3 ways to turn a breaking news event into record-setting page views

Kim Morava

For news consumers, following a big breaking story can be an addiction of sorts. The thirst for new information can't seem to be quenched fast enough.

It's a similar feeling for those in newsrooms who are watching web numbers balloon as a breaking story plays out.

Such was the case at The Shawnee (Okla.) News-Star, located about an hour east of Oklahoma City, where a few big stories recently led to a record-setting web day. A four-county police car chase kicked off the festivities, but arrests, store closings, elections and sports also contributed to a new unique visitor spike of about 8 percent more than the site's previous record.

How did the News-Star capitalize on the glut of interesting stories? Managing Editor Kim Morava walks us through the day, offering tips about what helped those numbers spike.

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