recently hit one million followers across its social media platforms, marking a milestone for the newspaper’s digital footprint.
This figure represents the number of unique accounts that either follow or subscribe to the newspaper’s social media platforms.
As of yesterday, had 252 505 followers on Twitter, 468 680 followers on its Facebook page, 288 336 followers on Instagram and 36 700 subscribers to its YouTube channel.
Another digital milestone achieved by the newspaper is a content engagement of over five million on Facebook as aggregated in August.
Engagements refer to the number of times people have liked, commented and shared posts published on a page.
This indicates an average engagement of over one million per week, which far exceeds local competitors.
‘s editor, Tangeni Amupadhi, said the newspaper’s shift to a greater digital presence has been a long time in the works. He added that its growing following suggests that the newsroom’s work is seen as valuable and relevant.
“Two to three years ago, I was complaining about how far behind we were as a newspaper because our approach was so print-driven.
“Now, we are serving a buffet [of content],” he said.
Amupadhi reflected on some hardships faced, citing the wave of retrenchments that took place a year ago as the newspaper, like the rest of the economy, struggled to survive the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“After retrenchments last year, who would have thought we would adapt so fast to the multimedia landscape,” he said.
Amupadhi expressed a deep appreciation for the dedication and teamwork of ‘s journalists, adding that the newsroom has adapted to the changing media environment.
Furthermore, with having acquired a broadcasting licence that will put the newspaper on the radio airwaves in the coming months, Amupadhi said the goal will be to ensure that the newspaper meets its audience in their comfort zone.
“We want to reach our audience wherever we can find them and remain leading in a multifaceted way,” he said.
Speaking to the newspaper’s future, the head of marketing and sales, Carolin Guriras, said will continue to strive to gain an authentic, dedicated and diverse following by engaging its core audience with personal, unique, valuable and quality content.
“With pride, we have embraced the impactful shift from other media to social media, staying ahead of news, views and entertainment,” she said.
She added that the newspaper pursues to enable advertisers to statistically track the progress, success and engagement of ‘s digital landscape, including digital advertisements, in real time.
This, she said, has yielded client appreciation for the successes of ‘s multimedia platforms.
“We offer clients valuable insights into who and where their customers for products and services are and how to enhance their advertising campaigns.
“We do not only sell advertising space any longer, but a holistic consumer experience in print and digitally,” she noted.
Beyond its print edition, ‘s offerings include its electronic reader (ereader), broadcast shows such as , and , as well as multimedia content such as podcasts, videos and livestreams.
