According to Google Analytics, the two sibling news sites SalmonBusiness and iLaks have had a strong January. With that in mind, reader growth is constantly.
Since 2017, the number of readers has doubled.
Reader traffic is divided by two-thirds on the Norwegian site iLaks and one-third on SalmonBusiness. While iLaks has been in the game for almost seven years, SalmonBusiness has been running for two and a half years.
The core of the news site
“It is good times for the media”, comments Aslak Berge, who is the publisher of both news services.
“We have reported a number of important and exclusive stories in recent months. The feedback from the readers is that we are quick to report, updated, relevant and essential. Fast news is the heart of what we do, while we at the same time contribute with analyses, feature stories and editorials. It is important to have an opinion, and we are not afraid of being in the wind. It creates engagement.”
“Our readers work considerably in the extended value chain for salmon farming, including the supplier industry, banking, insurance, logistics, export / import and processing. In addition, administration, PR / media, environmental protection and students – to name a few. We are particularly pleased to have so many young readers from universities and colleges. They are the future resources in the industry – and attractive candidates in the job market,” he adds.
Engagement
“Besides, it is worth noting that we have many regular readers who are not at all supporters of seafood farming. This is clear on social media. And that is fine. It creates debate. Which is a part of being an open news platform and a public speaker – in an industry that has a reputation in the public as a bottleneck. Commitment is great – for any newspaper,” Berge emphasizes.
“At the same time, there is no denying that it is an advantage for us that most of our closest competitors have paid subscriptions, and consequently do not reach the same number of readers. We are concerned that our newspapers should not be purely church magazines, which primarily reach management groups in the seafood companies, ie those who afford to pay for niche news.”
While 86 pct. of iLaks readers are Norwegian, SalmonBusiness traffic is dominated by readers in Western Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia and India.
“The growth is largest at SalmonBusiness, when looking at the percentage, but it is clear that there is still a lot to be gained for iLaks in Norway and the Nordic countries as well,” Aslak Berge concludes.
