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ANALYSIS OF THE JOURNAL: A SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIT

Presented to Lorinda Peterson WRIT 240: Writing for Social Media and the Web

Prepared by Brandie Rau, Maegan Price, and Nadejda Rodzinskaia

April 5, 2019

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Journal establishes online presence through website and accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. However, audience engagement dips from various platforms’ underutilization. This report serves (1) to assess The Journal’s current online activity, identifying strengths and weaknesses and (2) to recommend strategies increasing audience engagement and online traffic. The following analysis’s results show The Journal creating quality content but lacking engagement due to inconsistent posting on social media. Resulting from this review and assessment, we make the following recommendations: 1. Inspire audience response through content.

2. Implement consistency strategies across all platforms.

3. Ensure all platforms user-friendliness.

INTRODUCTION Founded in 1873, The Journal is a “student-run newspaper at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada” (About Us, n.d.), publishing a weekly print edition and regular online content. The Journal aims to reach current and prospective students, families, and Kingston residents. The Journal engages with its audience via its website and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This report analyzes The Journal’s internet and social media activity, discusses strengths and weaknesses, making improvement recommendations. BACKGROUND According to Lyfe Marketing, “63% of consumers who search for businesses online are more likely to become consumers of brands with an established social media presence” (Why an Effective…, 2018). However, social media use does not guarantee improved sales or increased traffic. Attractive design, audience engagement, quality content, and consistent activity affect social media’s impact. Ultimately, “when done effectively, social media marketing can lead to more customers, more traffic, and more engagement” (Why an Effective…, 2018). METHODOLOGY Addressing the following: (1) design; (2) engagement; (3) content; and (4) consistency, the primary recommendation of this report refers to strategy implementation designed to provide quality content and increase traffic to The Journal’s website and Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram platforms. Social media accessibility, content quality, and website design appeal has been critiqued. Data regarding social media use has been collected by monitoring activity on the three platforms, determining (1) number of posts generated by The Journal and (2) reactions, shares, and comments each post inspired. This activity was monitored from Sunday, March 17, 2019 to Saturday, March 23, 2019 alongside the University of Waterloo’s student newspaper and The Imprint. Graphics comparing the social media activity of The Journal and The Imprint follows. Recommendations to improve online presence of The Journal is based on data presented in the results.   RESULTS DESIGN Website The website offers written and visual content organized into subsections including Features, Editorials, and Opinions, navigated using the search bar. The logo is prominently displayed. Facebook, Twitter & Instagram The Journal’s logo is displayed on the homepage. Facebook and Twitter have an identical cover photo inviting users to follow them on their other social media platforms.

ENGAGEMENT Website Each article has share buttons for a list of platforms including Facebook and Twitter. There is no button that links to Instagram on the website or articles. When searching “The Journal”, the website populates the first page in the top three results, strongly indicating effective search engine optimization (What is SEO…, 2017). The Journal lacks backlinks from outside sources except Instagram.

Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram The Journal has a strong base of followers on each social media platform (see Table 1). They link to the website on Facebook, display an email address and typically respond to messages within a day.

Several articles posted to the Facebook page draw comments and spark conversations, but The Journal has not contributed to the conversation following the initial post. Posts on all three social media platforms formally promote articles posted on the website, discouraging audience engagement. Between March 17 and 23, The Journal posted to social media 67 times, garnering 439 reactions, 61 shares, and 31 comments (see table 2).

Table 2: Social Media Activity March 17-23, 2019

The Journal does not ask questions or invite feedback on any of its platforms, despite email links and a suggestion button. Posts left by followers receive no response.

CONTENT Website

Table 3: Type of Articles

Daily published articles covering a wide range of topics keep website content current (see Table 3). The content is well written and edited, relates to target audiences, and photographs accompanying written content relate to the topic.

Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram Facebook and Twitter content identical to that which is found on the website updates irregularly. Clicking on social media posts opens articles on the website, thus increasing traffic. Social media posts are informational in nature, lack personality, and discourage follower interaction. The Journal does not publish interactive posts like contests, giveaways, or polls.

CONSISTENCY Website The website content updates regularly, with most articles published every Friday. Additional articles are published throughout the week. Facebook, Twitter & Instagram Branding – the logo, cover photo, and description –consists across all platforms. Activity and frequency vary across platforms, including the Instagram account inactive since October 26, 2018. Table 4 shows activity frequency on The Journal’s Twitter and Facebook pages during the week of March 17-23.

