LocalTrack is a recent addition under the Tribune Media Group umbrella that aims to empower local businesses by using turnkey digital solutions. Ultimately, LocalTrack wants to help small companies monitor their reputation and online presence.

With LocalTrack’s digital dashboard, local businesses can:

• Access business mentions across the Internet
• Manage social media alerts and presence
• Generate positive content on TribLocal.com
• Ensure professional and positive feedback from customers

In addition to the dashboard, the LocalTrack team creates websites and builds company Facebook pages. To learn more on how LocalTrack can help your business manage its reputation, visit the LocalTrack brand page.

Chicago Tribune brand, TribU, is offering social media training for a wide audience.  Throughout the upcoming year, these tutorials will seasonally fall under some of the most important facets of social media at this time.

Facets and Tutorials

1. Facebook: Cover everything from introductions to advanced settings and all your privacy concerns in between.
2. Social Media for Small Business: Learn how to design a strategy, gain an audience and measure the impact of your presence.
3. Blogging: Discover the ways to express yourself personally or professionally on an easy to navigate and free blogging platform.
4. Business Master Class: Find the motive to drive customers to your website and ultimately increase your business’ revenue.

Tracy Schmidt, co-creator of ChicagoNow.com, takes a positive and relatable approach in her training. Classes are currently held at Tribune tower at 435 Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL in Cambell Hall. Seats are limited and expected to reach full capacity. Be sure to register at www.chicagotribune.com/classes to reserve your spot.

(photo by: Glenn Kaupert)

With over 335 growing subscribers, Chicago Tribune Arts & Entertainment alerts bring your audience exclusive event details and discount offers. This members only exclusive database will match your luxury brand with the upscale audience you’ve been looking for.

As an A&E partner, your brand will receive one dedicated alert announcing your special offer and one associated keyword for interested users. Advertising opportunities include mobile offers and sweepstakes.

Download the full Chicago Tribune Arts & Entertainment Mobile Alerts.

Spoil your loyal subscribers with A+E Mobile Alerts, they’re waiting to hear from you!

This special section acts as a guide to:

• Inform your audience of parade participants

• Help your audience make their way around on the day of the parade

• Reveal any additional information on holiday festivities happening in and around Chicago

Use this advertising opportunity as a way to increase brand visibility during the holiday season, as well as showcase holiday offers and events.

Download the full McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade Special Section.

Join the Thanksgiving Day Parade celebrations and get noticed in a crowd looking at you!

Game Slam can be played on Facebook, PC and Mac (with Mobile Android, iPhone, iPad on the way), where brands can achieve maximum visibility in a highly engaged, yet uncluttered environment.

Captivate your sports enthusiasts with our customized NFL Package.

NFL Package includes:

• Gameslam NFL gaming page
• Chicago Bears E-Newsletter
• Chicagotribune.com: featured ads in Sports section front, Gameslam co-branded promotional RS Cubes and Leaderboards.
• Mobile.chicagotribune.com: featured banners in Sports, News and Weather sections.

Download the full GameSlam NFL Package.

Connect with your future fans today by joining in on Game Slam!

Our multi-media branded campaign contains endless options for leveraging your brand for the holiday season.

Reach your audience with this unique solution by utilizing a variety of platforms including print, digital, radio and TV.

Advertising opportunities include:

• “Share the Holidays” campaign: extends content across all media units
• Weekly focuses for Him, Her and the Family in The Chicago Tribune
• Holiday Gift Guides: featured in our targeted niche publications
• Promotional spots: aired on TV and Radio
• Fixed Positions, Logos and Widgets: featured on Chicagotribune.com and Triblocal.com

Download the full Share the Holidays.

In the spirit of giving, share your brand with the engaged audience you are trying to reach.

It’s about that time of year again. The kids are heading back to school, but only after the annual school supplies shopping trip. For many businesses, this season is one of the highest grossing throughout the year. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, consumers spent a whopping $7.4 billion dollars at family clothing stores and $2.2 billion at bookstores last August alone. As this essential time in retail spending approaches, we wanted to share a few trends that emerged last year which were featured in the National Retail Federation’s blog.

