5 Basic Newspaper Principles to Apply to Your Online Content
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash
The print newspaper has a tried and true layout and strategy to grab readers’ attention from the start with eye-catching visuals and intriguing headlines. Readers stay engaged with authoritative reporting targeted to them – it helps answer their questions and relates to them by tying into their interests, needs or location, for example.
The same principles that a newspaper uses to attract and engage readers can be applied to your online content, whether you write for a digital news outlet or manage your own blog.
Keep reading to learn how these common newspaper practices can help news websites improve user engagement, boost SEO and ultimately deliver a better experience for readers.
1. A good headline can make or break a story.
Say you wrote the greatest article in the world. But your headline is bad. It’s bland, too cute or just plain confusing. How are you supposed to attract readers?
When a reader opens a newspaper, the first thing they see are the headlines. That’s why they’re bold and in large font. When your readers perform a Google search, the first thing they see are also headlines and if they’re not interesting, no one will click on your story.
You want to give your audience a brief synopsis, tease the material in your piece, and make people want to keep reading. Nobody said this was easy. In terms of SEO, the best headlines sound natural, are a shareable length (100-120 characters), and contain a meaningful, descriptive keyword.
Basically, if a reader can’t get a decent understanding of your article by reading just the headline, it’s not effective.
2. Reporters are only as good as their sources … and their links.
Reporters aren’t always experts on their subject matter. So, they must find the right people to interview; a good resource provides the needed context and background.
The same could be said for hyperlinks in online content.
Links should direct readers to a deep page on your site that provides additional information. Before you add a link, ask yourself, “How is this adding to my story?”
But be careful with hyperlinking – too many links can hurt your content’s visibility, especially when duplicate links are involved. Plus, readers are more likely to click when there are a limited number of links – don’t overwhelm them with too many options to click.
Have you ever seen an online story that’s all hyperlinks? That’s like a newspaper article that’s all quotes. The key is moderation.
3. Write for your audience.
It’s OK if your goal is to reach a broad audience.
Sure, your story may appear on the sports page. (Some of the best writing does!) But what if a non-sports fan comes across your piece? Will they understand it?
Jargon can be dangerous. When using it, you risk losing a portion of your readers.
Generally, it’s best to use natural language and always work to tie your content to your audience. Tell a story anyone can comprehend. Paint a picture. Describe the tension. Make your readers feel the drama in the arena or ballpark.
Now, sometimes jargon is fine. Example: If you’re writing a tech blog and only care about reaching tech enthusiasts, go nuts. But if your goal is to reach a wide range of news consumers, stay away from language like variable bitrates and quantum dots (unless you explain it first).
Bottom line: Know who you’re trying to reach and write an article they can easily follow.
4. Timing matters
Your story is a home run: It’s timely, features natural language, sports several great quotes and the headline is on point.
It’s perfect … until something better comes along.
Breaking news can be a reporter’s nightmare. It can bury your story.
The same can happen with search engines. You publish your fully-optimized post with a good mix of keywords and phrases. Then within 10 minutes – BOOM – a new story takes over. Say goodbye to the first search page in Google.
Breaking news is outside of your control. Still, timing should be thoughtfully managed. So ask yourself, “Does it make sense to post today?” What does the rest of the editorial calendar look like? Are there major events happening today that could overtake your story online? Factor it all into your timing decision.
5. A picture is worth a thousand words
Use multimedia! (There’s no point in being subtle.)
Imagery always enhances a story. In newspapers, the most prominent and important story appears above the fold on A1 with a large photo. Online, photos and videos are also important.
Try searching Google for shrimp taco recipes. The results run the gamut — photos and videos; others are just text. What do you click on?
An image gives your article authority. Pair your writing with an image. Always. Just know which ones you can and can’t use.
If you are required to feature multimedia with every article, check out the PR Newswire multimedia gallery to browse the latest press releases with videos, photos, infographics and more.
