure Measure results: results:

circulation, circulation, satisfaction, satisfaction, readershipreadership

Identify Identify audience audience and and experiences experiences

that will make that will make them read them read

moremore

Pick Pick content & content & present present in in ways that ways that create the create the experienceexperience

ss

Enhance Enhance allall contact contact

points to points to build build

experiencesexperiences

Measure Measure results, results,

including including experiencesexperiences

Past ApproachPast Approach

Our OpportunityOur Opportunity


Improve the ExperienceImprove the Experience

• ‘‘Experience’ better Experience’ better predictor of reading predictor of reading than content than content satisfactionsatisfaction

• Avoids ‘rearview Avoids ‘rearview mirror’ syndromemirror’ syndrome


• Think of a magazine or periodical that you really enjoy and look forward to

receiving

• How does it make you feel?


Coffee HouseCoffee House


CoffeeCoffee


Inventing Markets, Not Inventing Markets, Not ProductsProducts

• Starbucks views Starbucks views itself as a ‘third itself as a ‘third place’ to hang out.place’ to hang out.

– Wireless Net access Wireless Net access increases visits and increases visits and time spenttime spent

– Music CD-burning Music CD-burning service will tooservice will too


Basic need/want for this Basic need/want for this productproduct

Reliable, trustworthyReliable, trustworthy

Easy to useEasy to use

EngagingEngaging

Totally amazingTotally amazing

I can get it I can get it elsewhereelsewhere

I’m immersedI’m immersed

I ruleI rule

More at: www.headrush.typepad.comMore at: www.headrush.typepad.com


Listening to ReadersListening to Readers

• 200+ one-on-one interviews200+ one-on-one interviews

• 90 minutes each90 minutes each

• Hundreds of similar commentsHundreds of similar comments


What Readers SaidWhat Readers Said• ““I enjoy reading, more than watching or listening”I enjoy reading, more than watching or listening”

• ““I count on this newspaper to investigate I count on this newspaper to investigate wrongdoing”wrongdoing”

• ““It often makes me laugh”It often makes me laugh”

• ““I always get the newspaper in good condition”I always get the newspaper in good condition”

• ““I save more money from its ads and coupons than I I save more money from its ads and coupons than I spend on the paper”spend on the paper”

• ““Reading this newspaper is more like work than fun”Reading this newspaper is more like work than fun”

• ““Too many of the articles are too long”Too many of the articles are too long”


Key ExperiencesKey Experiences• Something to talk aboutSomething to talk about• Makes me smarterMakes me smarter• Looks out for my civic and personal Looks out for my civic and personal

interestsinterests• Good serviceGood service• Surprise and humorSurprise and humor• Ad usefulnessAd usefulness• Too muchToo much• Discriminates and StereotypesDiscriminates and Stereotypes


1

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5

NeutralNeutral

Low Intensity of Low Intensity of Experiences in Readers = Experiences in Readers =

OpportunityOpportunity


18-34 Year Olds18-34 Year Olds

• Are less likely to: Are less likely to:

– Say paper gives me ‘something to talk about’Say paper gives me ‘something to talk about’

– Feel newspaper ‘makes me smarter’Feel newspaper ‘makes me smarter’

– Believe it ‘looks out for my personal & civic Believe it ‘looks out for my personal & civic interests’interests’

– Say the newspaper delivers good serviceSay the newspaper delivers good service


One Paper’s AuditOne Paper’s Audit

• Counted young adults in photos, as subjects Counted young adults in photos, as subjects and sourcesand sources

• Conclusion: ‘If young adults are the target, Conclusion: ‘If young adults are the target, we’re missing by a country mile’we’re missing by a country mile’

– 90% of people in main news were over 40 (or 90% of people in main news were over 40 (or under 18)under 18)

– 97% of people in community and features 97% of people in community and features pagespages

– 95% of people in local news section95% of people in local news section


Some FindingsSome Findings

• Young adults find newspapers stilted, Young adults find newspapers stilted, stodgy, dullstodgy, dull

• Newspapers are age-centric, e.g.Newspapers are age-centric, e.g.

– Pricey restaurant reviewsPricey restaurant reviews

– Emphasis on high vs. popular cultureEmphasis on high vs. popular culture

– Personal finance aimed at middle-agedPersonal finance aimed at middle-aged

– Young people are “they” not “we” Young people are “they” not “we”


A Difficult TaskA Difficult Task

• Implementing experience is the Implementing experience is the biggest challengebiggest challenge

– Requires willingness to innovateRequires willingness to innovate

• It requires you to examine traditional It requires you to examine traditional practices and assumptionspractices and assumptions

– But if you don’t improve experiences But if you don’t improve experiences for readers, someone else will for readers, someone else will


A Way of ThinkingA Way of Thinking• It’s It’s notnot about design about design

– Although design is importantAlthough design is important

• It’s It’s notnot about using tools better about using tools better– But use the tools to build the experienceBut use the tools to build the experience

• It It isis a way of thinking about the effect we a way of thinking about the effect we want to have on the readerwant to have on the reader

• It starts at the story levelIt starts at the story level– What we coverWhat we cover

– How we cover itHow we cover it


Same story, different photo choices


Makes Me Smarter?Makes Me Smarter?


