Seattle Collegian
Student assignment used to conceptualize and develop a strategic marketing plan to promote the mission, increase subscribership, and drive student body engagement.
I have conceptualized and created specified elements such as brand, mission, website, social media channels, and digital assets.
Optimized, promoted, and analyzed content through search engine optimization, social media platforms, and other traditional outlets to understand the use of best practices, tactics, tools, and resources available for executing a digital media campaign.
“Someone is going to say something really nice about me here”
Emilio Chavez
ABOUT
Mission
The Seattle Collegian’s mission is to serve as the voice for the collective body of Seattle Central students. The Seattle Collegian strives to keep them informed and engaged with student life while serving as a platform for student expression.
History
The Seattle Collegian, now referred to as the Collegian, is Seattle Central College’s independent student-led online news publication. The current iteration of the paper has been in operation since 2017. The news publication was initially established in Fall 1966 when the community college opened. The Collegian has covered news stories on student life, student work, college, politics, and events around the Capitol Hill community. The publication has had two other names at the college.
The City Collegian ran from 1966 to 2008 and was a newspaper print publication. The publication closed down in 2008. The college administration at that time claimed the decision to “temporarily suspend” the Collegian was due to the lack of a faculty adviser. The college also ended the journalism program. Journalism classes are not being offered at this time either.
The Central Circuit ran from 2008 to 2014. The Central Circuit began as a newspaper print publication but switched its layout to magazine-style at the end of 2008. In 2014, the Central Circuit was brought to another abrupt end when a story exposed the school’s administration for mismanagement. The college’s administration again cited the lack of a faculty adviser as its reason for the shutdown.
In 2016, a group of students began advocating for the need to have a student publication continue to operate. In 2017, the Collegian relaunched entirely online with periodic prints issues during each quarter.
PLAN
Situational Overview
The Collegian reports on news stories free of special interests or paid influence. Meaning there is no advertisement sales revenue for its publication. Therefore, Collegian operates within its budget each year provided by S&A fees. Funding is submitted and approved yearly by a Service & Activities Fees committee. Readership analytics reports are delivered weekly to the committee for consideration of budget allocations.
In the first year of operation, Collegian had been successful at reaching readership goals and maintaining its operational budget. Their stories have received recognition by the administration. They have propelled accountability, involvement, and readership engagement across the campus: students, faculty, and administration. Every year the paper goes dormant over the summer break, and a new publication board in the Fall must re-engage its audience and meet new readership goals.
The Collegian has a significant following on social media. Its audience was due to the previous publication board’s social media influence through their accounts. This year, the Collegian is struggling with their readership engagement and student following goals. Presently, analytics reporting does not provide enough insight into Collegian’s target audience. Thereby, the Collegian is seeking the assistance of our organization to provide insight and solutions towards understanding its primary audience, readership engagement, and social media goals.
RESEARCH
S.W.O.T. Analysis
Strengths
- Local News Coverage
- Encourages Student Journalism
- Website responsiveness meets with technology requirements of devices
- Social Media platforms accounts are the most popular for news consumption
Weaknesses
- Lack of staff creates difficulties in availability for training on equipment
- Student availability makes it difficult to meet plans fluidly
- Organic impressions on social media are limited to friends’ circles
Opportunities
- Expand awareness of brand to other media and news outlets
- Increase social media following among student body
- Creation of incentive programs for student writers
Threats
- Funding for incentives may be limited
- Stories may not reach or spark interest in target demographic
- Failure of meeting target campaign deadlines
Competitive Analysis
Company Info
The Current
Green River College
Auburn, WA
Company Size: Unknown
Description
Online College Publication
On the Web
Product
Strenghts
- Photos is interesting, attention grabbing
- There is a sport coverage section.
- Articles target different audiences
Weaknesses
- Not periodically updated
- Pay for advertisement but no advertisements
- No About page
Company Info
The Ebbtide
Shoreline College
Shoreline, WA
Company Size: 15
Description
Online College Publication
On the Web
Product
Strenghts
- Thorough information on the homepage
- Concise About Page
- Displays print dates, meeting dates
Weaknesses
- Thorough information on the homepage
- Concise About Page
Company Info
ThunderWord
Highline College
Des Moines, WA
Company Size: 14
Description
Online College Publication
On the Web
No Instagram
Product
Strenghts
- Student centered topics
- Action photography focused on topics.
