Let’s be brutally honest about the digital landscape we inhabit. For far too long, many of us have chased reach at the expense of quality, pouring investment into acquiring audiences from search and social platforms. But the stark reality local publishers have come to understand, with a growing sense of urgency, is that audiences arriving from these channels often aren't truly engaged – they're just scrolling ghosts, passing through without truly staying or connecting. This isn't reach; it's "empty reach", prioritising volume over the profound interaction that breathes life into content and value into advertising. It’s a shallow dance, a momentary glance, not the deep, meaningful engagement that truly fuels outcomes.

The very ground beneath our feet is shifting, and rapidly. The rise of AI Overviews and AI Mode isn't just a trend; it’s a profound transformation that has already seen search traffic plummet by a painful 20 per cent, with further, deeper declines anticipated due to AI’s pervasive impact. For too long, publishers have relied on these external currents, and now, the tide is undeniably turning. The era of "one and done" traffic is over.

At News Australia we haven't stood idly by watching the currents change. We are deeply committed to the future of media, and that commitment has driven us to actively future-proof our digital model by reducing our reliance on search and social platforms. We've chosen to pivot, not out of fear, but out of a profound belief in the power of genuine connection.

And what a difference that has made! Through a definitive shift in editorial strategy and concerted focus on B2C marketing, we’ve seen strong growth in direct traffic. That means audiences who navigate directly to news.com.au, bookmark us or come through newsletters and other forms of marketing. These aren't just numbers; these are audiences demonstrating higher engagement, showing up for repeat visits, and diving into deeper content interaction. This isn't merely a hypothesis; it's a proven truth that resonates with the very heart of what we do.
 

Direct trumps search, social

Insights from our internal data show that direct traffic is not just valuable, it's a staggering eight times more valuable than anything we gain from social channels, and twice as valuable as traffic from search. This elevated value stems from their significantly higher engagement, leading to increased consumption, including more page views and video views, and a richer generation of first-party data points.

This emphasis on direct engagement is not just a commercial play; it’s about building a community. It’s about forging enduring relationships with our audience, who are now visiting us frequently – every day and every week. This allows us to recognise them, to understand their passions, and to continuously enrich their profiles with valuable first, second, and third-party data. This gives us a profound understanding of their consumption behaviours, enabling us to curate and personalise content in ways that truly resonate, turning passing interest into deep, loyal engagement.

This commitment to fostering deep engaged, direct relationships reinforces our position to deliver highly engaged audiences that drive client outcomes. As we’ve highlighted at our key trade event D_Coded and more recently during our agency engagement roadshow Frontiers, News Australia is not just selling eyeballs; we’re offering genuine engagement, real interaction.

Engagement equals outcomes

Focusing on audiences with deeper engagement leads to more effective campaigns and truly better outcomes for our clients. By combining reach with genuine engagement, we ensure that every advertising dollar is directed towards audiences who are more likely to interact with and respond to a client's marketing message.

This strategy has translated into significantly improved performance metrics according to a Comcore study: 83 per cent better recall than run-of-internet short-form video, up to 7x higher completion rates than major social platforms, 67 per cent better brand favourability due to the "halo effect," and 9x higher purchase intent from a premium, trusted source.

Our clients recognise this profound difference and are willing to pay higher yields because these high-intent segments deliver stronger, more cost-effective outcomes for brands as we often and proudly case study.

Ultimately, this isn't just a fleeting tactic that directly supports our collective revenue growth - it's a sustainable flywheel that consistently turns direct traffic into loyal, returning audiences.

Consumers come directly to content that sparks inspiration, igniting curiosity as they immerse themselves in the discovery of new ideas and engaging content. We make this journey available for free across Free News & Lifestyle Network, allowing them to navigate their own active path into finance, health, sport, travel, entertainment, and the list goes on.

This isn't just about fleeting clicks; it's about building enduring relationships and nurturing a true home where audiences feel a profound connection. Our continuous internal efforts – from refining brand strategies and optimising content to strengthening our data capabilities –are all geared towards keeping these audiences engaged for longer periods. This commitment provides brands with unparalleled audience understanding and the ideal ad opportunities they need to truly connect through media, ensuring campaigns achieve deeper audience interaction and drive superior client outcomes.

Taste the difference

As a compelling proof point of this strategy's efficacy, we need look no further than the inspiring success story of Taste.com.au. In December, Taste.com.au didn't just break records; it soared to a record-breaking 100 million page views reported by Ipsos. What’s more, it achieved an incredible engaged reach of 18 page views per unique audience. This places Taste.com.au at three times that of its closest competitor, demonstrating true dominance in its category.

This success was born from a holistic and passionate approach: a refresh to the brand's visual identity and overall product experience to drive deeper connection, a focus on daily content publishing even during traditionally quiet periods to re-engage audiences, and the powerful development of a new brand tagline, "Trust Taste," specifically focusing on drawing in and nurturing direct audiences.

By broadening its content to appeal to a wider range of demographics, Taste.com.au saw a remarkable 38 per cent increase in younger demographics and a 30 per cent increase in male audience. The real-world impact is immediate and profound: the influence of Taste recommendations is clear, with half of the Taste.com.au audience purchasing a product they saw on Taste within just one week.
 

Direct is the future

The move towards direct, engaged audiences is not merely a preference; it is the fundamental pillar for digital businesses to prosper in an evolving, yet challenged media landscape. By focusing on deep engagement and fostering loyalty, we are not just building a more robust enterprise; we are cultivating a more valuable, more trusted, and ultimately, a more future-proof media industry for our clients and for ourselves. This is our commitment, and our passion.

The question we’re posing to any of our clients reading this: if your search marketing channels are no longer working as efficiently with AI Overviews, consider tapping into News Australia’s continually growing pool of high-intent audiences within our vast digital network.

Find better answers at: https://www.newscorpaustralia.com/growth-solutions/audience-networks/