Observe this: hyperlocal coverage gets social
The Observer Group
The Observer Group is known for delivering localized news with flair. It's how they win awards and readership across their four publications. They're community scribes, government watchdogs and business visionaries covering the news, events and issues that matter to their readers.
Challenge
Use the online channel to capitalize on the social nature of The Observer Group's award-winning neighborhood coverage. The solution needed to be intuitive for the entire editorial team, which stretched across four papers and several offices. And the online experience needed to be sticky so readers (with countless news options) would keep returning.
Solution
We discovered the most anticipated (and saved) section of every paper was coverage and photos of the area's social scene - the arts, the parties, the people. Taking a page from readers, we created an interactive Black Tie Calendar and Photo Gallery. Visitors could bookmark events and save them to their personal calendar. They could submit community events. And visitors could browse, share and purchase prints in the photo gallery.
To play up the social angle even more, blogs and social media profiles were integrated in the site as well. We also segmented the news by reader location making it effortless for readers to find their neighborhood news
in a flash.
Result
Visitors couldn't get enough of the online Black Tie section featuring innovative photo galleries, interactive events calendars and in-depth coverage of the area's social happenings. In the weeks after launch, over 10,000 people visited the new site, making yourobserver.com the online authority for area events. And with original blogs like Dora The Explorer, Single In Sarasota and In the Press Box along with strong email marketing and social media marketing, visitors kept coming back. Best of all, the site solidified The Observer Group's unique online niche within the local media market.
