Meh to Epic: Learn from Online Pacemakers

FROM ‘MEH’ TO ‘EPIC’Learning from Online

Pacemaker finalists

Logan Aimone, MJENational Scholastic Press Association • @NSPA

David StudinskiCollege Publisher / Access Network • @dpstud

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Introduction

The Pacemaker is the highest honorin scholastic journalism. For eight decades, it has recognized trend-setters and go-getters, effort and enterprise, achievement and talent.Today, the Pacemaker continues to recognize the best student journalism in the nation.


Keep in mind …• The images seen in this presentation are

2011 Online Pacemaker Finalists. Winners will be announced at Saturday’s awards ceremony.

• Inclusion in this presentation does not indicate a website’s status as a winner.

• Do not read anything into whether an example was included here.

• Find these examples online:http://studentpress.org/nspa/winners/opm11.html


http://studentpress.org/nspa/winners/opm11.html

http://studentpress.org/nspa/winners/opm11.html

Who’s judging?

• Pacemaker judges are professionals working in media as well as a range of experts familiar with student media.

• A team of digital media journalists from the Star Tribune in Minneapolis judged the 2011 Online Pacemakers.


Who’s judging?• We ask the media organization to

compile a group representing different aspects of digital media.

• Entries are judged holistically. There is not a rubric with points attached to certain criteria.

• Judging is by nature somewhat subjective based on NSPA’s Multimedia Guidebook.


How do they judge?

• The number of Pacemaker finalists and winners is proportional to the number of entries.

• The number is not fixed, but about half of the finalists will be named winners.

• This is a contest, not a critique.

• Judges provide general feedback on the finalists. Some teams are more thorough.


What do they judge?

• Coverage and Content

• Interactivity and Community Tools

• Breaking News

• Design and Navigation

• Rich Media


Judges said top sites stood apart for:

• Excellent photography. Using images inside their templates to best effect — no stretching or low-res artifacts.

• Compelling writing. Interesting stories well told with good Web-native features.


Judges said top sites stood apart for:

• Design outside of the template. Every CMS comes with a standard template, but some publications were able to transcend that and make it truly their own.

• Effective use of multimedia. Winning publications demonstrated a balance between using all available tools while remaining focused on telling a good story.


Coverage & Content

• Coverage is comprehensive, focusing on many aspects of the high school community it serves, including academics, school activities, faculty and administration and student affairs.

• Includes Web-exclusive content, such as blogs, interactive elements, video, audio and breaking news.

• Same standards for excellence as print.


From the judges on Content & Coverage:• The front page should not include

content older than a month or two.

• It is more desirable to have a shorter page with less content than to have a long page with items that are out of date.

• Communicate to your specific audience. Know who you are writing/designing/developing for.


From the judges on Content & Coverage:• Include noticeable, clear access to

multimedia features, interactive, videos, blogs, podcasts and similar content. Get beyond the headline.


Foothill Dragon PressFoothill Technology HS • Ventura, Calif.Coverage & Content

Headlines are to the point — nothing “cute” that makes content indiscernible.Summaries give a preview of the story content.


Wayland Student Press NetworkWayland HS • Wayland, Mass.Coverage & Content

Clear headlines, and some provide clues to what’s inside, (sound slideshow).“Most Recent” column gives readers a place to look for what they came for —new stuff.


FHNtoday.comFrancis Howell North HS • St. Charles, Mo.Coverage & Content

Great example of a visually distinguished site. Note how background coordinates with other site elements such as link color, category color, calendar, etc. Note the tabs for topic coverage (Construction, College Guide).


Interactivity and Community Tools

• Readers can interact through comments, discussions and polls.

• Social networking tools (links, sharing, guides) empower and engage the reader.

• Readers can submit content, story ideas and letters. There’s a method to do so.

• Website uses reader-generated content.


From the judges on Interactivity/Tools:• Make sure readers can post comments,

which encourage return visits and foster a sense of community.

