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Is Hyperlocal Media Really “Seriously Challenged” Financially?

January 26, 2011 By David Leave a Comment

Another Negative Nancy about hyperlocal journalism. This time it’s analyst Claire Enders, who says hyperlocal funding is “seriously challenged,” in remarks reported at Journalism.co.uk:

Speaking at a Westminster Media Forum event on local media, the founder and chief executive of Enders Analysis said hyperlocal websites could learn from the model succesfully used in community radio, where hundreds of volunteers give up their time because they “care a lot about their communities”.

I have a couple of issues with this analysis. First, what does Enders even mean when she says “seriously challenged?” This is a key question, because “seriously challenged” to one entity might be “well-funded” to another. For example, if a newspaper or radio station makes $30,000 on a hyperlocal venture, it probably considers that funding “seriously challenged.” If I make $30,000 on my 1-man media outlet in the Midwestern US, that’s a pretty good start.

The trouble with analyzing hyperlocal news sites financially is that the baseline for success is usually set as if the sites are traditional media operations. They’re not — or at least they don’t have to be, if they’re started by an entrepreneurial journalist. There’s plenty of local funding out there to turn a hyperlocal media outlet into a business. You just have to work hard and be creative to find it. Engaging the community — both readers and businesses — is the first step in doing that.

Filed Under: Advertising, Hyperlocal, Journalism

Why Big Media Shouldn’t Worry Your Hyperlocal Site

January 21, 2011 By David Leave a Comment

An article in The New Yorker says the AOL hyperlocal venture Patch is probably too costly to last very long. In a nutshell, author Ken Auletta says the hyperlocal sites created by Patch are not creating compelling enough content to stay in business — not without spending a lot more money to pay people to create that content.

He’s right, I think, that there’s not enough money in ad revenue to make Patch worthwhile. But that’s not an indictment of the hyperlocal concept. The thing that makes hyperlocal coverage valuable is not the national aggregation of hundreds of little-bitty audiences for national advertisers. It’s the customer service offered to local advertisers by a local media outlet operated by a local businessperson. Patch can gather local content, but until it can reach into each community and offer personal service to each business, the hyperlocal nut will remain uncracked.

Filed Under: Advertising, Hyperlocal, Marketing

Scannable Advertisers

January 21, 2011 By David 1 Comment

To build a successful hyperlocal media business, you need to know more about marketing than your clients. That allows you to come up with lots of creative marketing projects they haven’t thought about before. QR codes are one example.

What are QR Codes?

You know how everything in the grocery store is tagged with a scannable barcode that includes tons of information about a product? Now there’s a way to pack that kind of information just about anywhere. And it’s a huge opportunity for your local media outlet to stand out as a marketing expert for your business partners.

QR (“quick response”) codes are similar to standard UPC codes. You can generate codes for just about anything, and those codes are linked automatically to a website, or a phone number, or a block of text. Anyone with a code scanner — you can download free ones for your smartphone — can scan the code. Their phone will automatically open the website, or call the phone number, or display the text linked to that code.

What Does This Mean for Your Media Business and Clients?

There are endless possibilities with QR codes. ReadWriteWeb published a list of 5 ideas. Here are three other ideas:

1. For a client’s Facebook fans, create a QR code that links to a special, “secret” page that offers them 10% off their next purchase. Only by subscribing to the Facebook page can they access the discount.
2. Create a series of fliers branded with your media website’s name. On each flier, put a different QR code. Post them inside your sponsor’s businesses, and encourage your readers to collect all the codes. Put a different clue in each location and give away a prize to the person who solves the puzzle.
3. When you’re at a public event, hand out information telling people what QR codes are and how they work. Put a QR code on the handout, and link it to a page on your site that lists a special offer from an advertiser.

If anyone has successfully used QR codes in a campaign, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Filed Under: Marketing, Mobile

Create a Business Directory

January 20, 2011 By David 1 Comment

If you want to succeed as a local independent journalist, you have to create value for your advertisers, not just for your readers. Until you do that, you’ll never be able to generate the revenue you need to support your journalism habit.

One idea for creating that value for local businesses: set up a business directory for your community. This is a no-brainer. It creates value for businesses by increasing their visibility. It gives you a foothold toward establishing a relationship with every business in town. And it creates value for your readers, who will find information they’re looking for, all in one place.

If you use a platform like WordPress, you can find a plugin that makes it simple to add listings. Enter business names and contact information for free, and let them know you’ve done it. Promote the directory on your site. It will get your name in front of business owners, and they’ll will begin to recognize you as a leader in the local online space.

I’m about to experiment with a plugin called “Business Directory” for WordPress, and I’ll let you know how that experiment turns out.

Filed Under: Marketing

Hyperlocal Sports: Tapping Into Hometown Passion

January 20, 2011 By David Leave a Comment

*Editor’s Note:  I originally wrote this post about a year ago for Hyperlocalblogger. I’ve updated the numbers and other details, and am re-posting it here.

About 18 months ago, I decided to start a new hobby. I’ve always been a sports fan. I used to do a little sportscasting on a small radio station. And my Friday nights were free.

So I started a WordPress website, RepublicTigerSports.com, to keep track of the local high school football team. I hoped to stream some play-by-play of the football games, get a few friends to listen, and maybe snag a sponsor or two.

But coaches and parents for every sport — football, softball, volleyball, etc. — jumped on the idea. They started sending me scores and stats and photos, even when I wasn’t at their games. They spread the word among their friends and relatives. Soon, people knew they could get up-to-the minute scores and in-depth game summaries from the website, instead of waiting until the next day or the next week. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hyperlocal, Journalism, Sports
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