Embracing the free-ad model

The Digital Britain Report isn’t all doom and gloom for the regional press. Newspaper groups can still increase their readership, and drive new revenue streams – as long as they successfully commercialise their product offering.

The ability of publishers to offer a free-ad model to a strong user audience is compelling. Rather than charging the advertiser to place a classified ad in the paper, publishers can now deliver classified ads to consumers via mobile phones – with each responder paying a charge.

This model also provides access to customer information which can be used to support complementary product and service advertising around the main ad. Also, there’s a rising demand for local information, providing an opportunity for publishers to offer location-based services for local advertisers.

It’s now up to the publishers to make the necessary changes.

Colin White
UK chief executive
Oxygen8 Communications