Daily Tar Heel adviser explores analytics in ‘Beyond Clickbait’

By Mary Kate Brogan

The Daily Tar Heel is the gold standard of North Carolina college newspapers, so hearing the Tar Heel’s adviser Erica Perel discuss the online analytics of the highly successful organization helped me see what needs to be changed to make The Pendulum more successful online.

The Tar Heel uses live analytics via Chartbeat and makes them accessible to all members of the organization so they can understand the big picture of what’s going on online and strategize as to how to make their online presence stronger.

Perel says quality is more important than quantity in online journalism, so a story that only warrants 250 words should be just that. Perel also suggests creating a mobile app and acting with a sense of urgency on breaking news because if you get there first, you usually get the story first. She recommends creating meaningful pages for various topics, similar to Times Topics, when they are necessary.

Ledes must be short. Headlines must be SEO. Discussions of online news should be held as part of news meetings to make the newsroom as a whole more productive online. I plan to turn on the TV today and keep our analytics up in the office for all to see.

Wish Jeff and Sam Good Luck

Jeff Stern and Sam Calvert will be part of a panel discussion with an editor/editors of The Daily Tar Heel at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The panel is called “Student Media Use of Social Tools: A Roundtable Discussion.” Jeff, Sam and DTH staffer(s) will present their ideas and techniques and then open up the discussion to everyone in attendance.

If you’re in Orlando at the convention and looking to attend, the session starts at 12:30 p.m. in Cobia on the second floor. If you’re outside Orlando, please wish Jeff and Sam good luck. I’m sure they’ll be great.

— Colin Donohue