For news organizations that focus on regional coverage, the federated web offers a way to continue to expand reach while reducing reliance on traditional social platforms. While Ghost may be less relevant for organizations with established tech stacks, Mastodon and BlueSky are both helpful platforms to use.
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Case Study: Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is an example of a larger regional news outlet that utilizes federated platforms like Mastodon and BlueSky.
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When making a Mastodon account, consider hosting a server for your audience. If your publication serves an underreported community, there may not be a server for your audience. Starting a server will attract an audience to build a genuine community on Mastodon.
When running a server, your organization can limit sign-ups so that only it can post, extend posting privileges to associated journalists, or run a server on which anyone can post. For more information on hosting a Mastodon server, see Mastodon’s hosting guidelines.
If your organization does not want to host a server, consider joining an existing server. Introduce yourself in the #introduction hashtag, and seek out stories and beats based on existing communication.
Finally, if your organization does not have the bandwidth to run a Mastodon account but has an existing Flipboard account, consider setting up Flipboard cross-posting automations to Mastodon. This allows your organization to aggregate content on Mastodon at zero time cost. Sub-accounts for different sections (sports, crime, arts) can also be a helpful way to boost your organization’s content.
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The Chicago Tribune does not host its own server; instead, it automates posts from Flipboard into Mastodon. Posting from @[email protected], the Tribune has 308,000 posts on its account, serving an audience of more than 201,000 followers, according to aggregates taken from its Mastodon account.
The Chicago Tribune’s Flipboard account automates posts into Mastodon. It posts in both the Tribune’s main account as well as a sub-account specifically for sports.
The Tribune operates a number of sub-accounts on Flipboard and Mastodon, where they boost their content for given niches.
Examples of sub-accounts include:
This is an example of a low-cost, low-effort way of building a Mastodon presence. However, the Tribune could benefit from added investment in the platform. Hosting a server could generate more engagement from Mastodon users and create a community surrounding Chicago news.
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When building your outlet’s presence on BlueSky, a key first step is to create a starter pack with all affiliated accounts. Encourage your journalists to join the network, then add them to your starter packs. The outlet’s affiliated accounts can also be added to this starter pack. For example, accounts can be made for different sections, such as sports, arts, or breaking news.
Additionally, larger outlets can add smaller accounts they are affiliated with, such as hyperlocal beats. Adding a diverse array for reporters, sections, and affiliate accounts allows users to navigate to the “posts” tab (seen below) and sift through content related to your outlet.
Unlike similar platforms, BlueSky does not devalue content that links to external pages. This makes the platform a great place for local news outlets to publish stories that direct traffic back to their sites. Craft compelling posts that hook readers in and link back to your site.
BlueSky also does not use a central algorithm (aside from the Discover page), so posts are shown chronologically. Therefore, to stay at the top of users’ timelines, post frequently on BlueSky. Every article posted online should be accompanied by a BlueSky post directing readers to the site.
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The Chicago Tribune joined BlueSky in October 2023. It operates a BlueSky account with over 85,000 followers and has amassed over 20,000 posts, averaging about 20 per day.
The Tribune’s starter pack includes both journalists and local beats. Journalists are added to the starter pack so that users can find reporters covering topics they are interested in. Beats for areas like Aurora, Northwest Indiana, and Naperville are included so residents of these areas can easily find their niche.
The Chicago Tribune’s starter pack includes a range of affiliated accounts, from reporters to local suburban beats.
The Tribune always links externally to articles and posts the same content on BlueSky as it does on X. The text differs from the headline, attempting to draw readers into the article.
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