MIAMI—Oct. 27, 2016—Two reports released today by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation reveal that personal, tailored mobile phone messages and mobile news notifications can help journalists and civic organizations engage audiences and better connect them to relevant information.
“As smartphones increasingly become ubiquitous, these reports open opportunities for journalists and civic leaders working to reach new audiences and inform communities. Through these lessons they can craft new strategies toward developing a ‘mobile-first’ mindset and meeting audiences where they are,” said Luz Gomez, Knight Foundation director for learning and impact.
The first report, produced by the Engaging News Project at the University of Texas at Austin, examines the benefits of mobile push notifications to drive traffic to online news apps and sites, and the value of notifications to inform the public. The study, titled “Mobile News Notifications: A Two-Wave Experiment With Smartphone Users,” includes data from 420 participants, who were asked at random to download either the CNN, BuzzFeed News or E! News app and to allow or not allow notifications. Among the main findings of the study were:
- Notifications encourage app traffic: Those asked to install an app with notifications (27 percent) used it daily or more often compared to those who did not enable notifications (12 percent).
- Notifications can prompt people to take action: Of those who received notifications 59 percent reported going to a news app or website after receiving one.
- Not all notifications are created equal: Only those assigned to receive CNN notifications showed increased knowledge about the news content. This finding leaves room for further study focused on what kind of notifications lead to learning and examining factors such as timing, content and the information environment.
- Older people like notifications more than younger people: Participants over 30 years old were more satisfied with notifications, with 27 percent of 30- to 49-year-olds and 37 percent of those 50 and older saying they were very likely to keep the notifications on their phone. This compares with 17 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds.
- Tailored, relevant content is important: When asked what they liked least about notifications, 32 percent of participants said “untailored content” or that the app was giving them information “they didn’t care about”; 33 percent provided similar reasons for turning off notifications.
- Notification frequency needs to be balanced with user needs: Participants (30 percent) cited “quantity and timing” as a main reason for turning off notifications.
“There have been a lot of questions surrounding news organizations’ use of mobile notifications, and I think our findings show that there are benefits to news sites that use them,” said Natalie “Talia” Stroud, Ph.D., director of the Engaging News Project. “Our results also show that more research is needed to better understand why some notifications are more effective than others.”
The second report, “The Role of Human Relationship in Moving People to Action,” explored how civic organizations can more effectively communicate via text messaging and email to engage people in dialogue and encourage them to get involved. Produced by 270 Strategies, the study partnered with San Francisco-based community development organization SPUR; it includes data from 2,405 SPUR members.
As part of the study, members were invited to a SPUR event via email and text messaging. Half of the group received personal, tailored emails and texts signed by a person, and the other half received more general messages signed by “The SPUR Team.” The main findings include:
- People are more likely to respond to text messages from a “real person”: People who received text messages from a person (“Noah”) were more than 3 percent more likely to attend the event. This not only meant more event attendees, but also more text interactions and RSVPs leading up to the event. Among those who received an invite from “Noah,” 573 sent a reply text, whereas only 158 sent reply texts to “The SPUR Team.”
- Text messaging combined with an email produces more engagement: Simply receiving an email followed by a text message invitation (personalized or not) increased the likelihood that people would attend an event by 2 percent.
- Meet people where they are…on their smartphones: Text messages gave SPUR the ability to engage their members, because they can have open rates as high as 99 percent, and are becoming a more general form of communication among friends and family.
“As organizers and strategists, what we find most encouraging about this study is that it confirms what we know intuitively; that people are relational creatures, and that we should be incredibly intentional about how we engage and build personal relationships with them, even in the micro-interactions. Technology allows us to scale that engagement, but how we use the technology also matters,” said Kate Catherall, senior vice president at 270 Strategies.
Both reports conclude that media and civic organizations can better engage audiences, either through tailoring messages or changing the method of delivery. Messages can also encourage users to take action by connecting with the information provided or seeking out opportunities to learn more. In addition, building personal relationships with audiences and developing tailored messages to cater to different demographics and preferences is important to developing a strong following.
The reports are part of Knight Foundation’s efforts to help media and civic organizations better inform and engage communities by supporting new ways to connect with audiences in the digital age.
To explore the reports, visit: http://kng.ht/2eJyXs4 and http://kng.ht/2eJAz5r. Follow the conversation on Twitter with @knightfdn and #mobilefirst.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit knightfoundation.org.
About the Engaging News Project
The Engaging News Project provides research‐based techniques for engaging online audiences in commercially viable and democratically beneficial ways. Learn more at engagingnewsproject.org
About 270 Strategies
270 Strategies is a next-generation consulting firm that is redefining how companies and organizations build winning campaigns. We believe effective, 21st century campaigns must integrate people-centered, grassroots organizing with smart digital strategies and a data-driven approach. We’re changing the way our clients manage their strategies and meet their goals – and changing the world in the process.
Contact:
Anusha Alikhan, Communications Director, Knight Foundation, [email protected], 305-908-2646.