Table 4: Frequency of Facebook and Twitter Activity.

DISCUSSION Strengths The Journal creates and regularly updates a website ranking high in terms of SEO. The content is informative, well written, and relevant. The website is easy to navigate with every article providing share buttons to various platforms.

The Journal’s social media accounts have thousands of followers increasing the potential for traffic back to the website. Each platform encourages followers to follow the other accounts and visit the website.

Branding consists across the website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Weaknesses Audience engagement is low across social media. The Journal has a total of 11 843 followers on Facebook and Twitter and between March 17 and March 23, there were 69 posts and 531 engagements (see Table 2), averaging 7.7 interactions (reactions, shares, and comments) per post. Given the number of followers on these platforms, only .07 percent of followers engage with each post.

Social media activity differs on all three of The Journal’s pages. There has been no activity on Instagram since October, and, as Table 4 outlines, no posts made on Facebook and Twitter between March 19 and March 21. However, on March 22, The Journal posted to Facebook 16 times and tweeted 28 times.

The content produced by The Journal lacks personality, failing to engage its audience. Posts inform but do not inspire interaction. The Journal does not respond to comments.

RECOMMENDATIONS According to Forbes, consistent social media content posts are key (Patel). While posting more frequently may decrease post engagement, it may increase website traffic. The CoSchedule blog recommends posting to Facebook once daily, Twitter fifteen times daily, and Instagram 1-2 times daily (Ellering). The University of Waterloo Imprint increased engagement by posting contests, student content, and polls. As Table 5 shows, that content accounted for 81% of The Imprint’s engagement on Facebook between March 17 and March 23.

  Table 5: The Imprint Facebook Engagement by Category

Their About Us page serves to inform new users of the Journal’s distinguishing characteristics from other news outlets, promoting trust and engagement, which can be achieved by including a vision statement (Charlton, 2015).

Recommendations are made as follows: 1. Use tools like MeetEdgar or BuzzSumo to schedule and automate posts (Digital Marketing Institute). 2. Create content that encourages interaction such as polls and contests. 3. Monitor activity from followers, responding to comments promptly. 4. Link the website to the Instagram account, update the content regularly, or delete the account. 5. Incorporate a vision statement to the About Us page.

Bibliography “About Us.” The Journal, www.queensjournal.ca/about-us/. Accessed 31 March 2019. Charlton, Graham. "What should a good ‘about us’ page contain?" Econsultansy, Xeim Limited, 21 May 2015, econsultancy.com/what-should-a-good-about-us-page-contain/. Accessed 4 Apr. 2019. deGeyter, Stoney. About Us Checklist. 2017, Pole Positioning Marketing. www.polepositionmarketing.com/emp/about-us-page-checklist/.

Ellering, Nathan. “How Often to Post on Social Media?” CoSchedule Blog, 18 Oct. 2017,         www.coschedule.com/blog/how-often-to-post-on-social-media/. Accessed 31 March         2019.

Patel, Neil. “How Frequently You Should Post on Social Media According to the Pros.” Forbes, 12 Sept. 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/neilpatel/2016/09/12/how-frequently-you-should-post-on-social-media-according-to-the-pros/#4a27ad9a240f. Accessed 31 March 2019.

“What is SEO and How Does it Work?” YouTube, uploaded by Bluehost, 31 Jan. 2017,         www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqg3F-8jBec.

“Why an Effective Social Media Marketing Strategy is Important.” Lyfe Marketing, 21 Feb.         2018, https://www.lyfemarketing.com/blog/effective-social-media-marketing-strategy/.         Accessed 31 March 2019.

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Here’s my Twitter Essay on SEO for those who don’t really understand it still. If essays aren’t your thing, here’s the link to the video that explains it too for all you auditory learners out there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqg3F-8jBec

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hoopla- the app extension of you local library

The Lowdown

For anyone who wants mobile access to titles and media from their local library, hoopla syncs up your library card with their streaming catalog so patrons can read, watch, and listen on the go. With over a million downloads since they released the app on the Google Play Store in 2013, this free app connects free content to anyone with a smart device that they can download for 24/7 offline access, bringing libraries into the digital age.

The Nitty Gritty

The look and feel of the app is streamlined and simple with only relevant and essential information in your face and, most notably, without a single ad! Its no-frills interface also makes it a breeze to search, borrow, and rate content either through your library’s online catalog direct or with the app’s basic search function so no learning curve for even the most technologically challenged users. The biggest drawback is the Netflix effect: supposedly tons of media, plus exclusive titles, yet nothing to watch on what feels like a really bare bones catalog. It might be good for stumbling onto something new that could never be picked from the shelves of your local brick & mortar library, but it’s only as good as something free can be so don’t throw away your library card or cancel your Netflix subscription just yet.

