How Daily Mail became a Tiktok hit | AI articles double audio audience for daily
And we find out how publishers are changing Twitter/X tactics after another annoying change to the platform
Good morning and welcome to your weekly Future of Media newsletter from Press Gazette on Thursday, 12 October, brought to you in association with Opti Digital, an adtech company developing innovative AI-based technologies designed to help publishers maximise their advertising revenues.
Gen Z readers are no longer visiting news websites but instead increasingly rely on video updates from social media for their knowledge of current affairs.
In response, publishers can either wait and see if 18 to 24-year-olds change their habits when they get older, or do something about this trend now. The Daily Mail has chosen the latter course and become something of a hit on youth-dominated social platform Tiktok.
Press Gazette’s Charlotte Tobitt spoke to the Mail’s head of social video Phil Harvey to find out how the title managed to accrue 6.7 million followers on Tiktok and what videos have been most effective for the publisher.
You can read our feature article here, or listen to the podcast version here and enjoy added banter from myself and Charlotte.
Keeping on the social media theme, Twitter/X owner Elon Musk has been finding new ways to annoy his users - this time by altering the preview snippet which is shown when you share a news story link. This no longer includes the story headline, meaning publishers have to work harder to stay within the 280-character limit as they persuade readers to click through.
We’ve rounded up the latest strategies from publishers on how to get the most out of Twitter here.
New from Press Gazette
How Daily Mail went from voice of Middle England to Tiktok sensation
“We’re hitting every member, every generation of that family through our different mediums and that is really exciting for us as a business, to really test and learn and explore these places and ways to reach an audience.”
Norway’s biggest daily doubles audio audience with AI-voiced articles
“When we started to look into younger people and their media habits we saw that having a product that offered everything in both audio and in writing could be a great opportunity for the future."
Publishers adapt to Twitter dropping headlines from story snippets
“It’s made reporting on the Israel-Gaza stuff a nightmare. Because there’s no distinction for comment or the nuance you used to be able to put into headlines that would display alongside [the link].”
Promoted report
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By giving careful attention to the wants and preferences of their audience, media can provide more compelling experiences that genuinely captivate them, ultimately leading to better results.
In fact, in a recent study published by AdMonsters, 45% of publishers are experimenting with innovative formats to drive attention.
Download Opti Digital’s white paper to uncover five strategies for better audience engagement.
Additionally, you'll find insights about an innovative new ad format and a case study featuring Webedia, a leading media and tech company Opti Media provides with its solutions.
Our latest podcast
Podcast 58: How the Daily Mail become a hit on Tiktok
Mail Online head of social video Phil Harvey, who joined the publisher in March, told Press Gazette how and why their Tiktok strategy has transformed this year and why it is worth the investment.
He also revealed which British politician and their dog has become an unlikely Tiktok star for the Daily Mail.
Must-reads this week from Press Gazette you might have missed
BBC defends decision not to use word ‘terrorist’ in Hamas reporting
Who owns the news? Mail titles, News UK and Reach dominate, report finds
Guardian ‘refuses’ to publish Steve Bell cartoon of Netanyahu
BBC News CEO Turness woos advertisers and promises more investment in Verify
Big-name sports journalists facing cutbacks at Mail on Sunday
Sky News chief Levy says news leaders must be more sensitive to staff mental health
