What I've Been Reading Digest: Audience trends in 2024 so far + the user needs priority index for journalist
And is Google finally starting to reward originality and breaking stories? An early sign from Kent suggests so
Good afternoon,
Starting off with an apology - I missed doing last week’s newsletter. I’d been on a good consistent run but running four general election hustings in the space of 10 days (including doubling as event security to keep a Reform candidate in check) and getting The Lead’s general election special editions over the line, plus keeping the Blog Preston wheels spinning and everything else meant something had to give. And I’m afraid that was this digest. So I apologise, and here’s the usual Wednesday round-up to make up for it - as we stand less than 24-hours away now from the polling stations opening in the UK general election.
Audience trends of 2024 so far - Rebecca Roberts - a handy bite-size snapshot from Rebecca of Thread & Fable about the trends happening so far this year, with a particular focus on Gen Z and their news consumption. There’s a big shift going on in that market, with them curating and visiting multiple sources (via the social video platforms in particular). The bit that caught my eye was how they use the comments on stories and videos as a way of fact-checking, which for news publishers means having a voice in the comments is really important. Not just publishing and running. Because your audience is waiting to see what you say in response. Rebecca’s insights are based on the Reuters’ Institute Digital News report published last month and the full piece is available to read.
In terms of Gen Z, I was fortunate last week to be reporting on spades going in the ground at Preston’s Youth Zone (which has been in the making nearly as long as Blog Preston has been going!). It meant an opportunity to speak to young people who have been a part of the process of designing the new building, as I was chatting to them I asked them about their news consumption.
Hollie, one of the youngsters I spoke to at the Youth Zone, and had a good chat about where they read news
They do read local news (Blog Preston and other sources) but it’s very much a push transaction, they don’t seek it out - but if it is shared with them then they will happily engage. In the words of one of them “If my Mum sends me a link, I read it.” So is reaching Gen Z a matter of getting Mum/Dad/Aunt/Uncle/Teacher/older siblings on side first?
User needs priority index - Khalil A.Cassimally - another insight and interesting piece that is born out of the Reuters Institute report, this one focused around the user needs model. As journalists we, rightly, spend a lot of time working in and focused on ‘update me’ wanting to ensure people have news first and it also comes down to professional pride. But the study showed the importance people - as in readers - place on being given perspective and inspire me as user needs.
More specifically for give me perspective: news that offers different perspectives on topical stories and inspire me: news that makes me feel better about the world. How is that being reflected in the daily diet of content being served up?
Google starting to reward originality and being first? - Ian Carter - this is from last month but I thought it was an important one, Iliffe’s editorial director shared some early signs of how they felt Google was starting to reward when you’ve been first and original with a story. This is important not just for established publishers, but new entrants and community media too (who may often be first or have an original take on something). It’s also increasingly important in the UK where the BBC is upping its digital story count volume significantly on a local level and tends to rank well for search due to its domain authority, when following up on existing stories.
How the pros do it? What a comms plan can teach journalists about big stories - Luke Beardsworth - and finally a look at what comms & PR can teach journalists and editors about approaching a big story and content in general. A good take from Luke looking at how you galvanise support and exposure from the stories you’re doing.
And that’s this week’s round-up, hope you’ve found those some useful starting points for exploring more and to all those preparing to cover the general election - good luck and may your Haribo be sweet and your coffee strong.
Thanks for reading and keep going. If there’s ever anything you think I should feature in this digest then drop me a line at ed@almaonline.co.uk
Ed