Web and Social Media
In the wake of remote learning, the newspaper has been relying heavily on our online website. Using the program SNO, we upload every story written, including printed articles. Broadcast packages and photo libraries were recently integrated as well.
Social media is such an adaptable tool the journalism program has taken advantage of. As the manager of the newspaper's Instagram and Twitter accounts, hyperlinked next to the page title, I view these platforms as a way to increase student engagement, advertise the program's work, and interact with readers.
Creating Accessibility
While The Hoofbeat has always maintained a Twitter account, the majority of Millard North's student body uses Instagram more frequently. I created an account on the photo-sharing platform wanting to take advantage of its interactive features. To see how I gather story ideas from the student body, view Marketing and Audience Engagment. Besides the questioning feature on Instagram stories, I use our account to direct students and others to the journalism program's work.
Using the application Linktree, I created a page where any viewer can access our Twitter account, SNO website, publications on Issuu, and more student resources.
To see the updated Linktree, click here
To see The Hoofbeat Instagram, click here.
News updates through Twitter
The staff didn't have an official Social Media Editor this year, so I ended up taking over our Twitter account. I use our profile to tweet out links to our published issues and stories, interact with other publications, and update the Omaha and Millard community on new sports or activity developments.
This has manifested itself into me live tweeting sporting events. During the basketball season, whether I was present at a game taking photos or watching the live stream, I would tweet the score and notable plays after each quarter. Twitter has also enabled us to answer questions and obtain story ideas.
Good or bad, many find Twitter a more accessible newssource than a print or online publication.
This is an example of my live-tweeting. I like to preview the event prior to giving updates. Throughout the game/contest, it's important to include quantitative information like points, time, and previous records to contextualize importance.
To view The Hoofbeat's Twitter, click here
Issuu
Prior to 2020 and the quarantine that changed everyone's routines, our journalism program did not have an Issuu account. I saw this as a necessity, knowing that if our school decided to transition completely to remote learning, our staff would need a way of still publishing our layouts and spreads. Bringing the plan to my adviser, we were able to decide the best-suited payment plan for our program. Every month, I work with our Online Editor, Sree Kolli, to get all of stories, pictures, and PDFs of our current issue uploaded onto the website and/or Issuu.
To see The Hoofbeat on Issuu, click here.
Every issue, I generate and cut out a unique QR code linked to the publication on Issuu. They are placed on newsstands, so students can read the newspaper on their phones.