• Encourage interaction with “recommendation” or “like” widgets on each article page.


The Harbinger OnlineShawnee Mission East HS • Prairie Village, Kan.Interactivity / Tools

Large buttons jump at you, encouraging a way to connect.Calendar gives readers another reason to make this page a browsing stop.


Silver Chips OnlineMontgomery Blair HS • Silver Spring, Md.Interactivity / Tools

Poll element creates involvementTwitter is more than a button — a call to action. The letter icon in a prominent location invites viewers to submit their views.


Little HawkCity HS • Iowa City, IowaInteractivity / Tools

A number next to the dateline on the main story indicates the number of comments, a key indicator to Web-only content and interactvity. The Spring Break destination map is a great interactive element.


Breaking News• Frequency of update is a consideration.

• Multiple media — which may include photos, graphics, text, audio, video and interactive elements — are used to report breaking news events.

• Coverage is useful and related to school community.

• News is accurate, even if the information is incomplete.


From the judges on Breaking News:

• The Web ages quickly and old stories indicate that the editorial team isn’t updating very often and visitors aren’t coming frequently.


The TalonLos Altos HS • Los Altos, Calif.Breaking News

Indicate updates or breaking news with icons. The time stamp indicates stories are updated periodically and not all at the same time (like on the day the paper comes out).


The Paly VoicePalo Alto HS • Palo Alto, Calif.Breaking News

A Twitter feed can also enhance breaking news, even if the news is just a soccer game score. Facebook feed with “likes” and a list of recent stories demonstrate a constant flow of content.


FHCtoday.comFrancis Howell Central HS • St. Charles, Mo.Breaking News

Excellent example of a splash page when big news warrants this type of comprehensive coverage, especially if your viewers come expecting you to deliver.


Design & Navigation• The site is visually appealing, drawing

readers into stories.

• Navigation is easy; readers can effortlessly find what they seek.

• News is presented in a clear hierarchy, with the most important and/or newest stories prominently displayed.

• Multiple elements of a story are packaged together into an integrated unit.


From the judges on Design & Navigation:• Content carousels are cool but should be

used deliberately and not because a CMS template offers them. (More on these later.)

• Present a cohesive look and feel. Templates offer clean designs to follow, but bad color choices or a cluttered masthead/flag image set apart experts from amateurs.


From the judges on Design & Navigation:• Organize links logically for viewers. They

likely seek the latest sports stories before contact and background information.

• Limit category and link displays to popular areas. Use Google Analytics to track your popular views. Reduce clutter to subsections if they aren’t relevant.

• Your staff cares about the divide between yearbook and newspaper staffs, but users don’t. Create a navigation that allows them to find the right content — not platform silos.


El EstoqueMonta Vista HS • Cupertino, Calif.Design & Navigation

The navigation bar is clean and unobtrusive. A top story is featured in each section, and multimedia packages are prominent.


Rockville RampageRockville HS • Rockville, Md.Design & Navigation

Weather is a nice touch, although the icons may be a bit too large. Section headers are clear. Contact / About Us are clearly labeled in main navigation — great!


Eye OnlineSingapore American School • Singapore Design & Navigation

Although the site uses a popular WordPress template, a nice masthead specifically created for online helps set it apart. Be careful captions don’t hide the photo content in carousel.


Rich Media• The site uses a variety of media: audio,

video, photos, text and graphics.

• Media enhance content and help tell stories rather than simply add flashy elements to the site.

• Audio, video and graphic elements are technically excellent.

• Copyright laws are understood and followed; only original content or copyright-free material is used.


From the judges on Rich Media:

• Don’t “shovelware” your print edition. Link to third-party resources in every article. Embed Google Maps content. Add value to your web articles with features your print edition can’t handle.

• Much of what is produced for print may be used on the Web, but it should be modified for the new form (add hyperlinks, photos, etc.) to become “Web native.”