• Dads Are Ready to Spend: In the past, marketers and retailers have targeted their messages during the back-to-school time of year toward moms. However, studies show that dads are the ones with the buying power and are ready to treat their kids. According to the survey done by NRF, “Dads of children in grades K-12 will spend $671 on clothing, shoes, electronics and school supplies. (Moms, on the flip side, will spend $545).”
• Value vs. Affordability: Now that the recession has finally began to elevate, back-to-school spenders are working with more of cushion in their budget. Therefore when it comes to back-to-school shopping, they are willing to look at products with a little bit of a higher price tag. Parents are considering the value and longevity of a product at the point of purchase, rather than just the lowest cost.
• Back-to-College: Who knew that back-to-college revenue was twice as high as back-to-school (K-12)?! Reportedly, back-to-college spending is at $45.8 billion versus back-to-school spending at $21.4 billion. NRF encourages businesses to keep in mind despite the common idea that college kids are “broke”, they actually have some cash on hand and are ready to spend.

Whether you’re targeting grade schoolers, first time high school students, campus go-getters, or mommys who just need to put their feet up, Tribune Media Group has a variety of cross media opportunities that reach and engage the back to school audience. Opportunities range from unique back-to-school editions to fun filled events for kids. Align your back to school message with the best target audience for your business by contacting Tribune Media Group.

The Chicago Tribune has just recently launched a newly designed print edition built for the modern reader. The enhanced paper is filled with greater content, more in depth articles, and a fresh contemporary look. The paper will now feature 40 to 44 extra pages per week – all for the same original price at newsstands and a discounted price for home-delivery subscribers.

Talks of a redesign sparked from conversations amongst The Chicago Tribune’s devout readers. The Tribune listened intently to the wants of their audience and constructed a paper for them. “We’ve added depth, dimension and range to the Chicago Tribune to meet the expectations of our most loyal readers,” said Gerould Kern, Senior Vice President and Editor.

The expanded coverage breakdown consists of five essential news categories, including: local news and investigative reporting, business, national and world news, arts and entertainment and editorials and commentary.

Local news and investigative reporting gives readers a deeper look into the happenings of what’s going on in and around the Chicagoland area and close to home. In National reports, the Tribune is calling on their reporters all over the world and having them deliver quality news in a timely fashion. The Business section provides Chicago’s outlook on recent consumer trends and booming businesses.

Furthermore, Arts and Entertainment reveals anything and everything from pop culture to high culture. Dining suggests to readers all that is cuisine. Lastly, Health and Family offers a closer, more personal outlook on well being.

Digital is also on board for this massive brand redesign. Chicagotribune.com has upgraded their site with an overall more organized, clean-cut look. Features include more breaking news stories, the latest weather updates, personalized content for the daily online reader, and a partner to print section – intended specifically to compliment the new print product. Overall, the new Chicagotribune.com is a place where platforms of every kind are integrating – whether it is reporting, the new print edition, social media, or multimedia coverage.

The redesign of The Chicago Tribune is committed to delivering relevant news coverage to its’ Chicago audience. While changes are evident in greater content and aesthetic appeal on both the print edition and online, Gerould Kern states The Chicago Tribune’s mission remains the same, “We are committed to bringing you the accurate, courageous and groundbreaking reporting you’ve come to expect from us.”

Check out a clip here!

This site traffic is a true testament that Tribune Media Group is the go-to source during critical times in Chicago.  In the middle of extreme weather, the Chicago area turned to Tribune for up to the minute coverage on road closures, train delays and safety information.  We connect with our readers bringing them vital information online, in print and through mobile when they need it most and how they want it.

Individual Site traffic records from February 2nd include:

• ChicagoTribune.com topped its previous one day record of 15.2M page views – set November 5th, 2008 the day after the election – with a new record of 17M page views
• For the two days of February so far, ChicagoTribune.com and Breaking News have delivered over 25M page views.
• WGN-TV and the Weather Center also set a record of their own with 7M
• CLTV also set a single day record with nearly 100,000 page views
• Breaking News set a local page view record with over 833,000 for the day