Newspapers Turn to 2ergo to Extend Content Beyond Print

News distributed via the mobile web offers publishers a new way to reach consumers and monetize local content 


ARLINGTON, Va. and MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 7  /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to Nielsen Mobile, 13 million U.S. consumers use their phones to read the news, and by deploying a mobile version of a Web site, publishers can extend a site's reach by 13 percent. The mobile Web is shaking up the newspaper industry as on-the-go consumers want their news instantaneously, no matter where they are.  Newspaper publishers large and small are keen to satisfy this consumer need, as well as find profitable business models in the new age of mobile media.  Many are learning that the addition of a mobile site not only extends reach, but can also create a new revenue stream.

2ergo, a leading provider of mobile products and solutions, announced today at the Suburban Newspapers of America Fall Conference that numerous newspaper publishers have signed on to use its mobile publishing platform, Swift, to create and monetize mobile Web sites. The licensees include U.S. newspaper publishers Investor's Business Daily, The Washington Times, and the Toledo Blade, as well as two popular newspapers in Latin America, El Comercio and El Universo, both out of Ecuador.

Swift enables newspapers and other types of publishers to distribute and monetize content via the mobile channel. Daily news feeds, videos, slideshows, editorial content, classifieds, real estate listings, city guides, local weather, sports, traffic, blogs and more can be easily published, automatically updated and monetized through Swift. In addition, targeted mobile ads can be served through any of 2ergo's mobile ad network partners, who act as a virtual extension to the newspaper's advertising sales force and create an additional revenue channel.

"The number of mobile Internet users worldwide will reach 546 million this year and is forecast to surpass 1.5 billion in 2012*," said Guy Vidra, president of 2ergo Americas. "Newspapers will be using the mobile Internet as one of the most important ways to reach their current readers and acquire new ones, especially on the local level."

Features of Swift include "send-a-friend" that promotes viral marketing of the mobile site, as well as an optional text messaging add-on service, which allows consumers to sign up for SMS alerts with breaking news, promotions and other types of information through the mobile site. The technology is completely scalable and customizable with the newspaper's brand and unique style. Dynamic mobile pages feature real-time device detection capability to ensure compatibility with basically every handset in the market today. Swift also provides a comprehensive reporting view so the publisher can track audience behavior and adjust content as needed. With the mobile ad component, newspapers can target advertising by location, interest or category.

"Swift is the next generation in news distribution and is allowing us to extend our brand beyond the printed pages of the paper and the Internet," said J.T. Miller, Vice President Marketing + Business Development, Investor's Business Daily. "We now connect with our existing readers and target a new generation of news savvy youth while uniting our newspaper brand with high-tech, on-the-go, instant communication."

About 2ergo

2ergo is a provider of mobile marketing, business and entertainment solutions to brands across a broad range of sectors.  Through industry-leading products, 2ergo optimizes an organization's ability to leverage the power of the mobile channel, helping companies create innovative marketing programs, connect with consumers and deliver results that directly benefit the bottom line. The group provides convergent mobile applications, global messaging payment services, content management and mobile Internet products. Clients include FOX, HBO, Disney, NBC Universal, AT&T, O2, MultiMap and Rightmove. Headquartered in the UK with offices in the U.S. and Latin America, the group is listed on AIM, a market of the London stock exchange (AIM: RGO). For more information, visit http://www.2ergo.com/.

*IDC Digital Marketplace Model and Forecast, June 2008 

DATASOURCE: 2ergo



CONTACT:  Michael Volpatt for 2ergo, [phone],

 



Web Site:  http://www.2ergo.com/ 

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