Website

Project Overview

Driven by the idea that more people are accessing the web via mobile devices and that they are looking for engaging diversions while they are on-the-go, we launched the first ever Daily Telegraph mSite providing readers with a mobile enhanced experience to Sydney’s premier news destination.

Organisation

The Daily Telegraph

Team

Development
Glenn Mitchell
Wesley Wong
Dominic Thorpe-Poynter
Jack Tao
Ellen Crosely
Jachin Sheehy
Colin Smith
Andy Yip
Mike Newman
Chris Quevedo

Marketing
Vanessa Tsui
David Goldman
Danika Houghton

Editorial
Peter Brown
Peter Judd
Cath Webber
Laura Warne
Simon Black
Wendy Fitzgibbon
Colin Espiner

Commercial
Victor Genusa
Dominic Laforgia
Adrienne Tam
Erin Kreiss

Creative Agency
AJF Partnerships

Media Agency
Zenith Optimedia

Product Management
Simon Mainwaring

Project Brief

In 2011 we recognised there was a significant need from our users for a mobile enhanced experience and believed that an mSite would encourage users to turn to us for news updates on the go.

Through our research we found that our mobile users have different needs to those of the desktop and paper products. Our design and development therefore had to be focussed on delivering a bespoke product to meet these needs.

This meant instead of delivering a mirrored version of our website the mSite would need to be manually curated by our mobile editor whose focus is on delivering the most relevant content to mobile users across the news cycle.

As such the mSite becomes the primary focus of the digital team in the mornings, evenings and at weekends when users rely most heavily on their mobile device to keep them informed.

Project Innovation / Need

We recognised that our mobile users have different needs to those of the desktop and paper products. Our design and development has therefore focussed on delivering a bespoke product to meet these needs.

Instead of delivering a mirrored version of our website the mSite is manually curated by our mobile editor whose focus is on delivering the most relevant content to mobile users across the news cycle.

Our mSite is designed to allow easy navigation between our four key content pillars News, Sport, Celebrity and Life plus a mobile only “hero” content pillar, Transit, which allows readers get all the detail they need on all traffic and public transport delays in the Greater Sydney area.

Major stories consistently drive overall site traffic up by 25% to 35% above typical levels, a significantly larger effect than we are used to seeing on the website.

This was best highlighted during the 2012 NSW floods, when our Transit section became a key tool for keeping readers up to date with road closures and public transport delays.

• Our editors prioritised the mSite updates constantly updating Transit stories with over 15,000 users accessing one of the multiple updates across the afternoon and evening.
• Over 1,500 users also made use of the Transit tool to help keep updated with public transport delays and road closures.

User Experience

The user experience has been an underlying factor in the development of the mSite. We knew that site performance and latency would be key in ensuring users would continue to engage with the site.

Along with extensive customer research prior to launch, we have focussed on continually reassessing our users’ needs to inform ongoing design, development and content strategy.

• We completed multiple rounds of user testing with everyday Telegraph readers (both print and digital) to help refine the site content architecture, user interface and user interactions.
• We collected feedback on the mSite from over 1,000 users post-launch, and ran a survey with a further 1,000 responses.
• We have utilised ongoing traffic analysis to continually inform content strategies and improve the users experience on the site.

Project Marketing

People are looking for engaging diversions while they are on-the-go and the mSite gives people more opportunity now to know what’s happening around their city and the world wherever they are.

This is based on research which found 3 key mobile consumer behaviours:
1. The no. 1 mobile activity, aside from communication is information and research.
2. Commuting is the 2nd most popular location for accessing mobile internet.
3. Its easier to drive msite trial from those already online via their mobile.

Target Market:
• Sydneysiders and Commuters.
• Every day technology users – med web users, access the Internet via mobile, comfortable with using gadgets.
• Skew towards “Young, Middle Australians”.
• Aged 25- 44, 50/50 Male/Female.

Value proposition:
“Get more out of your Sydney on the go”

Idea:
Show how ordinary downtime moments such as commuting on a bus or train can be turned into valuable “news”, “sport” or “celebrity” moments with the new Mobile Telegraph.

Activities:
• Landing page – online page outlining what it is, FAQs and an online instructional video.
• Editorial support – online, in-paper and via Editorial eNewsletter
• Trade Press Release
• eDM – invited loyal readers to beta test the mSite and provide feedback.
• in-paper print ads – included QR codes.
• Online house ads – mrec & leaderboards 800K impressions
• Mobile Display Network – NSW geo targeted
• Mobile SEM
• Transit Outdoor Advertising – 22 train stations across Sydney and 1100 bus interior panels.
• McDonald’s Posters – placement in 250 McDonald’s restaurants across NSW. Posters included a QR code