‘routes to success for consumer magazine websites’
DESCRIPTION
‘Routes To Success for Consumer Magazine Websites’. Guy Consterdine FIPP research consultant Guy Consterdine Associates Budapest, March 2008. FIPP ‘Routes To Success’ studies. Consumer websites 2003 2004 b2b websites Consumer websites 2005 2006 b2b websites Consumer websites 2007. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
‘‘Routes To Success forRoutes To Success forConsumer Magazine Websites’Consumer Magazine Websites’
Guy Consterdine
FIPP research consultant
Guy Consterdine Associates
Budapest, March 2008
FIPP ‘Routes To Success’ studies
Consumer websites 2003
2004 b2b websites
Consumer websites 2005
2006 b2b websites
Consumer websites 2007
Objectives
To examine good practice online, among successful websites
To learn about ways in which success was measured and achieved
To share some of the lessons
Method: 2007
Universe: consumer magazine websites, which the publishers considered to be successful
Not intended to be representative of all consumer magazine websites
Publishers invited to complete an online questionnaire
44 responses; 37 eligible (b2b excluded)
2007 findings:Main objectives of websites
Four objectives stood out:• To create new revenue streams in long term• To expand audiences beyond the print audience
base• To attract new readers for the printed magazines• To build a community around the brand
Sources of revenue
Earnings from website (c ½ of all revenue)Internal funds provided centrally (c ¼)Internal funds from magazine (c ¼)
Earnings from website:• ad revenue accounted for just over half (mainly
display ads)
Wide variation from one website to another
Profitability
Not the only criterion of ‘success’
Profitable: c ½ websites (big increase since 2003)
Breaking even: c ¼
Losing money: less than ¼
Audiences
Strongly rising
Almost all sites attracted new audiences (not readers of printed magazine)
New web-only audience equates to 20% or more of print audience, for two-thirds of sites
The web-only audiences
3 main categories:• People who are outside the defined primary
target audience• People within primary target audience,
insufficiently committed to the brand to buy the magazine
• People outside the home country (locals, as well as ex-patriates)
Website content:what attracts the new audiences?
5 main factors:• Sense of community• Interactive content• Sheer scope of material available online• Time-critical content• Searchable archives & databases
New online-only advertisers
c 8/10 websites have attracted new online-only advertisers
Growth since 2003 & 2005
What attracts the online-only advertisers?
Audience type and size
Low cost
Advertisement packages
Speed with which ads appear
Interactivity
Sales leads
Continuous presence
Measurability
Online competitors for audiences
c ½ websites: mainly different from competitors for printed magazines
The new competitors online:• Mainly online-only ‘pure players’: portals (e.g.
MSN, Yahoo), online communities/networks, other specialist web-only services
• Also traditional media (e.g. TV channels’ websites)
