By Sarah Emler, From Reuters Community

In the US, television remains the most common place for people to get their news and local TV is immensely strong. However, times are changing, and with new generations growing up it is necessary to adapt to their consumption patterns and preferences – an audience which is more online than in front of a TV in the living room .

In 2017 local TV news experienced a decrease of viewers in most time slots, losing an average of 15% of viewers in the morning; 4% around midday news time, and 7% in the evening1. While there is a general decline in viewers in non-election years, the decrease of TV-viewers has been essential, and it keeps growing. On the other hand, the audience for online news is increasing.

Here are 5 ways to increase your digital content and engage your audience with local TV news online:

1. Increase your video content on social media

The consumption of news video online has grown in recent years. While television websites are a dominant local news source for many smaller markets, this year’s Digital News Report showed that people prefer accessing news through a side door. Which means, the majority (51%) of news video is consumed on Facebook, YouTube, and other similar platforms.

This demands a constant supply of engaging content which is challenging to deliver with today’s leaner newsroom resources. As such, newsrooms are leaning on cost-effective ways to augment their video capabilities. Reuters has seen growing demand for their online video service that delivers over 200 video news stories per day, covering major international events to local happenings.

While television websites are a dominant local news source for many smaller markets, this year’s Digital News Report showed that people prefer accessing news through a side door.

2. Live videos outperform everything but breaking news

Give your audience the chance to experience events as they happen. When planned well, Reuters has seen that scheduled live videos top any other content but breaking news. Platforms like Youtube and Facebook promote live videos via notifications, making them more visible. The reach and the length of minutes watched increases. Check out the tips on how to make live video work online from Reuters video expert, Tessa Kaday.

Now, we’ve made it even easier for our clients to experiment across platforms this way, allowing them to send live content straight to a variety of social media sites straight from our platform.

3. High demand for User Generated Content

Non-polished videos work best on Instagram, as The Guardian just recently discovered. Despite the originality of user-generated videos, as journalists, we sometimes rely on the videos our audience shoots. But we also need to be sure they are accurate. Reuters not only offers a huge variety of user-generated content, but it is also verified. Fundamental to successful and reliable journalism.

4. Access to rich archives is inevitable

People love historical moments. They want to see the change and enjoy nostalgia. What did Queen Elizabeth II look like when she got married? Want to watch the iconic fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston? To cover a topic we frequently travel back in time to dig out historical clips and pictures. Access to a comprehensive collection of pictures, articles and videos, capturing the most iconic moments is inevitable.
Reuters archive possesses over a million clips, including content from partners, bridging three centuries.

5. Think Multimedia

In a mobile-driven era, it is important to experiment with new vertical, multimedia formats. Interactive content is wanted. In fact, the mobile reach for news has doubled in six years. Make your formats available on any device and check out what Reuters ready-to-publish offers.

Don’t miss out on the benefits of a new era! Go beyond your traditional broadcasting and use the potential of digital content to grow your audience. Have instant access to a range of content and formats provided by a very well-known and trusted news agency.

IMAGE: Ron Clark Academy 6th grader De Ja Little, 12, joins classmates in watching the film REUTERS

For more on this story and video go to: https://agency.reuters.com/en/insights/articles/articles-archive/5-ways-to-engage-online-audiences.html?utm_source=Eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Media%20-%2010%2016%202018%20-%20Reuters%20Community%20Newsletter&utm_content=Media%20-%2010%2016%202018%20-%20Reuters%20Community%20Non%20Connect%20Segment%20Newsletter