This presentation outlines: --Understanding why analytics can be a tool for reporters and editors --Which metrics matter most? --What are key practices for writing headlines that speak to online readers Jennifer MacMillan, social media editor at CBC Nova Scotia, prepared it for Halifax NewsTrain on May 6-7, 2016. It is accompanied by her handout, "Putting Audience Analytics to Work." NewsTrain is a training initiative of Associated Press Media Editors (APME). More info: http://bit.ly/NewsTrain

1. Jennifer MacMillan, CBC Nova Scotia
@jenmacmillan
Putting Audience Analytics
To Work For Journalists

2. If a tree falls in the
forest... did anyone read
the story?

3. Today’s takeaways
-Understanding why analytics can be a
tool for reporters and editors
-Which metrics matter most?
-Key practices for writing headlines
that speak to online readers

4. Less this

5. More
this

6. “Data doesn’t replace
editorial judgement.”
- Malcolm Coles, The Telegraph

7. Who is reading news online?
Source: Angus Reid survey of Canadians between March 28-31, 2016

8. Which analytics do you use?

9. Key metrics to watch
- Referrals: Where are your readers coming
from?
- Comparison: How does this story stack up
to others on your site?
- Time spent: Did they spend more than 10
seconds?
- Engagement: Did they take the time to
comment, share, react?

11. When are people reading news?
Source: American Press Institute

12. News reading is constant
- 69% of adults aged 18-34 read news every
day
- 88% say they regularly get news from
Facebook
Source: American Press Institute

13. Delving deeper
- When young adults want to dig deeper on
a subject, search is the dominant method
cited by 57% (and it is the one cited most
often as useful)
- Followed by news sites at 23%
Source: American Press Institute

14. 5 key practices in writing
headlines
- Colour, but not cutesy
- Why should your reader care?
- Use the right words, no more than you
need
- Think of an alternative headline: Is it
better?
- If someone sees this headline on Facebook,
will it sing?

15. Pick the winner
A: Trump would lose to both Clinton
and Sanders, polls say
B: Trump persuading Republicans, but
trails both Clinton and Sanders in polls

16. Pick the winner
A: Trump would lose to both Clinton
and Sanders, polls say
B: Trump persuading Republicans, but
trails both Clinton and Sanders in polls

17. Pick the winner
A: Damascus residents emerge amid
ruins as ceasefire holds
B: Syrian ceasefire gives photographers
a rare look at war-torn Damascus

18. Pick the winner
A: Damascus residents emerge amid
ruins as ceasefire holds
B: Syrian ceasefire gives photographers
a rare look at war-torn Damascus

19. Pick the winner
A: Hundreds in this New Brunswick
village are buying Sydney Chase the
Ace tickets
B: New Brunswick villagers sending 1
man to buy 4,000 Chase the Ace tickets
in Sydney

20. Pick the winner
A: Hundreds in this New Brunswick
village are buying Sydney Chase the
Ace tickets
B: New Brunswick villagers sending 1
man to buy 4,000 Chase the Ace tickets
in Sydney

21. Pick the winner
A: Celebrating 107 trips around the sun
B: Nova Scotia woman turns 107 and
shares her secret to a long life

22. Pick the winner
A: Celebrating 107 trips around the sun
B: Nova Scotia woman turns 107 and
shares her secret to a long life

23. Pick the winner
A: Dartmouth man still drives his 42-
year-old Ford pickup truck
B: A man, his pickup truck and an
unlikely 42-year-old friendship

24. Pick the winner
A: Dartmouth man still drives his 42-
year-old Ford pickup truck
B: A man, his pickup truck and an
unlikely 42-year-old friendship

25. A closer look at social
analytics facebook.com/YourFBPageName/insights/

26. A closer
look at
social
analytics

27. Exercise
-Open up Twitter Analytics for your
account:
analytics.twitter.com/user/YourTwitterHandle
-What was your most popular tweet in
past month or year?
-What does this tell you?

28. Form groups. Write a tweet
http://bit.ly/creepyfish
Fisherman Scott Tanner was
on board when crews pulled
up this fish – which looks
somewhat like a bird, with a
long, pointy snout, bright
neon-green eyes, and
ribbed fins that resemble
feathered wings.

29. Pick the winner
A.
http://bit.ly/bizarretweethttp://bit.ly/creepytweet
B.

30. Pick the winner
A.
http://bit.ly/bizarretweethttp://bit.ly/creepytweet
B.
+94 RTs
+97 likes
+1,251
RTs
+1,377
likes