The San Francisco Standard's 165K Views Strategy [And An 8 Step Guide To Steal It]

Steal San Francisco Standard's growth strategy now and build your own social-first newsroom.

8 Steps To Building Your Own Social-First Newsroom

While most local newspapers are desperately trying to figure out why their Facebook posts get three likes from the same three people every day, The San Francisco Standard is pulling in 165,000 views on TikTok for explaining housing policy. Their eight-part Instagram election series had people actually asking for more political content. 

When was the last time you heard that phrase?

Since launching in 2021, The Standard has become something of an anomaly in the local news landscape. They've managed to reach over a million readers monthly while most local outlets are celebrating when they hit their old print circulation numbers online. How do they do it? 

By being genuinely social on social media, not just broadcasting into the void.

The challenge they've tackled head-on is one that keeps publishers everywhere awake at night. How do you turn casual social media followers into actual subscribers who care enough to pay for your work?

Breaking Down the Standard's Social Media Strategy

The Standard operates across seven major platforms: Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads, LinkedIn, Bluesky, and Facebook. But unlike most newsrooms that treat social media as an afterthought or a place to dump headlines, they've built their entire content strategy around platform-specific storytelling.

Their newsroom structure reads like a tech startup rather than a traditional newspaper. They've got editors working directly with engineers, product teams collaborating with social leads, and everyone thinking about how a story will work across different platforms from the moment they start reporting it. This isn't just having someone tweet out your headlines after publication. This is fundamentally rethinking how news gets made for a digital-first world.

"We're investing the resources to produce smart, insightful, useful coverage that is a cut above traditional outlets and programmed for the internet age."

-The San Francisco Standard. “About Page”. 

What strikes most about their approach is how they've managed to maintain serious journalistic credibility while mastering platforms that most news organizations still treat like mysterious black boxes. With an Editor-in-Chief from The Wall Street Journal and Quartz, so this isn’t about trading editorial standards for quick clicks. 

The resource allocation tells the story of their priorities. While many newsrooms have one person managing all social platforms as a side responsibility, The Standard has integrated social strategy into their core editorial process. Stories are conceptualized with social distribution in mind, not adapted for it after the fact.

The TikTok Triumph: 165K Views and Counting

Getting 165,000 views on TikTok for local policy content isn't just impressive—it's practically miraculous. Most local news TikToks struggle to break four figures, even when they're covering dramatic breaking news.

The breakthrough was in how they approached storytelling. Instead of trying to compress a traditional news article into a 60-second video, they built the explanation from the ground up for TikTok's format. Quick cuts, visual metaphors, and a pace that matched what audiences expect from the platform.

What's fascinating is how they managed to generate nearly 650 comments and not the usual social media commentary wasteland. People were actually engaging with the policy details, asking follow-up questions, and sharing their own housing experiences. 

That's the kind of community engagement that most local news organizations dream about but rarely achieve.

The timing was crucial too. They didn't just post about housing when there was a specific news hook. They recognized that housing anxiety is a constant undercurrent of San Francisco life and created content that addressed that ongoing concern. It's the difference between reactive and proactive content strategy.

Other publishers trying to replicate this success need to understand that platform-native content creation requires different skills than traditional journalism. You're not just informing people. You're competing for attention against every other piece of content in someone's feed.

Instagram Excellence: The Eight-Part Election Series

The eight-part election explainer series on Instagram represents something you don't see often: political content that people actually want more of. Think about how counterintuitive that is in our current media environment, where most people are exhausted by political coverage and are actively avoiding it.

The series worked because they treated Instagram like Instagram, not like a newspaper that happens to post photos. Each part was designed as a standalone piece that could capture someone scrolling through their feed, but also connected to create a comprehensive guide for people who engaged with the full series.

Visual storytelling became their secret weapon. Instead of text-heavy graphics that look like homework, they used engaging design elements, clear typography, and information architecture that made complex electoral processes feel manageable. They understood that on Instagram, people are used to consuming information visually, so they built their political coverage around that expectation.

The cross-platform promotion strategy deserves attention too. They didn't just post the series on Instagram and hope for the best. Each part was adapted and promoted across their other platforms, creating multiple entry points for people to discover their content.

What's particularly smart is how they structured the series for retention. Each installment ended with a clear indication of what was coming next, creating anticipation rather than just providing information. That's the kind of audience development thinking that turns casual followers into engaged readers.

