The document provides 20 tips for news organizations to turbocharge their mobile efforts, as presented by mobile experts from CNN, Breaking News, the New York Times, and the Boston Globe. The tips include using Apple TV to demo mobile apps, setting up app emulators, monitoring mobile metrics in real-time, taking a mobile-first approach to planning coverage of big news events, and ensuring leadership understands and uses mobile.
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20 Tips to Turbocharge Your Mobile Efforts (Before It’s Too Late) | ONA13
1. 20 Tips to Turbocharge Your
Mobile Efforts
(Before It’s Too Late)
#20Mobile
2. • Etan Horowitz
Mobile Editor
CNN
@etanowitz
• Cory Bergman
GM/Co-Founder
Breaking News
@corybe
• Fiona Spruill
(Former) Editor, Mobile & Web
New York Times
@fionaspruill
• Damon Kiesow
Senior Product Manager, Mobile
Boston Globe
@dkiesow
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
3. Get Your Newsroom on
mobile
Etan Horowitz
Mobile Editor
CNN
@etanowitz
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
4. Use Apple TV to show apps
• iOS Apps / Web via Airplay | $100
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
5. Big-Screen Live Web views
• Re-size page if RWD, or use browser extensions | Free
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
6. Use Reflector to demo apps
• Reflectorapp.com Mac & PC (iOS only) | $13
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
7. Set up app emulators
• Bribe your app developers | Almost free
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
8. Get mobile preview in your
CMS
• Bribe your app developers | Almost free
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
9. Let the Numbers tell the
story
Cory Bergman
GM/Co-Founder
Breaking News
@corybe
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
10. Real-Time monitor mobile first
• Google Analytics Real-Time: both mobile-only web and apps
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
11. Show how mobile is different
• Act on the differences, highlight the results
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
12. Show how mobile is different
• Act on the differences, highlight the results
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
13. What you share is mobile
78% mobile
19% mobile only
75% mobile
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
14. Watch the metrics, but...
• Leading vs Lagging Indicators
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
15. Create a mobile-centric
culture
Fiona Spruill
(Former) Editor, Mobile & Web
New York Times
@fionaspruill
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
16. Live like your audience
• Force yourself to be mobile-only at home: phone in the AM, tablet in the PM.
Don’t just use iPhone/iPads; get an Android too.
Credits: Flickr: arvind grover; Tony Maro
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
17. Big news events as catalysts
• Take advantage of big news events because they can help you make the
case for the importance of mobile.
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
18. Mobile-only teams
• Build teams that are solely focused on mobile presentation, even if the teams
are temporary and they are dispersed after the event/project.
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
19. Mobile-First planning
• Take a mobile-first approach when planning their coverage of a big news
event. Talk about the plans for mobile before you talk about the desktop.
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
20. How to Tell Mobile is Winning
Damon Kiesow
Senior Product Manager, Mobile
Boston Globe
@dkiesow
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
21. Planning starts with mobile
• Product meetings lead with “how will it work on phones?”
• Features are developed for mobile use-cases
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
22. ‘Mobile’ is in your job titles
• You have mobile editors, mobile producers, mobile designers, mobile
developers and mobile product managers
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
23. Mobile is always on
• When the mobile app breaks, the staff notices and calls are made, and the
team is held accountable
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
24. You have ad support
• Ads are sold directly to mobile and
commissions are tied to mobile revenues
• Web ads are responsive
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
25. Your CMS ‘gets’ mobile
• Content can be arranged for mobile display, headlines can be changed, video
can be embedded.
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile
26. Your leadership ‘gets’ mobile
• Editors, managers, owners use the
mobile site and app and mobile is
considered the core product
• The business is driving mobile
innovation
• Resources and investments are
allocated accordingly
mobilefirstnews.com | @mobilefirstnews | #20Mobile