- Students in many photos
Weaknesses
- Layout is not responsive on mobile and slow
- No publication dates on the articles
- Difficult to know where to click to read an article
DESIGN
Objective / Goals
The objective of Collegian is to expand its brand awareness and target audience. The goal of the organization is to define branding materials across all platforms to create uniformity and brand recognition. Their goal is to increase social media readership engagement organically. Organically, in this case, meaning that new followers are gained through non-paid methods and actively engaged with the college.
The Collegian’s goal towards increasing their brand awareness and target audience will include:
- Understand audience methods of news consumption
- Increase web traffic from the average of 1200 to 3000 hits weekly
- Increase social media following from 500 to 2000 followers
- Develop partnerships and industry recognition in the journalism field
Audience
Strategy
The Collegian will gather and analyze the information from its strategies to articulate and produce written stories, audio stories, images, and videos that readers will find engaging. To increase the readership of its target audiences, the Collegian will campaign brand awareness through grassroots and corporate means of engagement such as:
- Surveys & polls will provide feedback and insight on audience
- Creating a brand guide audiences can easily recognize across
- Quarterly events will engage new and existing readership
- Social Media Campaigns will engage and maintain readership
- Encourage partnerships and local community support
Tactics
The Collegian will reach target audiences using various strategies, tactics, and form analysis outlined below:
Category 1 Audiences
Seattle Central College students, faculty, administrators, staff
1.1. Survey
(Week 1,2,3 – Fall Quarter)
A. Strategy: Surveys – Readership Demographics – Collegian Survey / Questionnaire
B. Tactic: Board members will develop a survey to provide insight into their target audience. No less than two hundred reviews shall be collected to represent the student, faculty, and administrative population. The study shall provide information about the following: Demographics, Social platforms, Preferred methods of news consumption.
C. Analysis: Information shall be collected presented and analyzed to target, engage and retain readership.
1.2. Tabling
(Week 1 Quarterly)
A. Strategy: Event – Social Media Campaign – Tabling
B. Tactic: Board members will organize four tabling events in which poster boards would highlight information about the publication, stories, and info graphics.
Social media handles will be prominently displayed. Students will be offered a promotional pin of their choice in exchange for a Like on one of our social media outlets.
Students will have the opportunity to collect one custom promotional pin for a LIKE on one of our social media platforms at every tabling. One pin per student per tabling = 4 pins.
C. Analysis: Information shall be collected presented and analyzed to target, engage and retain readership.
1.3. Event
(Week 2 Quarterly)
A. Strategy: Event – Readership Engagement – Movie Night/Review Contest
B. Tactic: An entertaining, progressive, or educational film will be screened at the Collegian with limited sitting and reservation required. The event will be promoted through our social media platforms and the publications’ website events page. Participating students may choose to write a review as an entry to a contest. The winning story will receive a monetary prize, be posted on our website, and shared on social media.
C. Analysis: Information shall be collected presented and analyzed to target, engage and retain readership.
1.4. Event
(Week 3 Quarterly)
A. Strategy: Event – New Readership Engagement – Open House Pizza Lunch
B. Tactic: Board members will decide on one educational department within the school (Ex. Stem Programs / IT Programs / Behavioral Sciences). They will visit classrooms one week before the event promoting The Collegian. Staff and faculty within the chosen department shall also be contacted and invited.
The event will provide an opportunity for students to engage with publication board members. Board members can share their experiences, provide tours of the board room, and encourage visitors to follow us or write for us.
Departments may not be repeated quarterly within one calendar year in order to provide random inclusion of all departments.
C. Analysis: Information shall be collected presented and analyzed to target, engage and retain readership.
1.5. Event
(Week 4 Quarterly)
A. Strategy: Event – New Readership Engagement – Creative Story Contest
B. Tactic: Open to all @seattlecolleges.edu. A monthly contest for creative storytellers. For Example, A shaky moment. Please write us a story of a shaky moment. You could write about a time you had a shake. Your account should be real, not name anybody directly, and the word count is between 500 to 700 words.
C. Analysis: Information shall be collected presented and analyzed to target, engage and retain readership.
1.6. Event
(Week 4 – Spring Quarter)
A. Strategy: Event – Student Engagement – The Collegian Story Hour
B. Tactic: A yearly event in the spring quarter during Welcome Week at the Atrium called the Collegian Story Hour, where the top ten stories of every quarter are narrated on stage. Prior to the event, the winners will be given the chance to tell their story along with 7 randomly picked off the top ten of every quarter. For the event, storytellers will be given 10 minutes to tell their stories.