The CommunicatorCommunity HS • Ann Arbor, Mich.Rich Media

Text content receives equal coverage as audio, video and image content. Featured content is easy to find, and so is the archive of the same sections.


TRNWiredPrince George HS • Prince George, Va.Rich Media

Slideshows / Photos/Video are clearly listed in navigation. Video shown above the fold. Each headline is prefaced with a media type, e.g. “Slideshow,” “Soundslide” or “Photo Gallery.”


And now, some tips.Less “meh.” More “epic.”


1. Customize the template

• The template is a starting point. Utilize widgets and modifications to ensure the design, organization and display fit the needs of your content and your viewers.

• Move things around. Swap objects out or around to see if polls get better response, Facebook more “likes” or stories more views. Use Google Analytics to track success.


2. Make the CMS work for you

• CMS are not evil. They help you organize and maintain consistency through time and staff changes.

• Evolve slowly. Even the smallest style change can set a site apart.


3. Three letters: SEO.• That’s for Search Engine Optimization.

• Give clues. That’s how search engines will find your site and content.

• Use key words. Write headlines and leads with words that will pop up in search.

• Use plugins to increase search relevancy. Try Google Site Map optimizer.


3.5 More on SEO.• Who are you? Put the name and location

of the school on the site. Most visitors will know this, but it’s an important detail for each publication (on or offline).

• Put it in text. Search engines can’t read images, so include the full name of your publication, school, physical address, and phone or email in footer of your site.


4. Improve those content carousels• They are overdone. Just because it’s

there doesn’t mean it’s the solution.

• Test it. Consider how long each slide is shown, how the animation works, how to place the captions.

• Compelling photography is essential. If a story doesn’t have good image, you should not splash it across the top of the page. Avoid duplication in multiple places on the front page.


5. Details count

• Have a social media presence. Facebook and Twitter links should be easily accessible through recognizable icons.

• Reinforce your brand. Use a favicon to brand your site in a row of tabs or a bookmark list. Imagery has power. Use a site to condense your logo and add code to your head tag.

• Experiment with new trends. Try things like Tumblr, Posterous and more.


6. Navigate logically• Go home. Home buttons are useful

unless it’s obvious clicking on your flag/masthead will take you there.

• Always include “About” or “Contact us.” Nest staff pages, advertising and other “business” pages under these categories.

• Organize and archive. Homecoming is only current and relevant so long. Try turning a section into a button in your right rail, or nest all special sections under a certain navigation name.


7. Analyze your traffic.

• No one likes math. Make Google Analytics a part of your staff’s routine.

• What’s trending? Talk with staffs about why certain articles are trending.

• Consider bounce rate. That’s the number of people going to your site an immediately leaving. The lower the bounce, the better you are at keeping people around.

• Try Google Analyticator for WordPress and Chartbeats if you have high traffic.


8. Help your audience

• What would you expect as a viewer? You’re immersed in your high school life and experience it daily. How can you build a site for the audience most likely to visit your page?

• Help the less familiar. For visitors unfamiliar with your school, add context like a wiki or links to past coverage.


9. Prioritize the content

• Make the front page a menu. The landing page doesn’t need the clutter of dozens of photos.

• Service visual skimmers. Just as you do in print, draw the eye with visual elements and text cues as to what is important. Sites like CNN.com and NYTimes.com utilize many summaries and links and few photos “above the fold” on the main page.


10. Increase the interactivity

• Ask the audience. Reader-generated content not only encourages interaction, it drives traffic like crazy. Contests for cutest pets or best spirit day costume are guaranteed winners.

• Allow submissions. Readers can submit ideas, give advice (“How would you cut the budget?”), or add to a wiki (“What’s your advice for incoming freshmen?”).

• Share, share, share. Facilitate sharing of your content among social media.


What’s next?We announce the winners

this afternoon!

Contact Logan Aimone:[email protected]

Contact David [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]




Questions?Thanks!

Twitter: @NSPAFacebook: National Scholastic

Press Association


Meh to Epic: Learn from Online Pacemakers

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