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Avenues for Engagement

In asking respondents to identify the ways their particular news sites engaged their community, the survey provided insights on primary engagement strategies and revealed considerable resourcefulness on secondary strategies.

As expected, outreach that tried to get users to consume, create or react to site content prevailed. Respondents frequently mentioned users commenting on their websites or Facebook pages, subscribing to newsletters, tweeting or re-tweeting information, becoming site fans, sharing on Facebook and other outreach to grow audiences who will read their stories.

When asked to offer their “most successful” engagement efforts, however, the sites discussed an arsenal of different tools they employed. Some of these are captured in short case studies that accompany this report.

Chart 3 - In what ways do news sites engage your community?

The top engagement approach employed by nine out of 10 (91%) of the respondents was through such social media connectors as Facebook chat participants or shared content. Eight out of 10 (81%) sought to get audience members to contribute stories, photos or other content.

Three-fourths (75%) of the respondents used e-newsletters or listservs to alert readers to available content. Nearly 63% used in-person events. (In another question 81% said they considered face-to-face gatherings an important part of building relationships.)

A much lower emphasis was placed on engaging the audiences in roles – such as advertisers, donors or volunteers – that could help sustain the news sites as ongoing community resources. A little over half (56%) said they engaged their audiences as advertisers; about two in five engaged them as donors (40%) or volunteers (42%). About 17% offered media training for the community.

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