From audience engagement to donor support
Offered through the Google News Initiative, this custom program was designed to give Greater Public member stations strategies for audience development and revenue generation.
Learn strategies to:
- Optimize your website
- Identify opportunities for audience engagement
- Build subscriber bases
- Attract audience revenue
We’ll follow a funnel approach:
- Engage readers or listeners on your website
- Encourage newsletter sign-ups
- Convert engaged readers into donors
Each session begins with broad recommendations and then delves into specific insights derived from your site’s News Consumer Insights and GA4 data.
The program will consist of three 75-minute sessions taking place weekly from September 10, 2025 to September 24, 2025 and one follow-up session on October 22, 2025. Some individual and station group work will need to take place outside of these sessions.
This is designed to be a course, and full participation is highly recommended.
Program Details
Week One: Site Performance and Your Audience
Meeting: September 10, 2025 @ 1:00 PM ET/10:00 am PT
Focus: Examine your website’s performance through the lens of audience experience and engagement.
Key Questions: How do users experience your website? How can site content be improved to increase engagement? How can content markup enhance discoverability?
Activities:
- Analyze website and article structure to identify elements that drive reader retention
- Review NCI data to understand Core Web Vitals and recommended improvements
- AI Integration: Use Gemini to build guides for implementing recommendations
Week Two: Engage Audiences with Newsletters and Registrations
Meeting: September 17, 2025 @ 1:00 PM ET/10:00 am PT
Focus: Strategies for building deeper audience connections through newsletters, subscriptions, and registrations.
Key Questions: What are newsletter best practices? How can newsletter sign-ups be optimized? How can different audience segments be understood and reached?
Activities:
- Evaluate existing website registration, newsletter, and subscription mechanisms for potential improvements.
- Learn strategies to develop messages targeted to your audience.
- AI Integration: Leverage NotebookLM to shape compelling newsletter content and segmentation strategies based on your existing content
Week Three: Audience Revenue
Meeting: September 24, 2025 @ 1:00 PM ET/10:00 am PT
Focus: Explore effective strategies for converting engaged audiences into paying supporters.
Key Questions: What are the best practices for engaging newsletter audiences for revenue? What are optimal checkout flow strategies? How can nonprofit newsrooms effectively utilize reader revenue management tools?
Activities:
- Review NCI data to understand your audience and how they engage with your site.
- Analyze existing in-house donation buttons and fundraising campaigns to identify areas for optimization.
- AI Integration: Use NotebookLM and Gemini to craft persuasive calls to action and donation appeals based on your content and available audience data.
Week Four: Follow-up & Future Strategies
Meeting: October 22, 2025 @ 1:00 PM ET/10:00 am PT
Focus: Regroup to share implemented learnings, address remaining questions, and discuss broader revenue and membership model options for non-profit news.
Activities:
- Participants share changes and initial results from implementing program learnings.
- Open Q&A session for final questions and ongoing support.
- Discussion of wider revenue generation strategies and successful membership models for non-profit news organizations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it cost?
This workshop is free for all stations.
Who should participate?
This workshop is designed for station staff involved in audience growth, engagement, or revenue generation. Each station cohort will benefit from bringing at least two perspectives:
- One team member focused on development or other direct revenue activities
- One team member with a background in digital strategy, audience engagement, or marketing
How many participants will be in the cohort?
Registration for the first cohort will be capped at 30 news organizations, but multiple employees from the same news organization are encouraged to attend. If you register after this cohort has been filled, you will be placed on a waiting list for the next cohort.
What is the deadline to sign up?
Register by Friday, September 5th. The first cohort beginning on September 10, 2025 will be capped at 30 stations; any stations who register after the cap is reached will be added to the waitlist for the next cohort.
How many people from each station can participate?
This Google Growth Lab is best completed by at least two staff members at a station. Each station can have up to three participants.
Who is leading the trainings?
This workshop will be led by Google experts with support from Greater Public advisors.
