More than one in three active internet users are now visiting newspaper sites.  And the demographic of the audience is astonishing.  The newspaper sites are drawing a younger demographic, and the increase will amaze you.  25-34 year olds saw an increase of 13.7% and 18-24 years old increased by 9.2%. 

Not only are the numbers of visitors increasing, the time they are spending on these sites has had record increases also.  The average time spent on these newspaper sites has reached more than 45 minutes per month, an increase of 11.5%, and is generating nearly 3 billion page views per month. 

NAA President and CEO has said “The sites attract a younger, more affluent audience coveted by advertisers while providing a valuable service to readers seeking immediate information from trusted local sources.”

What does this mean for the traditional print newspaper?  We have already seen a significant drop in the newspapers classifieds, with job postings online outweighing 3:1, and with sites like Ebay.com, the “for sale” section has almost all but diminished. 

What this proves is that people are definitely turning to the net for pretty much all of their information needs, whether it’s sourcing the latest breaking news or looking for jobs or products and services.  This means a great online marketing strategy is a vital part of your business model.   With record numbers of businesses realising they need to be represented online, how do you expect your site to be seen? 

As the internet grows and searchers become savvier, you need to promote your website to the search engines, in an effective and targeted way.  With the trust of banner ads, PPC and other paid inclusions declining, an effective search engine optimisation campaign really is the way to go.  Time and time again studies are proving that searchers are clicking on the organic or natural section of the search engine results page, and are converting at a much higher rate. 

So why not reach out to this affluent and savvy consumer and actively promote your site to not only your local region but also the world!  Remember searchers on the internet are actively looking for your business; they are in the buying cycle right now! 

Is the end of traditional papers drawing near?  I think there will always be a market for them, maybe just not in their advertising sections.