Disinformation, news avoidance, platform resetting; you probably don’t need us to tell you the threats the news publishing industry is facing today. Those threats are constantly evolving, as this year’s Reuters Institute Digital News Report makes abundantly clear. The problem we see is that the threats tirelessly evolve and mutate, but newsroom attitudes are hard-pressed to keep up.
Our last newsletter dwells on the fact that most of us define journalism exactly as we would have half a century ago, but studies show that readers are not looking for that traditional approach. When journalists and readers have different perspectives on news, it’s time for a realignment the planets.
Yes the news industry has taken steps to catch up. The most famous was probably Dmitry Shishkin’s work at the BBC when he developed the User Needs Model looking at what readers really want. The ‘six needs’ reshaped the way news publishers looked at where they directed their resources, and saw instant success in maximising reach.
At Upgrade we are fans of Dmitry’s work (we talk with him here podcast), but also aware that he first presented those six needs in Vienna way back in 2017 – a lifetime ago in news.
Upgrade Media works on the basis that monitoring success to best assign resources is a constant learning process. For it to work requires more than just a model, and certainly more than consultants parachuting in and disappearing a week later. Real success comes with expert analysis followed up with accompaniment of the daily process to ensure editorial and management both understand and get on board with new approaches.
What Upgrade Media does, and how it works;
Cold (and clear) observation
You care deeply about what you publish; you wouldn’t be in the business if you didn’t.
But the catch with that is that it comes with emotion, gut feeling, and traditional ways of working that are often intermingled with the idea of your publication’s values. Add inertia and reluctance to change to that mix and the result is often an unclear content strategy and a cloudy understanding of where to direct precious resources.
So our first step is to analyse just what works – and what doesn’t. Because our research shows that between 60 and 90% of content underperforms (those are the purple dots in this visualisation).
A constellation of (underperforming) content
Our analysis identifies what attracts readers, as well as engagement, and what content inspires sharing, and return visits. Understanding not just what type of content gets traction, but also the ratio of effort/resource to both quantity and quality of audience share is key to editorial success. Link that to a subscription strategy, and you have the building blocks for better performance and financial viability.
To boldly go into a starscape of reader response. Close analysis of what type of content produces what type of reader response is key to a successful paywall and subscription strategy.
Refine your editorial offer, add impact to your content, and better use scarce resources
Upgrade Media works with, and in, news organisations. That means we know as well as anyone that impressive looking data graphs mean nothing if they don’t translate into concrete changes in content, and the way it is presented and paid for.
So as well as a close examination of the hard facts of content performance, we examine the content strategy and the ways it could better be optimised for maximum results given limited resources.
Part of that is ensuring journalists understand what readers now want, and how best to deliver on that. For more about that see our studies on realigning journalists and readers.
How we do it
We share your passion for publishing but to ensure results our approach remains clinically scientific. Every potential editorial promise we identify is rigorously tested in advance with reader groups before implementation. That also involves differentiating between impact on brand, digital, subscriber base, and social networks. We draw up challenges and likely rewards in terms of audience, conversion and loyalty, and then test and monitor to ensure that we deliver on those promises.
Results
By finding what works, identifying underperforming content and redirecting resources to better satisfy readers we not only help shape a new approach to good journalism, but see startling improvement. We have helped long-established titles boost their audience fivefold. Better yet we’ve seen the number of logged-in readers increase up to tenfold, and seen digital subscription rates increase by 28%. These are game-changing figures for most publishers.
Do they sound like figures you would like to see in your organisation? Then contact us, and let’s sit down and talk about how to make that promise a reality.
About Upgrade Media: Upgrade Media is a creative agency, strategy consultancy, training center and media transformation think tank, through its brand New World Encounters.
◾️ We work for media and communicating companies to accelerate their digital transformations, evolve their organizations, print and digital products, and also develop team agility.
◾️ Check out our Upgrade Media website to learn more about our projects and approach.
◾️ We hope this article and our other content inspires you!
Thank you for reading.
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- How traditional media can, and should, rethink to reconnect with audiences
- Is it time to redefine ‘good journalism’?
- How Upgrade Media works – and why it produces results
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- AI is a life or death question for news, but who is going to pay for your newsroom to benefit from it?