smartocto

We've been advocating user needs for years. Reuters says it’s something worth spending time on - and spending time with ✍. If they're kind of new to you and you’re not sure where to start, it can feel like a whole lot of effort and a bit overwhelming. You probably have questions, and you’re not alone. Here are the five most common questions we get on the subject ➡ https://bit.ly/3WIKwUK

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵, 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴! ✍️ 1️⃣ Our new Chief Artificial Intelligence Goran S. Milovanović, Phd explains what’s been happening in the data bunker, and how he’s integrating developments in AI with the User Needs Model. Read the blog ➡ https://bit.ly/4d1q732 2️⃣ The media sector has embraced user needs as a useful and transformative concept to better engage audiences. A great way for publishers to start, is by using the model to run growth hacks. Find out exactly how ➡ https://bit.ly/4ccRKoq 3️⃣ While we all understand on a cellular level how important images are in the newsroom’s arsenal, it’s only when you’re faced with those truly extraordinary moments captured on film that you realise the power of a photograph. Read more of this newsletter ➡ https://bit.ly/4dkfSq6 4️⃣ Stories reveal a lot about society - and the context in which they’re written impact that. A lot of those stories were written in part as social commentary, or as a way to share political ideas or critiques. They are, it turns out, a great deal more than a brainstorming session at a Disney writers’ room. ➡ https://bit.ly/46q4HKr

Ed Walker, thank you for sharing your thoughts on using the smartocto Insights tool! We're thrilled to hear that our Content Performance Indicator (CPI) feature provided meaningful scores, revealing which stories truly engaged your newsroom audience. "Has it worked? Yes, I'd say so - and we're seeing good solid audience trajectory at the moment in what is a difficult period. And another reason I guess it's worked is we've had some Google Discover volatility recently (who hasn't) and the site/audience hasn't fallen off a cliff as so often can be the case. Because we know, and understand, what readers want." 🔍 Fancy a peak into our content insights tool? Get in touch ➡ https://bit.ly/3LD7Vkf

𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬? 𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧! 🏷️ If you’ve been struggling with data analysis, improper tagging might be the culprit. Luckily, our upcoming session will show you why tagging is essential and how automated tagging, especially when aligned with user needs, can transform your data processes. 📅 13th August ⏰ 15:00 CET 🔗 Register Now: https://bit.ly/3W58gRp #Webinar #AutomatedTagging #DataAnalysis

“Fantastic experience at the International News Media Association (INMA) South Asia News Media Festival! There was an immense curiosity surrounding the newest tools and technologies to streamline processes and improve effectiveness in newsrooms, and professionals were actively looking to learn and grow.” - Erik Van Heeswijk Erik presented User Needs 2.0, as thoroughly detailed in the Reuters Digital News Report 2024, and demonstrated how this concept can be seamlessly adopted in newsrooms using our smartocto.ai feature. He also participated in a panel discussion on the power of generative AI, sharing insights on its use in news organisations along with Rohit Saran, Mayura Shreyams Kumar, and Nalin Mehta, moderated by Sonali Verma. If you were present at the conference but did not manage to connect with Erik, or if you would like to see how our tool can significantly enhance your newsroom’s workflows and content, get in touch here → https://bit.ly/3LD7Vkf

A third of your content should never have been produced, based on our data. So, here are three simple ways to measure your success effectively:

𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐡𝐢? 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨: 1️⃣ Earl Wilkinson will discuss how generative artificial intelligence is transforming the media landscape. It's a frequently repeated message, one that also resonates in India. What is happening to business models and how is the sustainability of quality journalism ensured? (Wednesday 09:35 AM) 2️⃣ We are heading to India for a reason, the country with the largest population in the world (1.4 billion) and thus a huge, growing market. What does the media landscape look like and at what stage of digitalisation are journalistic organisations? Rakesh Sharma will tell us. (Wednesday 11:05 AM) 3️⃣ The festival also focuses on audio: Amarjit Singh Batra from Spotify will showcase the opportunities in the Indian market. He will also share the lessons Spotify has learned in positioning your brand in the digital age. (Wednesday 5:40 PM) 4️⃣ Naturally, we are also looking forward to our own contribution on stage. Erik Van Heeswijk will demonstrate the AI tools available for categorisation, rewriting, and translation. He will also participate in a panel with professionals from Indian journalism. (Thursday 11:20 AM) 5️⃣ Md.Tajdin Hassan, Chief Business Officer at The Daily Star in Bangladesh, will explain how the website is growing in reach and revenue with a new service platform for the B2B market. An interesting session for media willing to think outside the box. (Thursday 1:50 PM) To everyone attending: enjoy New Delhi!🇮🇳

We’re flying all the way from The Netherlands to meet you in New Delhi 🇮🇳 If you want to boost your reach and increase audience engagement, meet us at International News Media Association (INMA) South Asia News Media Festival. Erik Van Heeswijk will present the latest developments on user needs and artificial intelligence in editorial analytics. He will also participate, on-stage, in a panel discussion on the impact of generative AI in the media industry, along with great industry professionals. If you’re there, drop by for a cup of coffee or a quick hello!

We’re often asked about image testing - and whether or not it works. Spoiler: it does. We did a data analysis, and these are the results: The article with the winning image has a CTR of 4.34%, whereas the original has a CTR of 4.08%. That’s an increase of 7.11%. We observe a similar difference in the loyalty CTR. ➡ We analysed 3,260 tests across 26 brands ➡ In more than half of the cases, there was a clear winner ➡ When no clear winner emerged, the original image remained ➡ When a winner did emerge, it was usually the alternative image (B, C, D, or E) that won ➡ In most cases, only two images were tested

Imagery in news matters. It's a no-brainer. Whether you want to evoke emotion, capture the reader's attention, or simply visualise complex information, powerful visuals are crucial to making news more memorable. In our most recent newsletter, we dove head-first into the most influential news photos in history. If you're not subscribed yet, join us https://bit.ly/3WoLrto We are curious to know which image stands out most to you. Let us know in the comments!