The Conversation uses a structured approach to data, and Khalil Cassimally, the global company’s head of audience insights, likened it to a tree with their objectives at the top. 

From these objectives, The Conversation defines goals and identifies the key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress.

During the recent INMA Asia/Pacific News Media Summit, Cassimally, who is based in Mauritius, outlined the strategic role of data in driving growth. While most news media companies acknowledge data needs to be used more, the challenge now “we have so much data that sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming and we don’t necessarily know which data to focus on,” he told attendees.

“It is a really simple approach, and it ensures that all of the metrics you’re looking at are valuable [and] that you know why you are actually looking at those metrics,” he explained. “That makes the metric or the data meaningful [and understanding] how it fits into the larger puzzle of reaching your goals and moving toward your North Star.”

The user needs model in action

One successful application of this data-driven approach is the user needs model.  

Originally developed by the BBC, this model categorises the news needs of audiences into different segments or user needs. The Conversation adopted this model to enhance its engagement with specific audiences, in this case the Quarter Life series targeting young professionals in the United Kingdom.

“We sort of knew what their problems were, and the entire point of the series was to be particularly valuable to that specific audience,” Cassimally said.

Stories included topics relevant to career development, mental health, and financial management, and the approach led to an increase in user engagement on the Web site as well as on social media. Its success was driven by a data-informed strategy, Cassimally said, using a structured, three-part approach:

1. Defining objectives: The primary objective was to create content that addressed the needs of young professionals.

2. Identifying data needs: The team identified the data required to inform its decisions, such as understanding user needs, prioritising these needs, and assessing the current content’s effectiveness.

3. Research methods: Next, the team used various research methods, including one-on-one interviews, surveys, and analytics, to identify the four primary user needs. It then prioritised those needs.

Initial research revealed a mismatch between content production and user needs. For example, some user needs were underrepresented in the content, despite generating significant traffic and engagement. When the team adjusted the content strategy to better align with user needs, it saw an improvement in engagement.

“It was really valuable to the audience, which is what we wanted,” he said. 

That project began three years ago and has become a fundamental part of the U.K. newsroom. It has grown beyond just offering articles and now includes such things as in-person events with partners like Waterstones, one of the UK’s largest bookstores.

“That shows you the success of focusing on the user needs and really serving the needs of that particular audience,” Cassimally said.

Newsletter retention and the user journey

The Conversation also used data to grow the number of subscribers for its newsletters.

“We know that newsletters are really important as a retention tool,” Cassimally said. “We want to grow the number of loyal subscribers. We want to onboard more users into our newsletters — so that’s the objective.”

The process began by looking at data related to the behaviour of users on the site. The user journey can map the entire path of users, beginning with them discovering the Web site, finding the newsletter, visiting the subscription page, and then subscribing.

Beyond that, however, it can see whether they are staying subscribed and engaging with the newsletter.

“Mapping the entire journey showed whether people were taking the steps that we wanted them to move on,” he said. “You could see that people subscribe to the newsletter, but are they coming back?”

To ensure users moved through these steps effectively, The Conversation tracked various metrics and KPIs at different points in the journey, including open rates and the frequency of returning subscribers. Mapping the user journey allowed The Conversation to see key points where users either progressed or dropped off.

“By mapping all of those, we then understand what metrics, what KPIs we need to monitor to make sure that we know that people are actually moving in that direction. Or if they’re not, why are they not moving in that direction?”

With so much data available, it sometimes can be challenging to choose the right data to study. And the type of data that is valuable may change throughout the process: “So for example, at the very beginning, one of the things that we’re looking at for in the first email [is] open rates,” he said. “But then when we’re starting to do more retention, we’re looking at other kinds of data. So we’re looking at specific events.”

The data-driven approach led to improved engagement and higher retention rates for The Conversation. Cassimally emphasised the need to determine what metrics are important and select research methods that can collect the appropriate data.

“Just by having a clear mind, having everyone aligned around the same things within the team, you can better choose the data that you’re looking at and move those metrics in the right direction that show that you you’re successful.”

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