Pageviews, time on page, scroll length, ... Every news outlet in Flanders collects anonymised data on online news users, or (audience) metrics. With the help of such data, news editors manage to discover, among other things, which topics interest online readers, which titles appeal to a broad audience or how much time online readers spend on an article. But journalists struggle with using such data on the editorial floor.
9 topics on audience metrics
Based on twenty in-depth interviews with journalists, news managers, data analysts, ... 'Mee met journalistieke metrics' mapped out the stumbling blocks and challenges surrounding the use of such audience metrics by journalists working for written media. What emerged? There are nine topics in which audience metrics play an important role. And in doing so, quite a few questions exist about how audience metrics are utilised. Discover the 9 themes below.
Hierarchy and direction.
State of the art on using audience metrics.
Evolution in the use of audience metrics.
The view on audience metrics.
The goals that audience metrics help achieve.
How information on audience metrics is shared.
Are there any useful audience metrics?
Attitude towards audience metrics.
The frustrations, concerns and dangers regarding audience metrics.
A tool? A game!
Based on those insights, 'Mee with journalistic metrics' developed a tool. And it comes in the form of a card and debate game: 'Press Machine'. Among other things, that game challenges players to discuss the (un)sense of audience metrics with each other.
How? By confronting players with statements about the use of audience metrics. By asking them whether they (dis)agree with this way of working. And by requiring players to defend their opinions to the other players.
The goal? Playfully sparking debate on audience metrics and strengthening journalists' knowledge of such data. Thus, this research meets the biggest stumbling block of journalists, editors-in-chief and other editorial staff.
At the same time, this research provides a building block for journalism education. Teachers at colleges, universities and other training centres can also use our game to improve future journalists' knowledge of audience metrics.
Feedback and adjusting
'Along with journalistic metrics' used an iterative process. This means that a product - the game - is developed in collaboration with the field: on the basis of user tests with journalists, editors-in-chief and other editorial staff, the research team collected feedback on the content of the game, the course of the game, the scoring, etc. We used this feedback to further adapt (the information in) the game to the questions, needs, input, etc. of the field. In this way, this research not only made a game for the field, but also with the field.
This way of working originated in human-centred design, using the 'double diamond' as a design principle (see image).
The first phase ('research') involves identifying a problem and investigating it in depth. You then go on to choose a (manageable) scope, to solve (part of) the identified problem. This is done in the 'explore/define' phase. The end result of this first phase is a clear description of the problem (the so-called 'problem definition').
In the second phase, you, the researcher, start looking for different, possible solutions to the problem. You will also actually test ('develop/test') these solutions with the target group you want to reach. In this first phase, you again keep many options open: a multitude of ideas are tested. In the end, you choose the solution you think best meets the needs of your target group. You then iteratively develop that solution, each time asking for feedback from your target group in order to adjust ('deliver/listen') your prototype and, after several such iterations, land on your final solution.
This study followed these two major phases - research & design.
Your turn?
All user tests have now been completed. The feedback has now been incorporated. And the game has now been finished. It is therefore your turn to become extensively acquainted with how audience metrics are deployed on Flemish newsrooms. Would you like to get your hands on a copy of this game? Then contact project manager Tomas Ooms.
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