In the digital subscription cohort for alumni of the Table Stakes Local News Transformation Program, five teams were challenged to think creatively about growing and retaining digital audiences through experimentation. In this Better News piece, each team shares the challenge it took on over the four months and highlights its biggest lessons.
Question to The Post and Courier, Charleston, Scouth Carolina: What did you learn about creating new content verticals that target a hyperlocal audience?
Answer: We believed the best way to attract new readers was to diversify the topics of our coverage. We experimented with stories about food and dining, and the outdoors. Food coverage was successful, as it has been in all our other markets. We recruited a full-time food writer. The beat is personality-based and success depends on hiring the right person.
