The Evolution of Mobile News Consumption: Trends and Best Practices
Thanks to the widespread use of smartphones, mobile news consumption has rapidly grown and changed the way people receive and interact with news. With the majority of the readers accessing news through their mobile devices, news publishers need to serve a mobile-first audience. This article discusses the trends in mobile news consumption and provides recommendations for the news media outlets to succeed in this environment.
Mobile Changes: The Shift in News Consumption
The transition to mobile has been fast and unidirectional primarily due to the portability that features in the use of smartphones. New research shows that mobile devices account for more than 60 percent of the total internet traffic, with a considerable part of it spent on reading the news. This trend also emphasises the need to ensure that content is developed to run on mobile devices.
On-the-Go Access
Mobile devices let users get news at the convenient time and place. This has seen news consumers develop the habit of “snacking” on news – taking small portions of information at a time rather than consuming full courses of reading.
Implication:
News producers need to address the demand for fast, bite-sized information and at the same time offer more elaborate information to consumers who require it.
Push Notifications and Alerts
The use of push notifications has become a very essential way of getting a hold of mobile users. Some of the ways in which relevant and timely alerts can help readers include, bringing them back to the news app or website for more information.
Tip:
Pestering users with too many notifications is a sure-fire way to ensure they will disable push notifications in the future, but using them judiciously for, for instance, breaking news, updates or even content that is personalized for the user can be very effective.
Trends in Mobile News Consumption
There are a number of trends that are becoming apparent as being the most influential paradigms in mobile news, which defines how the publishers engage in content delivery.
Visual-First Content
Graphics, images, animations, videos and even infographics are best viewed on mobile devices. Reading an article with lots of text is better done on a larger screen, but the use of visuals can be very effective in capturing the attention of the reader, and conveying the message.
Best Practice:
Focus on the image quality and make pictures and videos more friendly for the users to see on their portable devices.
Short-Form Video
Another trend that has proved to be very popular is the use of short-form videos, especially on social media. Video is also used by the news publishers as a means of presenting news as it is easier for the readers to understand.
Example:
Make brief newsreels of the most important stories, which is best suited for Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube.
Gamification
There are many opportunities in mobile technology that people can use to create engaging and informative content like 360-degree videos or interactive timelines that can make news more interesting and memorable to people.
Innovation:
Try out the opportunity to engage the audience with the stories through additional elements of gamification or new techniques – for instance, VR/AR.
The challenges of Mobile News Consumption
A key theme of this discussion is that mobile brings with it many benefits but also threats that publishers need to overcome to thrive in a mobile environment.
Monetization
The monetization of mobile news is a tricky business because the screens are often smaller and there is less space for display ads. Besides, consumers are likely to spend less on mobile content than on desktop devices.
Solution:
Consider other forms of monetization as to the sponsored content, native advertising, or subscription service based on the mobile users’ experience.
User Experience (UX)
There is no question that ease of use is important in ensuring that consumers continue to read on their mobile devices. Users can easily get frustrated and leave when the page loads slowly, is hard to navigate or is full of ads.
Best Practice:
Make your website or app mobile friendly, meaning load time should be fast, navigation should be easy and the layout should be clean.
Content Discovery
With an abundance of content available, helping users discover relevant news on mobile can be challenging. Ensuring that the right content reaches the right audience at the right time is crucial.
Tip:
Use AI-powered personalization to recommend content based on users’ reading habits and preferences, enhancing the discovery process.
Best Practices for Mobile News Optimization
To thrive in the mobile news landscape, publishers must adopt best practices that enhance the mobile experience and meet the needs of their audience.
Responsive Design
A responsive design ensures that your website or app provides a consistent and user-friendly experience across different devices and screen sizes.
Implementation:
Use responsive design principles to create a seamless experience, whether a user is accessing content on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop.
Mobile-Friendly Content Formats
Content should be designed with mobile consumption in mind. This includes using shorter paragraphs, bullet points, and clear headings to make articles easy to read on small screens.
Actionable Step:
Break up long articles into smaller sections with subheadings, and use bold text to highlight key points, improving readability.
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
AMP is a framework designed to make web pages load faster on mobile devices. By adopting AMP, publishers can improve load times and reduce bounce rates, enhancing the overall user experience.
Recommendation:
Implement AMP for your mobile site to ensure quick loading and smooth performance, particularly for readers with slower internet connections.
Focus on Local and Personalized Content
Mobile users often seek local news and personalized content that is relevant to their immediate context. Providing location-based news and personalized recommendations can boost engagement.
Example:
Use geolocation services to deliver hyper-local news and updates, catering to users’ specific interests and needs.
The Future of Mobile News Consumption
As technology continues to evolve, the future of mobile news consumption will likely be shaped by advancements in AI, 5G, and wearable devices. These developments will offer new opportunities for publishers to innovate and enhance the mobile news experience.
5G and Faster Connectivity
The rollout of 5G will enable faster data speeds and lower latency, opening up possibilities for more immersive and data-intensive content, such as high-definition videos or real-time interactive features.
Opportunity:
Prepare for 5G by exploring new content formats that leverage faster connectivity, such as live-streaming events or real-time news updates.
Wearable Devices
Wearable devices, such as smartwatches and augmented reality glasses, are poised to become more prevalent, offering new ways for users to consume news on the go.
Innovation:
Develop content strategies that cater to wearable devices, such as concise news briefs or voice-activated news summaries.
Conclusion
The shift to mobile news consumption presents both challenges and opportunities for news publishers. By understanding the trends shaping this landscape and adopting best practices for mobile optimization, publishers can enhance the reader experience, drive engagement, and secure their place in the future of news. As mobile technology continues to advance, staying ahead of the curve will be essential for maintaining relevance and achieving long-term success in the ever-evolving world of digital news.