Each week at Twipe, we analyse key trends and topics from the world of news media and technology. Below, you can explore our top 10 most read stories this year. Do you have any feedback or topics you’d like us to cover next year? Let us know!
1. Reuters Predictions 2022: What you need to know
In early January, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism launched their annual predictions on the trends and changes expected for the media industry. 2022’s predictions featured a wide range of topics, including:
- 79% publishers placed subscription revenue as their number 1 focus.
- 51% publishers say they don’t have money to invest in innovation.
- Just 8% publishers plan to focus on products for the metaverse.
In a year of unexpected economic hardship and conflict, how many came true?
2. Are there opportunities for publishers in the Metaverse?
The Metaverse was a hotly discussed topic in 2021, yet only 8% publishers told Reuters that they plan to focus on the area in 2022. Our very own Metaverse aficionado Manuel Bolognesi used his in depth knowledge of virtual worlds and immersive technologies to explore whether publishers should start preparing for the age of the Metaverse, finding that:
- Newspapers inside the Metaverse leverage traditional journalism.
- Publishers can already advertise inside Metaverse clubs and bars.
- Traditional newspapers could see a new lease of life with VR.
3. Will publishers bring games to the next level in 2022?
Games have long been a traditional habit-forming tool for news publishers, and the release and subsequent New York Times purchase of Wordle only emphasised the importance of puzzles and games in 2022. With publishers also beginning to leverage games as a way to harvest first-party data and much more, we took a look at some of the outstanding uses of gamification in the news industry, featuring:
- Building habitual behaviour through puzzles and games.
- Using puzzles as an entry point with subscribers.
- Gamification as a way to build Zero-Party Data.
4. Why audio articles are great for retention, conversion and attracting young readers
80% of publishers told Reuters that they planned to focus on digital audio in 2022 therefore it was no surprise to see a light shone on the medium. Advances in technology mean that publishers are now able to generate synthetic voice audio articles at the click of a button. With a clear interest in audio, audio articles offer several advantages such as:
- 10% of The Economist audio article users are the most loyal.
- The premium nature of audio pushes people past the paywall.
- Audio articles have proved to bring in younger audiences.
5. Why Gen Z pay for news
Gen Z are generation subscription. They have grown up with the habit of paying for content. This fact should give hope to publishers that they can attract the much sought after Gen Z audience. To provide some insights on how publishers can attract Gen Zers, we spoke to 3 Gen Z news lovers about why they paid for news, finding that:
- Gen Z are willing to pay for quality and concise content.
- They want a great newsreading experience so their consumption can be seamless.
- Limits to willingness to pay include pricing and competition.
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6. Publishing’s print predicament
For centuries, news has been distributed in physical format, but as the world has continued to develop, publishers have moved with the times and started to shift to digital. Reflecting on our knowledge and expertise as providers of edition experiences, we explored some of the key features in the ongoing difficult relationship between publishers and print, such as:
- Why 67% plan to divest in print despite it being a key revenue generator.
- The huge potential of keeping print readers paying in digital.
- Environmental concerns around print in a sustainability focused world.
7. Reuters Digital Report 2022: Key Learnings
Each year, the Reuters Digital News Report throws up some fascinating discussion points and surprises for figures across the news industry to dive into. 2022’s report was no different, with the 46 market survey dishing out some tasty insights including:
- Text remaims the number one format to consume news but mobile is rising.
- The trend of having multiple news subscriptions is growing.
- Trust in the news has dropped to pre-pandemic levels with increasing news avoidance.
8. 3 findings from experiments with triggers via push notification, website and email
To avoid subscribers churning, becoming zombies or worst of all unsubscribing, many publishers are turning to personalised triggers. These triggers often come in many different shapes and sizes, so we dived into our data and beyond to explore which types of triggers publishers use and what results they have seen, finding that:
- Targeted push notifications have reduced cancellations in Germany.
- 52% higher click through rate on personalised article recommendations.
- Why newsletter automation and personalisation build reader habits.
9. 5 evergreen tips from 18 news media leaders
We have the pleasure of speaking with some of the most innovative figures from the media industry and beyond through our daily work at Twipe. From the valuable insights of 18 news media leaders, we picked out 5evergreen tips for continued digital success, including:
- Why habits are the past, present and future of the news industry.
- Investing in quality content must remain at the heart of strategies.
- Future tech is crucial for success, but it must be used responsibly.
10. “The future of media is not about digital transformation, but about transformation of digital”
This year, we took the Digital Growth Summit to London. We were joined by over 100 media innovators diving into the future of news technology today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. From a day full of fascinating presentations, panels and discussions, we identified 6 trends impacting the news industry, including:
- The rise of synthetic media presents opportunities and challenges.
- From “always on” to “always in” with audio.
- More risk appetite internally accelerates innovation.