Taking RisksTaking Risks

• Talk about itTalk about it

• SurpriseSurprise

• HumorHumor

• Makes me smarterMakes me smarter


Story-level experienceStory-level experience

• Minneapolis Star Tribune rethought Minneapolis Star Tribune rethought individual stories to drive experiences:individual stories to drive experiences:

– Talk about itTalk about it

– Looks out for my interestsLooks out for my interests

– Surprise/humorSurprise/humor


Original Tsunami Original Tsunami StoryStory

New Tsunami StoryNew Tsunami Story


Inside Pages Side-by-Inside Pages Side-by-Side: Side:

By StoryBy Story

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Tsunami story

Version 1 Version 4

© Readership Institute© Readership InstituteOriginal Teen StoryOriginal Teen Story

New Teen StoryNew Teen Story


Inside Pages Side-by-Inside Pages Side-by-Side: Side:

By StoryBy Story

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Front Page StudyFront Page Study• Created three versions:Created three versions:

– Original PaperOriginal Paper

– Improved PaperImproved Paper

– Experience PaperExperience Paper

• Tried to drive these experiences:Tried to drive these experiences:– Something to talk about Something to talk about

– Looks out for my civic and personal interestsLooks out for my civic and personal interests

– Surprise and humorSurprise and humor

– Ad usefulnessAd usefulness


Original Original PaperPaper

• 22 February 200522 February 2005

• Typical news day, no Typical news day, no big storiesbig stories


‘‘Improved’ Improved’ PaperPaper

• Same day, same Same day, same news choicesnews choices

• Editing, design Editing, design changed to try to changed to try to drive experiencesdrive experiences


Experience Experience PaperPaper

• Same day, but news Same day, but news chosen from any chosen from any part of the part of the newspaper news newspaper news budget budget


Experience Paper Experience Paper Strongly PreferredStrongly Preferred

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Overallpreference

Best storyselection

Get you to readmore

Looks out foryour interests

Easier to getinformation

Original Improved Experience

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Experience Paper Experience Paper Strongly PreferredStrongly Preferred

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More interesting More likely to talk to others

More likely tocatch yourattention

More visuallyappealing

More memorable

Original Improved Experience

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Eight LessonsEight Lessons

1. Don’t be afraid to talk directly to readers1. Don’t be afraid to talk directly to readers• Question headlinesQuestion headlines

• Tell us what you thinkTell us what you think

2. Bring younger voices to the table to share in 2. Bring younger voices to the table to share in decision-makingdecision-making

• 40 to 50-year-olds can be dead wrong about 20-40 to 50-year-olds can be dead wrong about 20-somethingssomethings

• Young people aren’t monolithicYoung people aren’t monolithic


Eight Lessons, cont.Eight Lessons, cont.

3. Humor is a huge selling point3. Humor is a huge selling point• Catchier headlinesCatchier headlines

• Paris Hilton brings a pop culture touch to Paris Hilton brings a pop culture touch to serious storyserious story

• Rewrite story about blogs as a blogRewrite story about blogs as a blog

4. Different story forms are a big hit4. Different story forms are a big hit• 5 things you should know list5 things you should know list

• Poker story presented as pro and conPoker story presented as pro and con

• Detail boxes convey information in a hurryDetail boxes convey information in a hurry


Eight Lessons, cont. Eight Lessons, cont.

5. Be more interactive every day 5. Be more interactive every day • Online poker gameOnline poker game

• Online debates on hot topicsOnline debates on hot topics

• Samplings of reader responsesSamplings of reader responses

• Mugs and quotesMugs and quotes

6. Look out for their interests. Be practical, 6. Look out for their interests. Be practical, personalpersonal

• Breakout boxes explain how a story affects themBreakout boxes explain how a story affects them

• Tell conspicuously what action they can take Tell conspicuously what action they can take (e.g. if identity is stolen)(e.g. if identity is stolen)


Eight Lessons, cont. Eight Lessons, cont.

7. Not hard to make the paper a little younger7. Not hard to make the paper a little younger • Brainstorm in 30-minute spurtsBrainstorm in 30-minute spurts

• Charge different editors with looking for talkable Charge different editors with looking for talkable stories, “looks out for my interests” elementsstories, “looks out for my interests” elements

• Talk across disciplines on key storiesTalk across disciplines on key stories

• Demand candor (“is this really interesting?”)Demand candor (“is this really interesting?”)

8. “8. “Interesting” is not optional. “Informative” is Interesting” is not optional. “Informative” is not sufficient. “Compelling” is mandatorynot sufficient. “Compelling” is mandatory


People remember People remember experiences. They don't experiences. They don't

remember attributes remember attributes (features).(features).

--A.G. Lafley, CEO, Proctor & Gamble--A.G. Lafley, CEO, Proctor & Gamble


Basic need/want for this Basic need/want for this productproduct

Reliable, trustworthyReliable, trustworthy

Easy to useEasy to use

EngagingEngaging

Totally amazingTotally amazing

I can get it I can get it elsewhereelsewhere

I’m immersedI’m immersed

I ruleI rule

More at: www.headrush.typepad.comMore at: www.headrush.typepad.com

think visually, act locally

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