40 million page views is not enough @grovesprof | @brizzyc

40 Million Page Views Is Not Enough

From SEO to Engagement

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

What is engagement?

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

What’s interesting is that the SEO side is a lever you can pull. You know how to work it, or we’ve figured out how to work it. We know if we do X, then we’re going to get Y, just like a machine, spit it out.

We have no idea how to do the other one [engagement], so we’re just blind and fumbling around in the dark.

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

I just think the traffic numbers are a tremendous blow to that prestige.

Because what it reveals is that for decades we may have thought, you know, these stories were our best, and readers would see that too, and see that as distinctive. And what you learn is that they’re just mostly ignored ...

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

The world according to

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

It’s almost a single point of failure because if they could shut it down and decide that’s an experiment that didn’t work, that didn’t pay, and Google just shuts down — that’s like half of our business model … when you’re living in Google News’ world, you can’t actually put anything on the news agenda. And it’s already got to be there, and then they just find your version of it.

Napoli’s model of engagement

InterestAwareness

Exposure 

Attentiveness 

Loyalty 

ENGAGEMENT

Appreciation 

Emotion 

Recall 

Attitude 

Behavior 

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

True engagement?Participatory

journalism

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

We’re nimble, responsive, authoritative, and conversational. We are part of the world's daily conversation.

And we are working hard to build deeper loyalty to our brand of journalism. With every trending article, with every quiz, list, gallery, and referral, we make a friendly recommendation to visitors to view our more in-depth journalism …

— Jan. 3, 2012, e-mail from management to staff

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

Nine or more return visitsO.85% (May 2011) | 1.35% (May 2012)

Monitor metrics: Return visits

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

Monitor metrics: Time spent per visit

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

May 2011

May 2012

<1 minute

16% 26%

1-5 minutes

51% 45%

30-60 minutes

2% 2%

Other 31% 9%

Loyalty, not deep engagement

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

Some of our best journalists are actually getting the most traffic. But some of our best journalists aren’t. So what’s the distinction there? … ‘Hey guys, some people are really contributing a lot, and some people aren’t,’ and it’s the first time we’ve ever talked about that. And it’s not an easy conversation to have.

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

…you put all this effort into getting lots of traffic, but who are those people that are coming, and what do they think about the experience that they have here?

And now the managers are starting to talk more about that experience, and brand and loyalty and things like that, but I just don’t see how you can build a brand on writing ‘American Idol’ stories, or Google Doodle stories, or whatever.

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

• @CSMonitor: 37,202 followers • @CSMPolitics: 3,196 followers

• 76,175 likes

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

SOCIAL MEDIA: 3% of re

ferral

traffic

…the only way I see of Facebook generating revenue for us is if people click on stories and come back to our site, and we don’t have the scale yet to drive much traffic from that, so you know, it hasn’t worked yet for us in any great way.

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

Napoli’s model of engagement

InterestAwareness

Exposure 

Attentiveness 

Loyalty 

ENGAGEMENT

Appreciation 

Emotion 

Recall 

Attitude 

Behavior 

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

We've made this change after extensive analysis of the comments our articles have received over the past two years. Some have been thoughtful. Some have added useful information or pointed out our mistakes. Thank you for those. But many comments have been non-productive.

Napoli’s model of engagement

InterestAwareness

Exposure 

Attentiveness 

Loyalty 

ENGAGEMENT

Appreciation 

Emotion 

Recall 

Attitude 

Behavior 

@grovesprof | @brizzyc

Thank you!

Dr. Jonathan GrovesAssistant Professor, Drury University

Twitter: @grovesprof

E-mail: jgroves@drury.edu

Blog: changingjournalism.org

Dr. Carrie Brown-SmithAssistant Professor, University of Memphis

Twitter: @Brizzyc

E-mail: cbrown14@memphis.edu

Blog: changingnewsroom.wordpress.c

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