KC Studio offers discerning coverage of visual and performing arts

When the mainstream media decides to curtail coverage in a particular area, a golden opportunity may arise for a niche publisher to step in and dominate the market. That’s exactly what happened when the Kansas City Star mostly dismantled its arts and entertainment department a few years back in light of declining advertising and circulation revenues and the need to reduce staff.

KC Studio, a bimonthly specialty magazine that covers the arts, saw a chance to expand its coverage to include more serious, in-depth reporting and critique of the vibrant and growing KC arts scene, said Alice Thorson, Editor of KC Studio. Alice talked about the evolution of the publication, founded in 2008, and the ever-increasing depth and breadth of arts offerings in the metro area at a meeting of the Kansas City Freelance Exchange.

Breaking with tradition

Alice came on board KC Studio in 2015 with the charge of continuing to expand the editorial mission of the magazine to cover “what artists are saying and how it relates to the world, instead of the traditional focus on arts organizations and what they want to tell the public,” she explained. The result was an expanded publication with often lengthy and always meaty articles by experienced arts and entertainment writers about the movers and shakers who are constantly raising the bar in Kansas City.

At the same time, the magazine was divided into two distinct parts – at the front of the magazine the Editorial section, where Alice and the editorial team decides what is worthy of coverage; and paid Advertorial at the back of the magazine, where arts organizations can deliver their message to the public and can control the content because they pay for space in the magazine.

Performing, visual, cinematic and literary arts

The many arts organizations in the community accepted the change with good spirits, Alice said. “We told them we will cover them when they do projects that are worthy of coverage,” she said, and of course, many projects are deemed worthy. The transition from a focus on organizations to a focus on artists has proceeded very smoothly, she added. Editorial coverage encompasses the performing, visual, cinematic and literary arts.

At the same time the magazine shifted its focus away from coverage of organizations, it expanded its online presence, with frequent articles about current exhibitions and performances, giving the public up-to-date and relevant information that helps them decide what events to attend.

Online reviews by arts critics of current and past productions and exhibitions are easy to search and access, providing excellent resources for the discerning public. “Weekend Picks” by Alice help draw attention to worthy events and performances that might otherwise be overlooked. An active presence for KC Studio on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter provide yet more platforms for arts coverage, sharing and public comments.

As a controlled circulation magazine, a print subscription is free. Sign up at KCStudio.org.

Boost your site’s SEO ranking with rock solid content

If you think Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is all about having the right keywords on your web pages, think more broadly.

“Think things, not strings,” advises Jeremy Sterling, SEO manager for DEG, a full-service digital agency based in Overland Park, KS. Jeremy and colleague Meghan Nuckolls, DEG copywriter, talked about the present and future of SEO at a lunch meeting of IndyComm.

Smarter searching

Jeremy Sterling, SEO Manager

 Google searches are getting smarter, Jeremy says, so SEO is changing constantly. A string of the right keywords used to be a guaranteed way to boost your site’s search results position, but not so much these days. More sophisticated searching tools look for solid content, not just a string of words.

 “You need to speak your users’ language. What are people searching for?” Meghan advises. All content on your website should be informed by solid data and research, she adds. “Use data to craft your story and dig into the personas who use your website. Understand what they care about. Look at your website as a journey and each page is a door. What’s your user’s mindset on each page?”

Since content will live on a website for a long time, perhaps years, it’s important to review it regularly. “You need to be sure you’re speaking users’ language,” Jeremy advises, “and make sure your content is current and modern.” Create strong internal linking on your site in order to keep visitors consuming more of your content.

Meghan Nuckolls, DEG Copywriter

Study analytics

Gauge your site’s relevance by checking individual page views. When you find pages that are dropping in popularity, add stronger content to increase the value of the page.

Show, don’t just tell

If your website doesn’t offer short videos to pull in users, you’re missing out on an increasingly popular trend, Meghan and Jeremy say. A narrative video about a feature or service can hold a user’s attention for about 30 seconds, but a solid how-to video can engage viewers for up to four minutes. As a bonus for your site, videos are increasingly searchable, as long as you use good meta descriptions on your pages.

