ANR evolves with times to offer digital marketing platform

To say that media trends have changed drastically in the last decade is clearly an understatement thus the News-Register is working hard to change and evolve with the times, this week introducing a new platform of social media video and digital advertising.
Like most businesses, ANR has had a website for more than 20 years, updating the look and functionality numerous times to keep it modern, interactive and robust. We’ve also watched our Twitter and Facebook audiences grow exponentially in more recent years, which lets us share news and information via cell phone, iPad and laptop/desktop computers throughout Hamilton County and beyond. 
However, we’ve noticed in the last year or two a growing demand to help local businesses reach their audience/customers digitally, by whatever means possible. Many believe in print products that deliver 100 percent local news, like we do, but they also realize that they want and need to reach and engage with potential customers digitally. In fact, a recent industry survey indicated that 80-90 percent of advertisers are buying digital, in addition to all other marketing platforms, reflecting dramatic changes in our social norms and buying patterns. Consider your own news consumption and social media habits and it’s easy to understand why advertisers want to be there, in some form. 
With that in mind, the News-Register created a digital marketing team early this year, focused on creating platforms designed to help local businesses reach their audience digitally. As an old-school publisher, I realized early on how vital it was to include twentysomethings on our staff in that conversation, because they grew up with and speak that social media language like their native tongue. Combined with some veteran voices of experience, we’ve designed a package we’re proud to call our own.
The new marketing program features a combination of video messages and color images, either of which can be posted to our website as well as a variety of social media platforms. We also understand there are limits to this media mix, as consumers don’t want to be overwhelmed with advertising on their favorite apps. We’ll seek to find the right balance to keep the focus on local news.
For the record, the News-Register now has some 4,000 followers on Facebook and a combined 4,400 followers on our news and sports Twitter feeds. Plus, we offer a television marketing option with access to Cobalt Channel 509 as well as our website, which generates thousands of online impressions per week.
In other words, though we publish this newspaper once a week we stopped being a “weekly” product a long, long time ago. We’re excited about this new digital marketing product line and invite you to share your candid feedback.
-- Kurt Johnson