How to Build a Newspaper Website

Advancements in technology have made it easy for almost anyone to start an online newspaper.

The growing influence of the Internet and 24-hour news has cut deeply into the power of the daily newspaper. This means national news and entertainment are covered more than ever before while coverage of local news--particularly small town and neighborhood news--is declining. Fortunately, technological advancements have made it possible for almost anyone to launch an online newspaper. If you have Internet access, a digital camera and a nose for news, you can publish a newspaper for your community or organization.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Digital camera
• Camcorder (optional)
• Tape recorder (optional)
• Newspaper content management software or web designer

Instructions

1. Establish your mission statement and business plan. Before launching your online newspaper, you should know your audience and goals. Some important questions to answer include: What are the physical boundaries of the community you plan to cover? Who do you want to read your publication? What type of news do you want to provide (government, sports, entertainment)? Will you hire staff writers, work with freelancers or write everything yourself? How often do you plan to update the site? Answering important questions about your vision before committing to a newspaper site will prevent many headaches later. Michelle Ferrier, former managing editor of MyTopiaCafe.com in Daytona Beach, Fl., suggests that you "don't bite off more than you can chew" when defining your audience. "Start operations in smaller geographic footprints or niches," said Ferrier, "and grow the operations and technological capabilities as you gain revenue."

2. Design your website. If you have basic Web design skills, you can use newspaper content management software and manage the site yourself. If not, you will need to hire a Web designer and a subscribe to a hosting service. Be sure to shop around for a service and Web designer with experience in newspaper and newsletter layout and design.

3. Prepare "evergreen" content for your site. Evergreen content includes stories, video, pictures and graphics that are not extremely time sensitive and that will still be valid and interesting for some time into the future. If you write several stories before launching your site, you will have a bank of content that you can publish on slow news days.

4. Promote your website launch date. Your advertising plan will depend on your budget, but there are many affordable things any online editor can do to market a new website. You can purchase small ads on existing websites that serve communities and groups similar to the audience you want to reach. You can use free social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to spread the word. In addition, you can use the U.S. postal service to mail postcards and letters announcing your online newspaper site.

5. Launch your new newspaper and become an active part of the community. PBS digital media expert Mark Glaser suggests keeping the community involved by encouraging feedback. "Don't shut out criticism but welcome it to the site in ways that can be constructive and lead to important conversations,' Glaser said in a 2007 Mediashift article about the ongoing transformation of community news. "That means moderated comments over open comments, and staff involvement in forums."

Tips & Warnings

• Include a blog on your site so you can interact with your readers.

• Conduct polls and sponsor small contests to encourage your readers to become involved with and return to your online newspaper.

• Online newspapers should include multimedia as much as possible. "If a story can be told in a picture, do it," said Glaser. "If you can include the full audio from an especially important interview, do it."

• If you use social networking platforms, avoiding spamming your friends and associates. When you do contact people or post updates, don't just tell people about your newspaper. Provide valuable information about upcoming stories they may want to read.

References

• Poynter Online: 5 Tips for Building a Successful Hyperlocal Site
• Mediashift: How the Online Newspaper Can Become a Community Hub
• Journalism.org: Pew Research Center's for Project for Excellence in Journalism
• mediabistro: How Hyperlocal Focus Keeps Community Papers Afloat

Resources

• Newspaper Website Design: Trends and Examples:
• Crayon: Create Your Own Newspaper: