Case Study: Gannett achieves nationwide community engagement with Spredfast

How Gannett builds connections to local market communities

Gannett, the media company behind USA TODAY and hundreds of local newspapers, TV stations and digital properties, faced the challenge of engaging and building lasting relationships with diverse local communities through social channels. Their goal was to move beyond one-way news delivery and create authentic, participatory connections with readers and viewers.

Gannett implemented a content-led social strategy that focuses on community storytelling and real-person interactions: local hashtag photo campaigns, interactive tools like a Royal Baby Name generator, lighthearted weekly posts, and behind-the-scenes moments from broadcast teams. These tactics drove higher participation and sharing while achieving the company’s broader aim — social success measured not just by metrics but by stronger, more genuine local community connections.

Gannett

Jodi Gersh

Director of Social Media & Engagement