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Our virtual daily newspaper

Employee communications channels

News Center

Purpose Typical audience Pros Cons Can you do it yourself? Thinking points
Our own virtual daily newspaper network is great for communicating your news! All DSM employees have access, but especially relevant for office workers It’s secure with no limits on the audience and you can filter to target different groups  Tends to be read by office workers, who often don’t click beyond the headlines – which means you need good writing skills in particular Yes (although you may want to hire a copywriter to sharpen your story) If you need to target different audiences, make sure you tailor your message (and accompanying image) accordingly

What is this channel?

Our own ‘virtual daily newspaper network’ is a great way to share your stories with colleagues. Readers can select which news sources they receive from regions, business and functions – which means you can also target specific audiences! And all safe in the knowledge that everyone in DSM is connected - with easy and direct access to the news. Maybe your news? 

What and when is it typically used?

Think about your audience; can you share your messages properly and reach them via this channel? Check out the comparison notes below and weigh your pros versus cons. This will help you decide how to spend your time/ money for the best result.

Benefits

  1. It’s free.
  2. No limits on the audience.
  3. Ideal for office workers.
  4. Easy to target specific groups.
  5. Secure: Only visible to DSM employees.
  6. Easy to interlink; from-and-to internal websites /Streams /YouTube.

Challenges

  1. Anyone without access to a computer won’t see it.
  2. You need proficient writing skills.
  3. So you may need to hire a copywriter – which will incur some cost.
  4. Most people read the headline only.
  5. Limited wordcount.
  6. Limited visuals (static photos).

How to use this channel

  • Download the DSM News Center Request Form. 
  • Start with your key message: especially important as people may not read beyond it.
  • Each news source has an owner. Reach out to them and check they are ok to run your story. These are listed on the last page of the DSM News Center Request Form.
  • Write your article or brief a copywriter. In both cases read and follow the DSM Writing Guide.
  • Choose a suitable image that fits your story.
  • Ask a colleague to review your story. Does it make sense and is it a good read? 
  • Put your story into the right template (as per the Request Form).
  • Send your story to the news source owner and ask for it to be posted on the agreed date.

Things to keep in mind

  • Which news source is most relevant to your audience? There could be several, so you may need to tailor the introduction text accordingly. 
  • Some news sources require multiple languages, the Netherlands has all stories in English and Dutch for example. LATAM covers stories in Brazilian Portuguese, English and Spanish. Check who organizes translation and picks up the cost. 
  • Want to write the story yourself? Here are some useful tips.
  • Do you need a copywriter? Here you can find DSM-approved copywriters. You can either brief them to write the story; or write the story yourself and ask for an editorial review. 
  • Did you write the story yourself? Ask a colleague who is unfamiliar with your story to check if the message is clear. 
  • Do you have an image that goes well with your story?

KPIs for this channel

How will you know ‘what success looks like’? Measuring the response to this channel /tool could give you a better understanding of whether you’ve reached your communication objective. KPIs can be qualitative or quantitative. Here are some ideas:

  • Ask the news source owner for reader statistics.
  • Remember that awareness may be higher than you think - as many colleagues scan the ‘headlines’ and don’t click.
  • For an idea of the potential reach of your story, check out the number of colleagues connected to your channel and using their DSM computer daily.

Final thoughts

If this a stand-alone initiative, then go ahead! However, if this is part of a wider initiative, you might want to take a step back and look at the broader communications perspective. A good starting point is our 9-step approach to creating your communication plan - which includes an overview of all the internal channels and tools.

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