How USA Today is targeting entrepreneurs with USA & Main

Max Willens of Digiday writes about USA Today’s new online section USA & Main, which offers content about small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Willens writes, “USA & Main is stocked with articles by USA Today Network staffers as well as content written by USA Today columnists and content syndicated from other publishers, including Motley Fool, the Associated Press and CNBC. Philana Patterson, managing editor of USA Today Money said a majority of the content is original, though declined to give percentages, saying only that she is ‘leaning more toward assignments’ than repurposing existing articles. A pair of video series, ‘It’s Personal’ and ‘Uncommon Drive,’ which focus on entrepreneurs and the challenges they face, were launched specifically for USA & Main, along with a blogging series focused on self-improvement.

“‘We are in a lot of mid-sized to small communities where our staffers know small-business owners,’ she said. ‘If we want to tell the stories of small-business owners or startups, we can.’

“Many advertisers want to reach entrepreneurs and small-business owners, and having a dedicated section just for them was attractive to those marketers, Kuntz said. USA & Main is monetized through display, video and branded content.”

Read more here.