The Rating

For the library-sponsored version of a free Netflix-meets-iTunes-over-lattes-with-amazon books: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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Hidden in the Hills: A Travel Guide to Lutenblag, Molvania

Have you got the travel bug? We’ve got the place for you!

Lutenblag, the capital of Molvania, is nestled in the Great Central Valley. This bustling, busy capital of central Europe is a mix of equal parts ancient and modern. At the end of the day, travellers weary of tourist-crowded cities will find that Lutenblag is a home away from home.

Food and Drink

Explore the many amazing eateries – our team loved the delicious soup! You can then wash it down with a brew that’s popular with the locals: Blag. Also, be sure to check out Sprufkil’s Gourmet Hot Dogs, a quaint but panoramic outpost set on a hillside overlooking sea and sand. From there you can walk further along the cobblestone road past lush green, rolling, fields to find and amazing place to enjoy a coffee.

Where to Stay

Stay the Night at Hotel Zlad, a hip boutique property (think Eastern European boho-chic with a hipster touch). The guestrooms on the upper floor feature modern furniture and jaw-dropping views of the scenery and amazing landscapes surrounding the hotel.

What to do

If you can manage to leave the hotel, we recommend taking a stroll through some of the nearby hills. If you’re more into the night time scene, be sure to stop by the hip lounge, Club Zlad. It has a great vibe and feels like a lush oasis nestled into the lively metropolis.

Let Us Know

If you do decide to go Lutenblag, or have been there before, and have discovered some other wonderful places in the city to visit that we didn’t mention, let us know in the comments below! We are always looking for new recommendations and love to hear experiences from fellow travellers. Happy wandering!

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To grow a tomato or a pepper and prepare a meal from your labor and care is primordially satisfying.

Nell  Newman

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To-mato or not Tomato, that is the question.

What To Buy

After the holidays, paying bills and tuition, even after getting paid, what does a full-time student with a part-time job have left to take to the grocery store come January 2nd? The answer is “not a lot, if anything at all,” but a student cannot starve to death just because there’s no money left in the budget for groceries. Instead of treating herself like she has been for the last two weeks of December, perusing the pastries of her local mega-mart’s Bakery, our spending-savvy student heads straight through Produce, making a bee-line for the Clearance Rack. There, she searches the designated shelves for Styrofoam plates packed with essentials whose only crime was that they were old, ugly, or bruised. It is here that she can find deals like a kilogram of tomatoes for $2.99. She steals a glance at the “Sale” tomatoes arranged in pyramids near the front of the store; at $4.99 for 908g, the so-called “savings” are a whole dollar off the usual price. She is so excited about what a deal this is that she takes two of the cellophane-clad packs off the shelf, settling them neatly into her basket (her bank account knowing she could not afford a cart full of groceries anyway.) Once she returns home, our thrifty student starts to unpack the squeaky pack of treasures. Here’s the grocery store’s trick: they hide a few moldy tomatoes that would be better suited for a horror movie set or to chuck at a disgraced monarch than the pristine shelves of the grocery stores. Our frugal student, though, holds no fear against a little fungus and she has a trick or two up her own sleeve.

What To Do If you ever find yourself with scary-looking moldy tomatoes, then focus on the food that can still be redeemed. Even if you cannot deal or stand to look at it, you can close your eyes, cutting generously around the mold and still salvage enough clearance-rack fruit to be cheaper than buying the same thing on sale or regular price (but seriously, do not close your eyes when you are about to cut anything with a knife because bandages and prosthetic limbs are expensive!) For soft-flesh fruit like tomatoes with skins that can break easily and spill juice on not only adjacent fruit but anything sitting in the Styrofoam or plastic base where juice can pool, make sure to take a paper towel to all the fruits in the pack, wiping away any juice that a pierced one might have leaked inside the cellophane, as this helps prevent moisture-loving mold from claiming the other tomatoes’ shine and shelf-life.

What You Save All that, a $0.05 paper towel and a 2 kg yield with theoretically no more than 20% being garbage-bound, you still save as much as $5 so get yourself a pack of the “Sale” tomatoes and tell this thrifty student how they compare (she will have to eat them through you vicariously.)