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Local World plans 20-fold rise in digital output and double the advertisers Local World plans 20-fold rise in digital output and double the advertisers
(4 months later)
Steve Auckland, the chief executive of Local World, has set a series of ambitious targets for its digital transformation including a 20-fold increase in output to 100,000 content items per day across its regional newspaper websites.Steve Auckland, the chief executive of Local World, has set a series of ambitious targets for its digital transformation including a 20-fold increase in output to 100,000 content items per day across its regional newspaper websites.
Another goal is to double the number of advertisers from 25,000 to 50,000 a month by 2015.Another goal is to double the number of advertisers from 25,000 to 50,000 a month by 2015.
Auckland said a "tabloidy" overhaul of the regional newspaper publisher's websites is starting to lure readers and advertisers.Auckland said a "tabloidy" overhaul of the regional newspaper publisher's websites is starting to lure readers and advertisers.
He added that Local World was in excellent shape for what he characterised as a "start up" launched in January, when the company was created as a joint venture bringing together more than 100 regional and local titles including the Nottingham Post and Cambridge News from Daily Mail and General Trust's Northcliffe Media and Iliffe News & Media.He added that Local World was in excellent shape for what he characterised as a "start up" launched in January, when the company was created as a joint venture bringing together more than 100 regional and local titles including the Nottingham Post and Cambridge News from Daily Mail and General Trust's Northcliffe Media and Iliffe News & Media.
Auckland added that the company had no legacy issues such as owning printing presses or a pension fund deficit and "only" £30m of debt on its books.Auckland added that the company had no legacy issues such as owning printing presses or a pension fund deficit and "only" £30m of debt on its books.
"[The newspaper portfolio] may have been a cruise liner five or 10 years ago but it is now a set of speed boats in every single one of our towns," he said, speaking at a Westminster Media Forum on local media on Thursday."[The newspaper portfolio] may have been a cruise liner five or 10 years ago but it is now a set of speed boats in every single one of our towns," he said, speaking at a Westminster Media Forum on local media on Thursday.
Auckland said that following a relaunch of its local newspaper websites the aim is to see the amount of online content rise from 5,000 to 100,000 pieces uploaded a day, and for daily user numbers to grow from 600,000 to 2 million.Auckland said that following a relaunch of its local newspaper websites the aim is to see the amount of online content rise from 5,000 to 100,000 pieces uploaded a day, and for daily user numbers to grow from 600,000 to 2 million.
He added that 45% of traffic to Local World's extensive portfolio of websites – 76 newspaper sites, 26 This is … sites and 400 hyper local sites – comes from mobile devices.He added that 45% of traffic to Local World's extensive portfolio of websites – 76 newspaper sites, 26 This is … sites and 400 hyper local sites – comes from mobile devices.
In a panel session he was asked to clarify how staff could cope with a 20-fold increase in digital content publishing, with Auckland explaining it would be about community and user-generated content.In a panel session he was asked to clarify how staff could cope with a 20-fold increase in digital content publishing, with Auckland explaining it would be about community and user-generated content.
"I'm fairly confident we can do it but we have to empower people locally to do that," he said. "We can't do it all ourselves, we don't have the number of people to do it. We also want to work with [hyper local] websites.""I'm fairly confident we can do it but we have to empower people locally to do that," he said. "We can't do it all ourselves, we don't have the number of people to do it. We also want to work with [hyper local] websites."
He explained that in the last two weeks Local World began rolling out eight "content modules", which when completed make it much easier for local people to engage with the websites, admitting that it is a pretty lacklustre experience at present.He explained that in the last two weeks Local World began rolling out eight "content modules", which when completed make it much easier for local people to engage with the websites, admitting that it is a pretty lacklustre experience at present.
"Once it is easy for [people] to [upload we can really ramp those numbers up," he said."Once it is easy for [people] to [upload we can really ramp those numbers up," he said.
Auckland admitted that the redesign of Local World's website portfolio was "a bit in your face, tabloidy in design... but actually very, very easy to read".Auckland admitted that the redesign of Local World's website portfolio was "a bit in your face, tabloidy in design... but actually very, very easy to read".
"They are very visual and there is a lot of content in it," he said."They are very visual and there is a lot of content in it," he said.
To boost ad revenues Local World has put together a national cross-sell that allows advertisers to book a campaign across all titles to hit 3.4 million readers – a sales strategy he calls "Metro-esque", a reference to the freesheet he used to run for former employer DMGT. "It is one purchase, dead easy," he said.To boost ad revenues Local World has put together a national cross-sell that allows advertisers to book a campaign across all titles to hit 3.4 million readers – a sales strategy he calls "Metro-esque", a reference to the freesheet he used to run for former employer DMGT. "It is one purchase, dead easy," he said.
The goal is that by some point in 2015 declining print revenues, currently dropping by 6% year-on-year, will be compensated for by growing digital income.The goal is that by some point in 2015 declining print revenues, currently dropping by 6% year-on-year, will be compensated for by growing digital income.
"We are aiming for revenues want to be flat by 2015, that is where we want to be," Auckland said. "We have a way to go but we are still at the top of the market. There is a lot of life in these businesses yet. And customers are starting to return.""We are aiming for revenues want to be flat by 2015, that is where we want to be," Auckland said. "We have a way to go but we are still at the top of the market. There is a lot of life in these businesses yet. And customers are starting to return."
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