C. Analysis: Information shall be collected presented and analyzed to target, engage and retain readership.
Category 2 Audiences
Local area news agencies
2.1. Event
(Week 6 – Winter Quarter)
A. Strategy: Event – Journalism Industry Engagement – Coffee/Donuts Open House
B. Tactic: Local News outlets to join board members at the Collegian for coffee and donuts. Publication board members can share their experience, provide tours, engage visitors about story ideas and get industry insights.
Board members will collect information on local news organizations and community organizations — a press release sent to the news organization. Publication board members will be encouraged to create relationships by visiting the local news organizations in person and promoting the event. Board members will present a topic supporting discussion on the local, state, national, global levels.
C. Analysis: Information shall be collected presented and analyzed to target, engage and retain readership.
2.2. Beat
(Week 2 – Winter & Spring Quarter)
A. Strategy: Collaborative Partnership – Local Community – Beats / Articles
B. Tactic: Write a review of a news story highlighting a report written by another local news organization or event that has occurred in our community. For Example, KOMO News, Seattle is Dying Special or Lifelong Thrift, Aids Walk. The tale shall include attribution links and quotes.
C. Analysis: Information shall be collected presented and analyzed to target, engage and retain readership.
Category 3 Audiences
Capitol Hill and Seattle Community organizations and leaders
3.1. Event
(Week 6 – Fall Quarter)
A. Strategy: Event – Local Community Engagement – Coffee/Donuts Open House
B. Tactic: Local community organizations will have an opportunity to join board members at The Collegian office for coffee and donuts. This event will provide an opportunity for local community leaders of organizations and the publication to network. Publication board members can share their experience, provide tours, engage visitors about story ideas and get industry insights.
Board members will collect information on local community organizations and community engagement representatives provided with a press release on the event. Publication board members will be encouraged to create relationships by visiting the local community organizations in person. Board members will present a topic supporting discussion on the local, state, national, global levels.
C. Analysis: Information shall be collected presented and analyzed to target, engage and retain readership.
3.2 Beat
(Week 2 – Winter Spring)
A. Strategy: Collaborative Partnership – Local Community – Beats / Articles
B. Tactic: A news story highlighting a report written by another local community organization or event that has occurred in our community shall be reviewed and a story written on. For Example KOMO News, Seattle is Dying Special or Lifelong Thrift, Aids Walk. The story shall include attribution links and quotes.
C. Analysis: Information shall be collected presented and analyzed to target, engage and retain readership.
Analysis
The Collegian will conduct an analysis of their Audience, Strategy, and Tactics at weekly meetings. Information on attendance, demographics, engagement highlight, and web analytics shall be discussed to determine the success of Tactic or method of Strategy. Modifications to Tactics and Strategies shall be noted and be implemented for upcoming events accordingly.
Launch Schedule
| Fall | Winter | Spring | Summer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 1.1. Survey 1.2. Tabling 1.5. Story Contest 2.2 & 3.2 Beat/Article | 1.2. Tabling 1.5. Story Contest 2.2 & 3.2 Beat/Article | 1.2. Tabling 1.5. Story Contest 2.2 & 3.2 Beat/Article | N/A |
| Week 2 | 1.1. Survey 1.5 Winner Announcement | 1.5 Winner Announcement | 1.5 Winner Announcement | N/A |
| Week 3 | 1.1. Survey 1.4 Open House Pizza Lunch (Students & Staff) | 1.4 Open House Pizza Lunch (Students & Staff) | 1.4 Open House Pizza Lunch (Students & Staff) | N/A |
| Week 4 | 1.3 Movie Night/Review Contest | 1.3 Movie Night/Review Contest | 1.3 Movie Night/Review Contest | N/A |
| Week 5 | 1.5 Creative Story Contest Winner Announcement | 1.5 Creative Story Contest Winner Announcement | 1.6 The Collegian Story Hour | N/A |
| Week 6 | 2.1 Journalism Community Coffee/Donuts Open House | N/A | ||
| Week 7 | 3.1 Community Engagement Coffee/Donuts Open House | N/A |
Benchmarks
Evaluation
Analytics reports are conducted weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly. Meetings held every week shall include a portion set aside for the discussion of an event that occurred during the reported week and numbers analyzed to compare the impact of the strategic plan.
Milestones
| Fall | Winter | Spring | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Follows | 1000 | 1500 | 2000 |
| Likes | 50 | 150 | 300 |
| Attendance | 25 | 50 | 100 |
Budget
The proposed amount for the Collegian to allot is $3,000 for expenditures related to costs of events. Contest winners receive payment for their stories using the current compensation table for staff writers.