The Mario Blog

09.14.2017—1am    Post #4795
Smartphones and web traffic: where the action is

As if publishers needed to be reminded, smartphones are driving all growth in U.S. web traffic, while tablets and computer web access has declined. Another reason to cater to those phones in terms of visual storytelling.

I usually start any of my presentations these days talking about the media quintet (smartwatch, phone, online, print and tablet), but always make sure to state:

If this was a casino, and I was glambling, I would bet all on the smartphone as the platform of choice.

I also have 11 grandchildren who remind me of their platform of choice, as the four here show, during a recent weekend at the beach in Florida:

 

Another study out this week based on  new data fromAdobe Analyticss tells us that smartphones are driving all growth in U.S. web traffic, while tablets and computer web access has declined.

A major takeaway from the new data:

On smartphones, 61 percent of websites’ referred traffic — meaning when people don’t go directly to a page but find it through another means — came from Google Search. Another 16 percent came from Facebook. Other sources made up just 23 percent in total.

What this means for the newsroom

This reinforces our point about writing/editing/designing stories for mobile devices, specifically for phones, as opposed to dumping only print-driven stories there.

Specifically:

  1. Create an environment in the newsroom in which the team understands about the importance of alerts for breaking news, and the important role smartphones play.
  2. Start each day with some type of briefing that the audience will access on their ever present phone the moment they wake up.

3. Consider a certain number of stories each day that will be given the “visual storytelling” touch. Not every story can be handled or customized for the phone, but a few each day should be the goal.

 

4. Consider promoting upcoming stories through two or three screens, bringing that content to the phone while alerting your audience to what is coming a day later, or during the weekend. Almost any story can be told in a few screens. The Norwegian daily, Aftenposten, already does:

 

The time is now to start aiming for smartphones as we plan new content, products and sections—including video and linear storytelling.

This new data from Adobe Analytics is a good reminder to do so.

 

 

Digital Media North America

http://events.wan-ifra.org/events/digital-media-north-america-2017

 

 

This two-day event, organized jointly by WAN-IFRA and the News Media Alliance (NMA), will provide a unique opportunity for North American news media executives to hear and discuss digital revenue strategyfrom the world’s most advanced media companies.

I will be one of the speakers for this conference in New York City.

 

Finalists in the Digital Media contest 2017

 

https://mailing.wan-ifra.org/vm.php?m=4769&u=ed7c3017381fb21f96ef5cf355e244e7

 

 

Mario’s Speaking Engagements

Sept. 18, Boston University, College of Communications

Sept. 22, Columbia University, special program for Argentine journalism students, School of Journalism

Oct. 19, WAN IFRA Digital Media North America, New York City

Nov. 16-19, WAN IFRA Latin America, Buenos Aires, Argentina

 

 

TheMarioBlog post #2698

 

The Mario Blog