There are very few news stories which lead to a huge increase in web traffic, but can be guaranteed to really hurt newspaper sales.
But the snow is one of them. It’s obvious really – if it snows, you’re less likely to get to the shops, but still want information so you turn online.
Done right on regional news websites, trusted print brands can become more instant and useful than local BBC radio – although they will continue to have the massive benefit of cross-promotion from regional TV bulletins.
In North Wales when it flooded in November, the Daily Post North Wales’s live blog service was so accurate, up-to-date and useful that the police started sending users to it – that’s what every news website should aspire to, in my opinion.
But while snow can often hit newspaper sales, it still provides an opportunity to create stunning front pages … lets face it, snow does make for superb pictures. (Not to mention some unusual stories – such as the Sunday Mercury riot splash below):
So as the flakes fell on Friday, photographers were out across the country snapping away … and the result has been some stunning newspaper front pages..
And here’s a gallery:
And if you’re after some tips on tools to use when covering the bad weather – try these
David Higgerson 