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"Keep me engaged"
Many people don't just want to be passive consumers of information; they want to actively participate in their communities and the news. They seek to invest their time and energy in the stories they care about. Readers with this need want to join conversations around news stories, exchange opinions, and feel part of a community. Publications that cater to this need should facilitate reader engagement and empower them to contribute to the discussion, thus building a community around their content.
Live blogs, with their retention rates more than 8x higher than traditional articles and various built-in features, are a valuable asset for publishers aiming to truly engage their readers. By presenting a story in a live blog, publishers can make readers part of the conversation, and involve them in the storymaking process, creating a more captivating and interactive experience.
1. Tap into trending topics
Engaging readers is easier when you focus on topics already generating buzz. By keeping an eye on trends and understanding their audience, publishers can identify high-potential stories that readers will be likely to keep resharing and come back to. For instance, New Zealand Stuff capitalized on the widespread interest in Taylor Swift, creating four live blogs about her in just over a year. With Swifties among both their staff and readership, Stuff leveraged this shared enthusiasm to foster ongoing conversations. They further enhanced the storytelling by integrating social media embeds making the coverage more diverse and bringing different perspectives into it. They also allowed readers to reshare live blog posts on social media via a social sharing button, driving the conversation from there back to the live blog.
2. Talk with them, not at them
The traditional news format typically involves reporters delivering information while readers passively listen. However, publishers aiming to keep readers engaged must find ways to involve them in a two-sided conversation, making them feel heard and valued. Stuff regularly dedicates their News Chat live blog to conversations with readers. The title itself invites participants to "Vote, quiz, and discuss the biggest stories," clearly signaling to visitors that their opinions matter. Alongside each story snippet, Stuff actively seeks reader feedback on pressing issues through integrated comment sections, polls, and quizzes.
3. Empower readers to shape the story
When readers are granted a sense of ownership over a story, they are more likely to develop a genuine connection to it. Live blogs can facilitate this engagement effectively. For instance, publications can create unique hashtags and encourage readers to share their content using these hashtags on social media. The live blog can then reshare this user-generated content, integrating it into the story. Comment sections and polls can also be utilized to gauge reader opinions on the publication's content, providing valuable insights that can inform future stories.
In fact, entire stories can be built from reader contributions. For example, during their rare Blue Superman live blog, Stuff invited readers to send in pictures of the moon from their locations, resulting in a live blog composed entirely of reader submissions.
When implementing this strategy, make sure to thank readers for their contributions - showing appreciation ensures they feel valued and recognized.
"Help Me"
Readers with this need seek practical information that can assist them in their daily lives. The content should be concise, offering clear advice or solutions to their problems. These types of stories have the potential to become evergreen content that readers will repeatedly return to. The dynamic live blog format is ideal for this purpose, as it can adapt to evolving situations and provide the updated information. Additionally, the ability to incorporate external content and input from experts ensures readers receive comprehensive, well-rounded answers to their inquiries.
1. Include a Q&A
Hosting live Q&A sessions with external experts allows readers to get their questions answered in real-time while also boosting newsroom credibility. For example, in their weather live blog, Stuff invited a weather expert to respond to readers' questions in the comment section. This immediate, personalized interaction provides readers with valuable information they can use in their daily lives.
2. Provide advice during significant events
Live blogs are perfect for offering tips and advice during events that affect many people, such as tax season, health crises, major events, etc. They allow publishers to pack a lot of information into one feed, making it easy for readers to find all the relevant details in one place.
For example, last year, Stuff used a live blog to assist their readers during Black Friday. They included tips on how to spot a good deal, navigate traffic, and find the best travel discounts. They also linked to external articles for readers who wanted more in-depth information and integrated a podcast for those who preferred audio tips. This comprehensive approach ensured readers had access to valuable advice in multiple formats.
Publication-Specific Needs
The User Need Model is one of the most comprehensive frameworks available for publishers. However, when it comes to satisfying readers, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Many newsrooms have defined user needs tailored specifically to their unique audiences.
When your audience turns to you for news, what are they really looking for? Does it align with one of the standard eight needs, sit somewhere in between, or is it something entirely different? By leveraging data research and internal resources to pinpoint exactly what your audience wants and how to deliver it, you can determine the best methods and features to serve them, unlocking the full potential of the user need-live blog tandem.
Conclusion
This wraps up our "Live Blogs and User Needs" series, where we examined strategies for publishers to address their readers' needs through live blogs. Liveblogging, with its array of features, is a powerful tool for publishers looking to meet and exceed their readers' expectations. However, there’s no single formula for success. Publishers must identify their audience's specific needs and experiment with various live blog features to discover what works best for them and their readers. Thus, by combining the User Need Model with live blogs, publishers can build deeper connections and better serve their readership.
