What we’re hearing: Behind the scenes, we’re rethinking how stories travel

This week’s transparency post highlights surprising traffic sources, new engagement strategies and a preview of upcoming reporting on fatal I-10 dust storms.

Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News

At Organ Mountain News, we don’t just want to publish solid reporting — we want to make sure it reaches you. This week, that meant turning our attention to the backend: analyzing traffic sources, testing headline formats, updating schema and building smarter workflows for visibility. It’s not flashy work. But it’s foundational to building a strong, independent local news site.

Where readers are coming from — and what’s surprising us

Some patterns are emerging. Bluesky is now outperforming X as a referral source — by a factor of two. Newsbreak, a national news app we’ve never actively partnered with, is quietly sending a notable stream of readers our way. We’re learning from these surprises and adapting how we post and promote stories.

To track what’s working, we’ve also begun using unique UTM links per platform. You might notice a few longer URLs — that’s us trying to measure where engagement is happening.

A new weekly rhythm: ICYMI Sunday

Each Sunday, we’re re-sharing a few recent stories that either saw strong engagement or highlight critical issues in southern New Mexico. These ICYMI posts (in case you missed it) won’t be presented as new — we’ll always be clear they’re re-posts. Transparency matters, even with the small stuff.

Lifting up a story we didn’t report — but think you should read

Leah Romero at Source New Mexico published a sharp, student-focused explainer on the state’s new anti-distraction policy, which restricts cellphone use during most of the school day starting this fall. It’s the kind of clear, statewide reporting that deserves a spotlight.

🔗 Read the Source NM story

Coming soon: A deeper look at deadly dust storms on I-10

Watch for an upcoming in-depth report on the deadly dust storms that have led to multiple fatal crashes on I-10. We’ve been working on this one for weeks — gathering insights from some of the smartest experts on land use, highway safety and climate risks in southern New Mexico. It’s a story about tragedy, yes — but also about accountability and solutions.

These updates are one way we stay accountable — and connected to our community.

Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. If you have a personal story to share or a lead we should follow up on, reach out at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or connect with him on X at @damienwillis.

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