Sometimes less is more

Finally, the length of time a user spends on your site is not an accurate gauge of your site’s strength. When users can’t find what they want, they may spend considerable time, but then they bail and never return.

So, sometimes shorter is better. Find your best way to determine if users are getting the content they need. Again, research is the key – usability testing, surveys and analyzing your website statistics and trends.

Liven up communications with podcasts and video

With just a few electronic tools and some practice, you can create low-cost, yet high quality podcasts or videos for your business or your clients.

Roy Harryman, long-time KC IABC member and owner of Roy Harryman Marketing Communications, presented top tips at a KC IABC lunch meeting.

First things first

Start with the basics before you pick up a piece of equipment or schedule a recording session. Determine your objective, deadline, resources and the forum/medium you will use. If you’re absolutely new to creating A/V content, start with a podcast, Roy advises.

Podcast basics

Podcasts are more suitable to longer form content – 10 to 30 minutes – and allow your subscribers to multitask while listening – driving, exercising, etc. Podcasts spur subscriptions and are easily shareable. Subscribers receive an email notification when a new segment is available, so podcasts are low maintenance.

“Podcasts are a low entry point,” Roy says. “You can even use your smart phone to record a podcast, they’re great for camera-shy people and are low cost to produce.”

Audio recording tips

Be yourself, but the best version of yourself, Roy advises. Bring a little bit of zip to your delivery and if the podcast is more than just a few minutes long, enlist one or two subjects to interview. Present your interview questions in advance to your subjects and create an intro and an exit to your podcast, perhaps with catchy music. Record in a quiet place using a wired lapel microphone for your interview subjects and yourself. Edit your recording with Garage Band on the Mac or with a program like Adobe Audition or Audacity for the PC.

Stepping up to video

Although a bit more complex in production, creating a video can also be a low-cost venture, and you can even use a smart phone or tablet device to record. Always use a tripod, mic the talkers and use ample lighting when shooting footage. If you’re the interviewer and the camera operator, keep yourself out of the picture and audio and let the subjects do all of the talking. Supplement your interviews with B roll that you shoot on location and edit into the final version. It can contain interesting video, supplemented with still photos and slides to illustrate points.

As for editing, upload your video footage into a cloud-based service. Macs have a built-in video editor, while you can use Adobe Premiere or Sony Vegas for editing on a PC.

If this all sounds a bit intimidating, don’t let it be. “Push yourself to take a chance in an environment where it’s OK to fail,” Roy advises. Practice with friends and family. You might just end up surprising yourself and delighting your audience with your newfound audio and video talents.

Transform your print or online work from weak to wow!

To get noticed in today’s crowded marketplace, your message cannot be boring. The “special sauce” that makes it stand out from other messages is good use of clean, graphic design, says Chad Wagner.

Two approaches to make your proposal, marketing materials or website stand out are to hire a good graphic designer or design it yourself, employing tested and true design tricks.

Wagner, owner of chad wagner design, provided an overview of good design in a session with the Kansas City IABC IndyComm group.

3 factors in hiring a graphic designer: Portfolio, experience, rate

Expect to see 8-10 pieces in a designer’s portfolio that relate to your particular needs. Ideally, have another creative involved in the discussion. Ask the designer’s specific role in the portfolio samples and in the positions the designer previously held. Set job requirements and expectations up front, in order to preclude misunderstandings.

Establish if the designer charges by the hour or by the project. If design work is to be ongoing, ask if the designer will offer a reduced rate if you guarantee a certain number of hours per week or month. For hourly work, expect to pay between $50 and $100 per hour in Kansas City.

The do-it-yourself approach: Rock your visuals

• Tool box method

Collect all of your materials before you start designing – copy, logos, photos and other graphics. You’re a collector first, an editor later. Delegate this task to another team member if you can. Depositphotos.com and shutterfly.com are good sources for affordable, royalty-free stock photos. 

