When KPCC, an NPR affiliate in Southern California, decided to launch a Facebook application, they wanted to focus distinctly on user generated content. Hence, The Freeway was born.
KPCC recruited a number of community volunteers to kick off the community blogging on topics as varied as gardening, poetry and cycling.
The best bloggers are essentially co-hosts of the site. Their activity keeps the site fresh, draws in readers from around the Web and provides content for on-air and KPCC website cross promotion.
Approved co-hosts are now indicated on the site with a small star icon beside their Facebook profile photo.
The Charlotte Observer's Insight Facebook application works similarly. This past week, an Insight blog post on Atheism led to major story which The Observer ran on their front page (see below). Regular cross promotion of blog posts from your Facebook community in print or on air is a great way to incent participation.
Recruiting a community of bloggers for your site may require a great deal of effort and creative outreach. But, if successful, as these trials are showing, it can extend your brand's reach in a truly unique way.
