Digital innovation has reshaped the news and media industry. To capitalise on this evolution, news and media companies are harnessing the power of their digital platforms to generate insights on reader behaviour in ways that were never before possible. By applying these insights with increasing sophistication, companies are improving both reader engagement and online revenue performance.
We believe news and media companies collect, analyse, and activate audience data across three operational objectives:
Increase overall reader engagement: How can you generate an abundant and engaged readership in order to secure the subscription and advertising opportunities needed to survive?
Improve direct-paying relationships with readers: How can you successfully build valuable reader relationships to create recurring revenue streams and reduce long-term operating volatility?
Drive revenue from advertisers: How can you make the most of your data to expand the scope of your advertising campaigns and revenue?
Deloitte held interviews with more than 80 individuals across more than 50 news and media companies from 16 countries across the globe. Additionally, interviews were conducted with more than 20 technology providers, advertisers, and advertising agencies. Data maturity was measured by how far along companies are in leveraging data as insights to inform business decisions. Four maturity levels were observed: Level 1 (Nascent), Level 2 (Developing), Level 3 (Mature), and, the most advanced, Level 4 (Leading).
This report was commissioned by the Google News Initiative (GNI) and conducted by Deloitte. The findings were discussed with Google executives; however, Deloitte is responsible for the analysis and conclusions from the study.