Friday, August 29th, 2008
by Greg Gackle, Principal
© GAH, Inc.
An association of online publishers, unsurprisingly, have released a study saying local news sites are more likely to result in consumer clicks than web portals like Yahoo or Google.
The Online Publishers Association reports it found a 46 percent click rate by consumers on local newspaper sites, compared to a 37 percent click rate on Yahoo or Google.
The local news sites also scored higher than portals in the response to a quesiton on trustworthiness of local newspaper sites (56%) versus portals (53%).
Also for filing under ‘not surprising’
The American Press Institute says newspapers should do more to develop ways to make more money off their online properties. The “Newspaper Next 2.0″ report mentions several new innovations by newspapers to extend their presence and income from the web, including the local Dispatch/Argus (QCOnline.com) rewards site, Deliveringqc.com.
The qconline offshoot enables local advertisers to offer coupons, which consumers can redeem for discounts. The “catch” is that only newspaper subscribers can register and download the coupons.
Here’s how the site puts it:
“Make no mistake, DeliveringQC.com isn’t just another website open to whomever happens to venture onto the site, it is reserved exclusively for Dispatch/Argus readers. While anyone can browse the site, only members can take full advantage of all the huge money saving opportunities that are promoted and available only on this site.
DeliveringQC.com is all about the Quad-Cities. It’s all about hard-working people that live here in the Quad-Cities. It’s about taking back control of our pocketbooks. It’s about raising our lifestyle through smart purchasing decisions and savvy habits.
If we saw a $50 bill lying on the sidewalk, we might be tempted to pick it up. If we saw several lying in the road, we would be thrilled. DeliveringQC.com is like finding a $50 bill or more each week for the taking, all we have to do is act and we take the first step in improving our financial situation.”
The site screens users by requiring them to input the telephone number, used on their Dispatch/Argus newspaper subscription record/form, in order to register on the site.
