The newspaper industry has changed drastically. Newspapers are no longer the most common way to get information. In the digital age, news is constantly at readers' fingertips and in their pocket. Smart phones, tablets, and computers are becoming prominent in the news industry. Read on to learn how you can take advantage of automation and the online world to make your newspaper more successful.
Social media
Most of the newspaper world has turned to the online realm for reasons of speed and convenience. To keep your readers engaged you need to not only have an online outlet but an online presence.
Having a website is step one for increasing your readership. Social media is step two.
Social media has become the main source of news and information for most people. In order to engage with this audience your newspaper also has to have social media accounts – namely Facebook and Twitter. By posting on social media, you open up a whole new interactive audience that was never available when newspapers were, well, paper. Through social media you can interact with your readers and see what they think.
Make the process of social media easier by automating your posts. Social media automation allows you to schedule posts in advance so that you do not need to be constantly monitoring your accounts.
Comment sections
Another way to engage your readers and see what they think of current events is with a comment section. By enabling a comment section on your site, you allow readers the opportunity to share their thoughts directly on the articles they are reading. Maximize the revenue potential of the comment section by placing it behind a paywall. Readers will be willing to pay to access the comment section because they want to see the opinions of others as well as share their own.
Personalized content
For your clients that have a subscription, on top of sending a physical copy of the newspaper, send them personalized content via email based on their interests. Email campaigns are easy to automate and customize based on the personal preferences and interests of your readers.
Web tracking software can show you what readers are engaging with most on your website. For each individual, this information can be stored in a personal profile in a customer relationship manager. Use this information to tailor the content you send to them. By sending your readers content that appeals to their interests, you are engaging them and creating brand loyalty since you are showing you care about their interests.
Highlights
Another service you can offer to your paid subscribers is a highlight email or SMS. Show readers the top stories of the day, or week, based on how many people read it, how popular it was on social media, or any other stipulation you feel suits your newspaper best.
With newspaper automation you can send these highlights to your readers' preferred method of communication automatically. If your reader has indicated that they prefer text messaging, you can send them the highlights through an SMS campaign. If your reader prefers email, the same campaign can be sent through email. This really personalizes the newspaper experience.
Subscription reminders
Readers tend to forget when their subscriptions are about to expire. But, you can set up an automatic campaign to combat this problem.
Using either SMS or email, depending on the reader's preference, automatically send out a reminder that the subscription is about to expire a week before it actually does. If the reader doesn't respond to renew, you could set up a second campaign to offer them a discount to renew their subscription.
By reminding your readers of their expiring subscriptions, you can ensure that less people forget to renew.
Try it for yourself
Are you ready to increase your readership engagement? With automation you can simplify all your communications and marketing into one easy to use platform. Try a free 14-day trial of our all-in-one newspaper marketing solution, SimplyCast 360, and see for yourself how your newspaper can benefit from automation.
