A startup company called Signalnoi.se has introduced a new software application for content providers that allows the tracking of the social engagement with news programming for real-time insight into what stories are resonating with audiences.
The new software allows news operations to follow in real-time the social performance of their stories and those of their competitors on Facebook and Twitter. Editors can use the data to fine tune editorial and social media strategies around that data.
Signalnoi.se allows the pinpointing of story URLs and follows them across the networks, allowing the analysis of fine details of trends in social popularity as a story gains traction.
Mohamed Nanabhay, the company’s co-founder and the former head of online at Al Jazeera English, said Signalnoi.se is a tool for editors and journalists to see how their content and their competitor’s content is used on social networks.
Beta testing begins soon with plans for three levels of pricing. These include social analytics from just the client’s website, analytics from up to four competitors and a third for broad access of various news outlets.
Users, Nanabhay said, who see a story catching on the social media sites can quickly produce unique versions of it, add more material or position it in a more prominent place. If possible, picture galleries or other enhancements can be added.
Information can be displayed in 30 minutes; one day, one week or 30-day views, allowing users to take a detailed look at social engagement with specific content.
Clients will get access to a dashboard with a view that encompasses the entire news landscape, telling them exactly which stories are gaining traction across the sites of interest.
“We track and rank these so you don’t have to. Our dashboard allows you to quickly see stories that are taking off across different news sites and to tune your own publishing to take advantage of audience interest. Our dashboard gives you the information you need to allocate precious resources, allowing you to produce, reposition or promote your content optimally.”
Signalnoi.se charts the life of every story it tracks. With a click, users can drill down into details of when stories started spiking and leveling out, and how that activity looked on different social networks. The service uses this data to calculate how quickly stories rise and fall, relative to other stories on users have published as well as across the broader news landscape.
The Knight Foundation chose Signalnoi.se as a challenge winner and is making an investment in the company. Knight is a major funder of journalism and new media innovation.
While final pricing for the service has not been set, Nanabhay said it would be affordable so a wide range of media outlets can participate.
