Atlas Corps

If you’re not in the D.C. area you may have missed the launch yesterday of the local news site TBD.com. Or you may have seen it and wondered why the launch of yet another news site is relevant beyond people who really love D.C. news. TBD is noteworthy because it’s an innovative news option for those in DC and because we may see this model popping up in other communities, but also because it could be a blueprint for other online news sites, educational platforms and even nonprofits on how to better engage an online community.

Here are the highlights.
The CEO of the parent company, Allbritton Communications, described the new site’s goal best when he compared it to a supermarket. Instead of having to go to different blogs, social media platforms and news websites, he predicts that TBD will provide one-stop shopping for all the local news needs of D.C. area residents. TBD’s staff of 35 or so will both create original content and pull in local news stories from other sources – both partners and competitors. According to Mashable, the 129 (and growing) blog partners will receive a significant share in TBD’s ad revenue as well.

TBD is also making more of an effort than perhaps anyone before them to involve the community in its news. In addition to their content and that of their many partners, there will also be crowdsourced stories, discussion forums and social media streams to accompany them. Just as the stories will continue to evolve, so will the site. A “Complete the Story” tool will allow readers to add photos and details that are missing from the story. Their database of news from all over the region gives users access to the most current news in their area, so they can find out what’s important in their city by typing in their zip code and what’s important where they are standing right now by using one of TBD’s mobile applications.

Obviously TBD is a business. It’s funded by an already successful news company, which started Politico and already owns other local news outlets, and its only option in entering an already crowded market is to go gangbusters. While most nonprofits in an economic recession don’t share many of those circumstances, some of the strategies that make TBD unique among local news sources may be of help to nonprofits and cause advocates as well.

View your communications as the beginning of a conversation.
When you reach out to your support community by sending newsletters, writing blog posts, announcing changes to your services, releasing evaluations of your programs and even asking for money and volunteers, don’t just check that item off your to do list. Expect to begin a dialogue with the community about what you’re doing, allowing them to ask questions, show their support and provide feedback. Whether this is a conversation that takes place on your Facebook page, your blog or some lower tech venue, your supporters will appreciate being involved in the discussion rather than receiving just another email blast.

Look for win-win situations with potential partners.
TBD had a problem. If it was going to be the supermarket for all D.C. area news, it was going to need an overwhelming amount of current news content. Instead of pretending that its staff of reporters could cover all the subjects that the D.C. community cares about more quickly and thoroughly than the existing D.C. news sources as a whole, it formed a partnership with more than 120 of those sources. The resulting community network provides content for TBD and increased traffic, ad revenue, blogger training and other perks to the network. In the nonprofit world, Atlas Corps and six other organizations formed a creative coalition earlier this year that helped them win a collective $225,000 in the Pepsi Refresh Project. Are there competitors that you can turn into crucial partners by finding a creative win-win solution to an obstacle?

Be honest and upfront with the community you’re serving.
A letter from TBD’s editor Erik Wemple may indicate the philosophy of the new site, frankly acknowledging existing bugs and explaining why they launched the site when they did (some curious and resourceful people guessed the test site url). Maintaining credibility and a good brand is critical for continued success in the nonprofit world, but sweeping issues under the rug isn’t fruitful. Organizations that are transparent about mistakes, weaknesses or disappointments are often met with greater respect, trust and support, especially among Millennial communities.

What do you think of TBD? What can nonprofits learn from what it’s trying? Read more »