I implemented a print and digital content strategy for the Bastrop Daily Enterprise and North Ouachita Weekly News.
GOAL
To improve reader engagement and meet corporate excellence standards.
PLATFORMS & TOOLS UTILIZED
Google Sheets
Microsoft Word
Saxotech
Hootsuite
TASKS
Implemented print and digital content strategy.
I adopted a posting schedule to ensure we were meeting corporate guidelines for social and digital content. I introduced day-of-the-week content, so that readers would have special content to look forward to on those days. I managed a monthly content calendar to ensure we met corporate content expectations. I managed a daily content calendar and communications with our page designer. I met with the design lead to clarify deadlines for daily deliverables.
Wrote feature articles.
My primary coverage area was local government, events, and entertainment. I managed a network of contacts in order to keep a pulse on everything that was going on in the community. I regularly conducted interviews and attended local events and public meetings. While doing so, I would take notes and photos (in some cases) and then type up an article, list, and/or series of photo captions for online and/or print publication.
J.T. Wheat grows hydroponic tomatoes
J.T. Wheat, pastor of First Apostolic Church in Bastrop, has been raising tomatoes for several years and last year decided to try something completely new with his crop — gardening without soil…
Congressional candidates speak at forum at Bastrop Municipal Center
Seven 5th Congressional District candidates spoke Tuesday night at the Bastrop/Morehouse Chamber of Commerce’s Forum held at the Bastrop Municipal Center…
Cherry Ridge Nursing Home in Bastrop accepts ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Cherry Ridge Skilled Nursing Facility’s Marketing Liaison Teri Lee completed the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Tuesday morning in the hopes of encouraging other local businesses to accept the challenge to raise money for the ALS Association…
Morehouse Parish Sheriff’s Office to rebuild their operations center
The operations center at the Morehouse Parish Sheriff’s Office off of South Washington is undergoing demolition at the moment…
Local Bastrop woman inspires others through service
Margaret Claire Guice, a young Bastrop woman who was born with Down Syndrome, was given the honor back in 2012 of giving the proclamation at the first annual Down Syndrome Buddy Walk held at Kiroli Park in West Monroe…
Bastrop City Council to vote on zoning of trailers
Bastrop City Council will vote tonight in regards to whether or not to amend the code of ordinances and zoning code to prohibit the placement of house trailers on specific roadways considered to be the main corridors of the city…
Sterlington Food Pantry receives donations; Chairman shares her thoughts on volunteerism
Sterlington Food Pantry currently has enough stock to last them through the winter thanks to donations from local volunteer groups, churches and schools…
Jan’s Art Studio in Bastrop hosts seminar with Mary Carole Larson
Artist Mary Carole Larson led a portrait seminar at Jan’s Art Studio last week to room full of artists…
Chemin-A-Haut constructs new bathhouse
By this time next year, Chemin-A-Haut State Park will have an air-conditioned bathhouse for visitors and campers…
Covered breaking news.
I would on-occasion be required to drop what I was doing or work off-hours to cover high-priority news. Anything the public needed to know ASAP falls into this category (i.e. murder, armed and dangerous suspects on the loose, accidents, fires, inclement weather updates).
UPDATE: Reported murder occurs in Bastrop
Police have confirmed the identify of the murder victim as 62-year-old Terry Tharp…
Fugitive Jimmy Gass apprehended in Arkansas
Jimmy Bryan Gass, who fled from Morehouse and Bastrop authorities last week, was arrested around 11 a.m. this morning in North Little Rock, Ark…
Morehouse and Ouachita Parish thunderstorms cause damage
Severe thunderstorms raged across Morehouse and Ouachita Parishes on Monday causing damage across both parishes…
Planned out and wrote articles for special sections.
I collaborated with the sales and design teams to make plans for upcoming special section supplements to our newspaper. Clear communication with the sales team about their expectations and progress ensured they didn’t end up with a lot of ads and not enough content or a lot of content and not enough ads to warrant the pages necessary to house that content. The Bridal Guide (shown below) is one example of a special section we produced.
RESULTS
Through the implementation of a new print and digital strategy, the newsroom saw an increase in reader engagement, a more than triple increase in our number of Facebook followers, and consistently received corporate recognition for meeting corporate standards of excellence (a.k.a. Inner Circle).