“It’s really a lot about listening, and it’s really around asking questions,” said Hilary Schneider, executive vice president of the Yahoo! Publisher Network.

Schneider helps more than 400 newspapers lure advertisers that want to tap into increasingly fragmented audiences. Yahoo! owns the world’s most-visited Web site, with more than 500 million unique users per month.

“I would argue that a lot of the qualities that make great reporters translate to what makes effective business behavior, which is really reaching out to and understanding the customers,” she said.

In an interview following her address at the annual ONA conference Thursday, Schneider said the transition from print to online platforms offers media and advertisers new ways to deliver their messages.

Schneider, who is also the executive vice president of the Local Markets and Commerce Division, says the newspaper partnerships help newspapers find solutions that will help them grow in the digital age.

“It’s a lot about serendipity, that if you actively engage in understanding how to drive results for customers, then as new opportunities present themselves, you embrace them,” she said.

After little over a year at Yahoo!, Schneider emphasizes the importance of staying ahead of industry trends. She says frequently trying new things and expecting the unexpected are what help her to survive.

Find out more about how newspaper Web sites can balance engaging readers and keep journalistic values.

--Ashley Southall