Prensa Libre, one of the most-circulated newspapers in Guatemala, recently approached Alley to assist with improving the experience of its editors when delivering the news to the nation. In the summer of 2018, a team headed south to Central America held a kickoff with the Prensa Libre stakeholders and soon began a migration from a proprietary CMS system to WordPress (hosted by WordPress.com VIP). In January 2019, the new site was launched!
But this was no quotidian data migration. In addition to moving all of their existing content, we also gave them a number of new features that helped them use their editing interface like never before.
One of the tools they were most excited about was a new ability to integrate their digital and print editorial workflows. Our new back end allows them to ingest news wires from multiple sources, such as EFE, AFP, and BBC, turn them into articles for digital, and send them directly to the print editorial team and, subsequently, their print service, GN4. All of this takes place within WordPress, eliminating the need for separate systems. Content is also permanently tracked and linked throughout this process, allowing editors to work backwards or forwards, seeing where a piece came from and where it went.
The new Prensa Libre also allows for a new system of developing stories. The Ahora feed on their site pulls in a chronological feed of headlines and brief descriptions. Rather than just being ephemeral briefings, however, editors can turn any of these into a developing story – immediately creating and linking a landing page to consolidate news on this subject and also allowing for links to individual reports and pieces of content.
Finally, we provided them with an easy interface for configuring new landing pages and features, whether for the homepage, section pages, or tags. And we helped them to create and configure campaigns in DFP for their Ad Layers integration, allowing for better and more efficient monetization of their site.
We look forward to seeing the future of Prensa Libre and congratulate them on their launch!