From reels to revenue: Our March update for editorial and sales teams

Short-form video is no longer a social media experiment for publishers. It has become a huge part of how reporting and information gets discovered.

The Local Media Association recently released an Innovation Report penned by David Arkin that addressed the opportunity with vertical video and why publishers should be prioritizing the platform. You can read it here.

Here are four of the top takeaways that editorial teams can use today:

Plan for Reels the same way you plan stories:

Reels just don’t work well when they are an after thought. So during your editorial planning meetings, make sure you have a process that allows time to consider how to tell the story that’s being pitched in not just words but also video.

Reporters should be in the video:

Reels that work best aren’t overly produced. They should be authentic, raw and real.  A city hall reporter breaking down a vote or decision or a sports reporter explaining a key moment in the game or keys to an upcoming contest, work well because your expertise is on display. These kind of Reels can be done from the scene of your reporting, adding to the authenticity.

Newsrooms struggle with Reels when every video feels like a brand new idea. Pick a few repeatable approaches staff can execute quickly:

• 3 things to know today
• Why this matters
• What to do this weekend

Think of Reels as service journalism:

The best-performing Reels answer a question the community has: What changed? Who is affected? Where do I go? What do I need to know today? Make your videos and answers short (under 45 seconds). Don’t use Reels to just get someone to watch your 6 p.m. segment or read your enterprise story. Give the viewer value so they follow you in the future.

Where we’ve been lately

Over the last few weeks we’ve been on the road working with publishers, sales teams and media leaders across the country. We wanted to share a few highlights and what stood out from each visit, along with some takeaways you can apply in your own organization.

Oklahoma City: We facilitated a strategic planning session with the board and staff at Oklahoma Media Center and also spent time at the University of Central Oklahoma helping prepare their first-ever audience survey.

Puerto Vallarta: We spoke at the Winter Retreat in Puerto Vallarta in front of owners and operators from the City Regional Magazine Association and the Alliance of Area Business Publishers.

The focused morning sessions and open afternoons for networking created space for honest conversations about revenue, audience shifts and strategy.

New York We led a Branded Content Lunch & Learn for a group of real estate professionals for a client in New York, followed by a digital sales training session for a city regional magazine’s sales team.

The theme in both rooms was the same: a consultative approach consistently leads to stronger relationships and better outcomes. You want to educate first, and then sell second.

Our latest blogs

1. Ask the right questions in sales: We outlined how asking better questions during the sales process leads to stronger sponsored content performance. When sales teams slow down and truly understand an advertiser’s goals before building a proposal, campaigns become more strategic and generate better long-term results.

2. Video that works: We also shared proven short-form video formats that newsrooms can implement right now. Short-form works best when publishers choose a few repeatable formats and build workflow around them

3. A big birthday: We explored how America’s 250th can become both an engagement and revenue opportunity. Civic milestones create natural moments for reader involvement, historical storytelling and sponsored packages when planned intentionally.

LET’S TALK: If any of these themes resonate with what your organization is navigating right now, we’d love to talk. Reach out to today at david@davidarkinconsulting.com and learn more about the work we do here.