Digital storytelling& mobile strategy

Steve ButtryPioneer Editors Meeting

Salt Lake City May 18, 2011

stephenbuttry@gmail.com, @stevebuttry

Read more• Mobile strategy blog posts at

stevebuttry.wordpress.com • Posts coming soon on digital storytelling

and community engagement• Will post examples used here (& more)• Send me your best examples• Slideshare.net/stevebuttry

Tweet all about it#digitalstory1. Play-by-play2. Commentary3. Links (my examples & yours)4. Photos (Flickr, Twitpic, Instagram,

yfrog)5. Facebook updates

Ask about each story• Can you cover the story live?• What are the multimedia elements of your

story?• How can a map help tell your story?• How can you engage the community? • What links will provide greater depth?• Can data provide depth, personal info?• Should you tell this story in an alternate form?• What social media content should you curate?

Live coverage• Liveblog as the story happens (CoverItLive,

ScribbleLive, update story/blog)• Live-tweet (feed into liveblog)• Livestream with webcasts, webcams,

dashboard cam• Feed tweets from community into blog/story• Live data• Text alerts

Multimedia elements• Photos (individual photos, galleries, time

lapse, audio slide shows, submitted, social, media, panoramic)

• Videos (raw, edited, in story, webcam, webcast, security cameras, user-submitted, social media, link to video)

• Animation (Flash, HTML5)• Maps• Bring it all together

Maps• Invite users to tell their stories• Story unfolds live on the map• Map as database• Map in motion• Crowdmap

Engage the community• Crowdsource (investigations, features, events)• Blogs• Polls• Maps• Contests• Hashtags• Sharing tools, ratings• Ask for photos, videos

LinksEditorial reason: ContextEthical reason: AttributionBusiness benefits:• Generate traffic• Boost SEOSending users away works for Google; it will

work for you, too.

Databases

Alternate story form• List• Graphic novel• Timeline• Map• Graphic• Self-directed, not linear

Why you need to connect with community on

Twitter

Curate social conversationTwitter: Hashtags, live twitter feeds, selected

tweets (Blackbird Pie, Quoteurl)Facebook: Pose question to group or fans,

curate answers for storyFlickr: Invite contributions to your channelYouTube: Embed videos in blogs, storiesQuora: Questions about your communityStorify, Storyful: Choose from multiple tools

@statesman case study

Crowdsource

Crowdsource

Say what you don’t know

Converse w/ public

Link to fresh content

Link to fresh content

Use hashtags

Mobile tools you use?• iPhone• Android• BlackBerry• Other smartphone• dumbphone• Game device

• iPod Touch• iPod• Other music• Kindle• iPad• Other tablet

How we use mobile• Phone• Camera• Photo album• Email• Text messages• Calendar• Maps

• Tweet• Location (4sq, etc.)• Other social media• News on web• Other web use• News apps• Other apps

“Local news is going mobile”• 84% of U.S. adults have cellphones• 47% of U.S. adults get local news on

phone or tablet• 33% of U.S. adults pay for newspaper

subscriptionSource: 2011 State of the News Media Report

“Local news is going mobile”• 42% of cellphone & tablet owners get

mobile weather updates• 37% get info on restaurants, local biz• 30% get general local news• 24% get sports news• 22% get traffic/transportation infoSource: 2011 State of the News Media Report

Mobile audience is young• 70% of 18-29 (63% of 30-49) get local

news on mobile devices• 55% of 18-29 (47% of 30-49) use mobile

devices to find local restaurants, biz• 28% of 18-29 (23% of 30-49) use local

mobile coupons, discountsSource: 2011 State of the News Media Report

Attractive to advertisers?Audience for mobile local news has:• Income (67% of $75K and up)• Education (58% of college grads)• Families (64% of parents w/ minor

children)Source: 2011 State of the News Media Report

Tablet use growing fast• Penetration grew from 4% to 7% in just 4

months• Higher penetration with upper incomes• Projected use by 2012: 41 million

Americans (13%)Sources: 2011 State of the News Media Report,

eMarketer

Mobile opportunity

Source: Borrell Associates, “Mobile Advertising & Promotions Forecast”

Mobile opportunityLocal mobile ad opportunity is bigger than:• Newspapers’ 2009 ad revenue drop• Newspapers’ retail ad drop 2005-2009• Total 2008 newspaper classified revenue• Any newspaper classified vertical at peak

Sources: Borrell Associates & Newspaper Association of AmericaDetails: stevebuttry.wordpress.com

Mobile disrupts• Newspapers• TV• Radio• Music• Web• Photography• Video• Books

• Games• Mail• Phones• Wrist watches• Alarm clocks• Maps• Movies• Toys

Mobile is unique …1. Only personal mass medium2. Permanently carried3. Always connected4. Built-in payment channel5. Available at point of creative inspiration6. Best audience information7. Captures social context of consumption8. Augmented reality to mass markets

Source: Tomi T. Ahonen, Communities Dominate Brands

Mobile-first strategy• Text alerts• Email • Applications (phones & tablets)• Social media (tweets, check-ins, tips)• Location-based news, info & commerce• Easy-to-use mobile websites• Device-flexible (not device-agnostic)• Games (phones, iPads great for games)

Mobile news-gathering• Reporters with smartphones (shooting photos

& videos, tweeting & texting from events, disaster & crime scenes)

• Easy submission tools for the public• Curation of tweets, check-ins, tips, twitpics

Driving• How often do you buy a car?

Driving• How often do you buy a car?• How often do you drive, gas up, service

car, park?

Driving• How often do you buy a car?• How often do you drive, gas up, service

car, park?• Connect drivers with information they

need daily• Connect auto services with drivers

A mobile-first project

• Twitter hashtag• Photo contests• Text alerts• Liveblog• Crowdmap• Short code

Community going to distant event• User photos• Foursquare• Local ad sales• Mobile coupons• Collaborate w/ media in host city• Advance promotion

Mobile: Everyone’s job• Executives emphasize mobile priority• Journalists focus on mobile news & info

delivery & presentation• Tech staff focuses on mobile apps• Designers focus on mobile design• Sales staff meets business customers’

mobile needs

What can small staff do?• Consume news on smartphone (including

editor & publisher)• Push press associations to help w/ apps• Share resources on Pioneer apps• Partner with local college or university

(mobile internships?)• Revenue share w/ developer and/or

advertiser

Mobile-first newsroom• Top editor stresses & shows mobile

priority• Every staffer with smart phone• Mobile planning, emphasis in meetings• Designated mobile leader• Work closely w/ tech & sales staffs to

pursue mobile opportunities

What can top leaders do?• Use Twitter on your phone. A lot.• Use Foursquare (don’t sync w/ Twitter) &

check in regularly (yeah, become a mayor).• Use several apps (including yours) on your

phone.• Lead company planning of mobile-first

strategy.• Appoint & empower mobile leader.

In meetings next week …• Plan mobile-first coverage of an event.• In routine planning meetings, ask about

hashtags, maps, live coverage, curation, community engagement, multimedia.

• Change front-page meeting or weekly publisher’s meeting to a mobile planning meeting or digital-first meeting

Questions?Ask questions now,

or later by email (sbuttry@tbd.com)

or DM (@stevebuttry)

Read more• stevebuttry.wordpress.com• @stevebuttry on Twitter• Slideshare.net/stevebuttry

In digital storytelling and mobile-first strategy …

Don’t let obstacles become excuses

Turn them into war stories of success