Educational Content (That's Actually Accessible)

The Standard has figured out something that most news organizations struggle with: how to make complex local issues accessible without dumbing them down. Their explainer content works because they've mastered the art of meeting people where their understanding is, rather than where journalists think it should be.

Take their breakdown of Governor Gavin Newsom's controversial proposals. Instead of assuming readers already understand the political context, regulatory background, and stakeholder positions, they build the explanation from the ground up. But they do it in a way that doesn't feel condescending to people who are already informed.

Another big win is Timing. They don’t just explain things after they hit the news—they anticipate confusion and publish before people start searching for answers. That positions them as a go-to source when things get unclear.

Their approach also adapts to the platform:

• TikTok gets fast-paced, visual storytelling.

• Instagram leans on carousels with clean design and bite-sized info.

• Newsletters go deeper with context and links.

The content stays consistent in message, but the format shifts based on how people consume on each platform.

The Transparency Factor: Building Trust Through Social Media

One area where The San Francisco Standard excels in, is maintaining journalistic credibility while being genuinely social. Their editorial transparency translates well to social media because they've established clear standards for how they engage with audiences and sources across all platforms.

The trust-building aspect is crucial for local news organizations. When you're covering city council meetings and local controversies, your audience often includes the people you're reporting on. Social media can either strengthen those community relationships or damage them, depending on how professionally you handle these interactions.

They've managed to avoid the trap that catches many news organizations on social media: the temptation to chase engagement through controversy or hot takes. Their social media presence reinforces their editorial credibility rather than undermining it.

Community building versus audience growth presents an ongoing tension. Growing your follower count and building genuine community engagement sometimes require different strategies. The San Francisco Standard has generally prioritized community engagement over vanity metrics, which serves their local mission better than pure growth strategies would.

The balance between promotional content and journalistic integrity remains delicate. They promote their work without overselling it, and they engage with community discussions without compromising their editorial independence. That's harder to do than it sounds.

What Other Publishers Get Wrong (And How to Fix It)

Too many newsrooms treat social media as a dumping ground for links. They post headlines, drop a URL, and hope for clicks then wonder why engagement is dead. The Standard succeeds because they treat social as a space for storytelling, not just distribution.

They don’t rely on one platform to do all the work. While many outlets are still clinging to Facebook (despite its declining organic reach), The Standard spreads content across TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more with custom strategies for each. That diversity protects them from algorithm changes and broadens their audience reach.

The biggest issue?

Copy-pasting. Many publishers post the same content in the same format across every channel, ignoring the fact that:

• TikTok favors fast, visual storytelling.

• Instagram rewards design-first, swipeable content.

• Twitter/X is best for real-time updates or threads.

• LinkedIn calls for a more professional, reflective tone.

  
  

Each platform has its own language—and successful publishers adapt to it.

Another common mistake: inconsistency. Social algorithms reward frequency and interaction, but small teams often post sporadically and fail to respond to their audience. The Standard’s approach? High output, clear structure, and real engagement.

But perhaps the most critical mindset shift is this:

Social media isn’t an add-on to journalism.

Social media is journalism in 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which social media platforms should local news organizations prioritize?

Platform selection should be audience-driven rather than trend-driven. Research shows that local news performs well on Facebook for older demographics, Instagram and TikTok for younger audiences, and Twitter/X for real-time news engagement. 

The Standard's multi-platform success comes from adapting content appropriately rather than posting the same thing everywhere. Start with two platforms maximum, master them, then expand. Instagram and one other platform based on your specific audience research usually provides the best foundation for local news organizations.

How can small newsrooms compete with larger outlets on social media?

Small newsrooms actually have advantages in local social media that many don't recognize. Your local expertise and community connections can create more authentic content than larger outlets trying to cover multiple markets. Focus on hyper-local content that only you can create like city council meetings, local business features, and community events coverage.

How do you balance journalistic integrity with social media engagement tactics?

Maintain editorial standards while adapting storytelling techniques for each platform. The Standard succeeds because they apply the same source verification and editorial review to social content as they do to articles. Create engaging content without compromising accuracy or fairness. 

Avoid clickbait headlines, fact-check everything including social media posts, and engage with community discussions professionally. Your social media presence should reinforce your credibility as a news organization rather than undermining it.