Summary

The “always on” connectedness of consumers is changing value propositions and expectations of news media. In response, media companies are embracing a shift to “connected marketing” that is impacting the news brand experience and driving the need for personalisation and the reduction of friction points.

Key themes in the report

• Attention as a finite resource
• Mobile driving connectedness
• Consumer expectations rising
• Connected marketing emerging in response
• New consumer behaviour patterns
• The new need for personalisation and the elimination of friction points

Who should read the report?

Strategists, consumer marketing executives, researchers, and data specialists at media companies

Author

Paul Berney, Founder, The Connected Marketer

Detailed overview

“How the Connected Consumer Is Redefining News Media” by author Paul Berney outlines the ramifications for media companies when the individual is in control of the intersection of publishers, media, and their audiences.

Berney, founder of The Connected Marketer and a mobile marketing specialist, describes how “connectedness” has changed the behaviour and expectation of readers and, subsequently, should be changing how marketers communicate to this “connected individual.”

Among the report highlights:

• Attention as finite resource: Reduced attention spans caused by “always on” devices are turning attention into a finite resource &mcash; which is having a ripple effect on how stories get told.
• Mobile driving connectedness: Mobile devices are empowering consumers to not just become multi-channel readers, but also to be connected patients, shoppers, and voters.
• Consumer expectations rising: These connected individuals have higher expectations for news and information, especially via mobile devices where standards are rapidly rising.
• Connected marketing emerging in response: In response, media companies are embracing a shift to “connected marketing” to meet the needs of the connected individual, which impacts the brand experience across platforms.
• Emerging behavioural patterns: Behavioural patterns are emerging on connected individuals ranging from an inability to focus to the need for participation to a need for instant gratification.
• Personalisation and friction points: There is an increasing need for personalisation and the elimination of friction points driven by connected individual attributes.

The INMA report is punctuated with interviews and case studies from The Wall Street Journal, News Corp Australia, Hearst Digital, Financial Times, #hashtagourstories, Mather Economics, NZZ, Axel Springer, De Persgroep, and The Washington Post.