Breaking barriers, right on the money
Business → Marketing & Advertising
- Author Lauren Leonard
- Published October 19, 2017
- Word count 569
SA Breaking News is disrupting the traditional news website space in South Africa with a pragmatic approach that shows the power of getting content right.
In early 2016, mobile first agency, MobiMedia, a company in the Ole! Media Group, acquired the news and entertainment website SA Breaking News (SABN). Since then, MobiMedia’s dedicated editorial team has achieved phenomenal results, increasing the monthly audience by nearly 325% in just 15 months.
From an audience of around 123K unique users in March 2016, SABN's readership has consistently grown, reaching over 522K monthly users in June 2017.
Perhaps more importantly, beyond just seeing the number of visitors to the site increase, the SABN team has more than doubled reader engagement from 1.5 page views per session last year, to over 3.5 pages per visit in recent months, generating a whopping 2.77M page views in June 2017 alone. Good news for advertisers who wish to reach this young, urban, informed and economically active audience.
The most remarkable thing about SABN's growth, however, is that it was all achieved organically - driven by an improved and highly focused content strategy.
"When we inherited the site, the focus was immediately placed on organic growth. We needed to build credibility and a stable audience," says Deseré Orrill, Managing Director of MobiMedia and CEO of Ole! Media Group. "We needed to turn our attention to building a community, which is what we have achieved and is now evident in not only the numbers, but the engagement."
"Small details in social media posts are hugely important. Asking a question or presenting a user with a call to action - instead of just pushing a headline - created a 45% increase in engagement on our social media posts," explains the site's Editor, Siyabonga Mchunu.
The upward curve of SABN readership numbers has mirrored the growth of the site's team of content producers, with young entertainment writers like Chanice Jennike and Oluthando Keteyi working hand-in-hand with 'hard' news journalists like Alana Bolligelo.
"In 2017, a digital content producer is a very different creature to the journalist of times gone by," comments Orrill.
"Our young team is writing stories and across a wide range of topics, cropping images, embedding videos and Tweets and interacting with users on social media, on an ongoing basis as the digital realm is always on.
"Key to understanding media in the age of millennials is that the days of prescribing what content users should read, are over. News readers of today, are active participants in the process, with news being the catalyst for online debate. Digital publications of today therefore need to give users what THEY expect, in order to keep them engaged.
"This means following and pre-empting trends, taking content to the user and then asking them to participate, not waiting for them to come you," concluded Orrill.
Indicative of this, readers on SABN are as keen to voice their opinions on the platform’s various channels, as they are to read the up to date news.
Where to now? With a strong entertainment following and a growing 'hard news' audience, SABN is aiming to expand its base amongst sports readers. It will also be incorporating regular audience polls into the mix, so that it can remain in touch with what its followers want, while giving them a platform where they are free to air their opinions, as there is certainly no such thing as taking an audience for granted in the digital age.
moving with the times - We are ALL about MOBILE at MobiMedia. Whether it’s with a smartphone or a feature phone, today’s ‘engaged’ economy is always on the move, and has access to information and entertainment in the palm of its hand.
Article source: https://articlebiz.comRate article
Article comments
There are no posted comments.
Related articles
- Marketing Strategies for Mooncake Suppliers: Standing Out in a Crowded Market
- How To Automate Affiliate Marketing?
- Effective Marketing Strategies for Tradies: Boost Your Business in 2024
- The Dos and Don'ts of Creating Engaging Online Content That Keeps Your Readers Coming Back
- Dong Yuhui being accused of being racist against women because refusal to sell women's underwear.
- Creating Buzz in the Hallways: High School Advertising Techniques That Get Results
- How does social media marketing tie into a digital solution service?
- Custom DVI Cables: Everything You Need to Know?
- Diet Plan for Weight Gain
- Navigating the Dynamic Landscape of Hot Trends in SMM Panels
- Unveiling AI Brilliance: Leonardo Laboratories at the Fore of Innovation
- Unlock Your Career Potential: How Our Digital Marketing Institute Can Propel You Forward in Mumbai
- Social Media Marketing: Harness the Power of Online Platforms for Success
- Growing Your Business Online: How Gardeners Can Utilize Digital Marketing
- Measuring and Boosting ROI Across SEO, Email, & Social Media
- Navigating Challenging Business Conditions: The Power of Strategic Marketing
- Unlock Your Style: Fortnite Skins for Sale
- The Ultimate Guide to Color Grading: Techniques and Tools for Beginners
- Here Are Some Effective SEO Strategies For Startup Success
- How to Create an Effective Business Marketing Plan
- Traditional Direct Print Marketing Isn't Dead: Unveiling Its Untapped Potential
- New Age Student Recruitment: How AI is Revolutionizing International Enrollment
- Nobody cares about you (or, your brand)
- Unlocking Connection: Temu's Top Relationship Gifts for Every Occasion
- Sustainable Marketing Tactics for a Greener Future
- 4 Things To Avoid When Running Your First Google Ads Campaign
- Analyzing the Revenue Cycle Management Market: A Comprehensive Market Research Study
- Crafting Farnborough's Premier Business Blog: Essential Strategies for Success
- A Look at the Flexibility of AI in Marketing
- Social Media Marketing