• Grid structure

It’s hard to go terribly wrong when you lay out your work on a well-designed grid. Grids add structure to a design and help maintain good proportions among the elements on a page. Google “print design grids” for examples you can download.

• Visual hierarch

Size matters. Emphasize your central point with larger text set in a pleasing arrangement. 

Shape counts, too. Set your key element in an eye-catching shape, say a circle, for emphasis.

A pop of color helps. Draw attention to your key message with a single spot of color in an otherwise black and white layout.

Consider your client’s style

When designing a piece that will go to a particular client, mirror the client’s look and feel as much as you can with colors and text. Larger companies often publish their standards on their website. In early meetings with a client, bring your design partners – photographer, writer, videographer, etc. – with you.

Top trends

Wagner recommends the following for further research on design trends and examples of good design:

How

Fast Company

Inc.

The Royals’ Mike Swanson shares candid personal and professional highlights

When Mike Swanson returned to the Kansas City Royals in 2006, the team was suffering from dismal years of losses resulting in a nearly empty stadium, a pessimistic public and just a few signed players wearing Royals jerseys. Swanson’s now in his 11^th year as Vice President of Communications and Broadcasting for the team, and proudly wearing a KC Royals World Series Championship ring.

Deciding to head communications for the recumbent Royals wasn’t a difficult decision for Swanson. He started in communications with the Royals when he was a teenager, working six consecutive summers as an intern. Following college, Swanson left Kansas City to begin his career in professional sports communications for college and professional football and basketball teams, before returning to the MLB 38 years ago.

When the Royals’ call came, Swanson couldn’t turn down an offer to return to his home town. Plus, Dayton Moore had just taken over as General Manager, and Swanson believed in a better future for the Royals. The slow painful climb from the cellar of Major League Baseball to the top in 2014 and 2015 consisted of years of concerted effort by team executives, managers and players to earn their World Series rings.

Swanson shared professional and personal highlights of his career in a lively session with the Freelance Exchange of Kansas City:

• Swanson was with the Arizona Diamondbacks at the World Series in 2001, seven weeks after the 9/11 bombing. The ruins of the World Trade Center still smoldered as the team toured Ground Zero, calling victims’ families on their cell phones. President George H.W. Bush threw out the first ball at the game at Yankee Stadium amid intensive security that included snipers positioned around the stadium and even a heavily armed security guard, masquerading as an umpire. The team lost all three games in New York before returning to Arizona to win the trophy.
• Swanson’s football career included six trips to the Super Bowl and 14 high-profile college bowl games. His heart remained in baseball, however. “It’s a lot more exciting than football. Plus, in baseball, you can lose four games in a row and still have three left that week to recover.” 
• The call from the Royals came as Swanson was interviewing to join the Cubs’ organization. He had no idea the grapevine was working so quickly, but in a phone call that same day, he was offered the job in Kansas City. 
• The 1994 baseball strike had one positive outcome for Swanson: He met his wife Renee that summer, when he was at a bar with friends. After a long visit with Renee, Swanson turned to a friend while leaving the bar, saying, “I’m going to marry that girl.” He and Renee celebrated their 21^st anniversary on Feb. 3. 
• Social media has created a 24/7 news cycle where a hastily posted comment from a player can quickly turn into a national news headline. “We have to be very diligent with our athletes in training them to be accountable with the media,” Swanson said. “Before they hit the ‘send’ button, they need to understand that it’s like a bullet leaving a gun. You can’t take it back. Once posted, it’s out there, and no matter how quickly you might delete the comment, there’s a record.” 
• The recent tragic death of Yordano Ventura was the lowest point in Swanson’s career. “As a team, we still don’t have answers yet on how to deal with it. This is one situation you can’t just Google search what to do.” Swanson first met Ventura when the future Royals Ace was just 17 years old. He and Ventura shared a mostly easy-going relationship. “Swanee, one time!” Ventura called out to Swanson on a game day, as they were preparing for the field. “One time, what?” was Swanson’s response. “One time, don’t make me talk to the press!”