• by Melynda Fuller , May 24, 2018

USA Today has announced an addition to its news app called My Topics, which lets readers  receive tailored push notifications.

Native app users can select the people, events and trends they want to follow, building a customized feed in the process.

“This is just one of the first ways we’re making personalized consumer experiences a priority,” Jason Jedlinski, vice president of product management of the USA Today Network, told Publishers Daily.

Readers who are frequent business travelers, for example, can receive news about their preferred airlines or commercial aviation in general.

USA Today editors have also chosen a list of suggested topics.

The new feature allows USA Today to tap into its deep network of local news outlets by sharing stories from the Indianapolis Star or the Detroit News regarding relevant topics.

Someone with an interest in domestic auto manufacturing, for example, may receive stories from Detroit and additional coverage from the Nashville Tennessean about the GMC plant in Spring Hill, Tenn.

“Our audience research tells us users appreciate relevancy and easy access to the content they care most about. My Topics helps ensure they do not miss stories of interest,” says Jedlinski.

My Topics will expand to other USA Today Network apps this summer.

Earlier this year, USA Today tapped its network of local outlets to launch a project exploring the year 1968. All through 2018, its network of 109 papers will tell stories about such topics as  Muhammad Ali’s Vietnam War Protest and the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.