BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC has launched an all-new BBC.com. The new digital destination is designed to make it easier for global audiences outside of the UK to discover and navigate the best of the BBC’s global journalism and storytelling. Available first in North America, the new BBC.com will be rolled out to more regions (ex-UK) in early 2024.
The new BBC.com features more coverage in areas where the BBC resonates most with audiences – global news, business, innovation, and sustainability, among others – and more in-depth 360 analysis of the biggest stories from across the world. Built from the ground up, the site now boasts a premium design, refreshed navigation based on audience interests, and new editorial franchises and sections, delivering a more integrated user experience that brings together content from different areas of the BBC. Additionally, new ad tech enhancements maximize measurable audience engagement opportunities for advertisers. The launch helps further cement the BBC’s position as the definitive source for stories of global significance and is part of the company’s ongoing aim to build a digital-first global media organization.
“Today’s launch represents meaningful change in how the BBC engages with consumers and partners across the world. By investing in our digital offering, we’re able to make BBC News more accessible and better serve our global audiences,” said Rebecca Glashow, CEO of Global Distribution, BBC Studios. “We’re excited to deliver a premium experience that’s in line with the renowned BBC brand, offers a tremendous opportunity for growth, and is a springboard for our continued investment in North America.”
“In polarised times where disinformation is everywhere, the BBC is recognised as a trusted source of information for consumers. Audiences tell us they want more of our high-quality journalism that takes no sides and our high-impact reporting from around the world,” said Deborah Turness, CEO of BBC News. “The new BBC.com invites a new generation of consumers to experience the best of the BBC where and how they need it.”
Global News and Stories that Connect Us
Informed by extensive audience research, the new BBC.com features more of the BBC’s high-impact storytelling and reporting in the areas where it excels. The site leverages BBC News’ distinctive journalism and on-the-ground reporting, supported by 73 bureaus and a network of correspondents around the globe who deliver news in over 40 languages, to give global audiences better access to coverage of important topics, including global news, business, innovation, climate & sustainability, culture, and travel. It offers consumers the ability to stay connected to the biggest stories from around the world as they happen through several features like ‘live’ pages that offer active, up-to-the-minute updates on breaking news alongside other relevant content from across the BBC. For the first time, all current and recent ‘live’ pages from news and sports can be found in a new hub accessible from the homepage.
Facilitated by a recently expanded newsroom in North America, the site also has increased reporting of the top stories in the U.S. and Canada, including multiplatform coverage of the upcoming 2024 US election. Based in Washington D.C., New York and Toronto, the North American editorial team provides deeper analysis and local expertise of the regional stories affecting the world.
Additionally, BBC.com now features Earth, a new destination that offers a comprehensive spotlight on the importance of sustainability and the future of our planet. Through original reporting across formats, Earth helps break down the most important climate stories of the moment to make it easy for consumers to understand what matters, why it’s relevant to their lives and what action they can take.
From more live video and exclusive interviews to more robust long-form and archival content, the new BBC.com allows consumers to continue counting on the BBC to supply context on big moments of global interest and impact.
Driving Results for Advertisers
In addition to a streamlined user experience, the new site features several enhancements that make it easier for brands to connect with the BBC.com audience, unlocking new partnership capabilities and opportunities for marketers. Partners can take advantage of new premium ad units, along with a site-design optimized for maximum viewability that enables partner messaging to live seamlessly alongside the consumer journey without disrupting the content experience. Marketers will also benefit from advanced targeting capabilities featuring more sophisticated audience intelligence, segmentation, and attribution, which does not rely on first-party data exposure, maintaining user privacy and trust while delivering measurable results for partners.
New editorial and sponsorship opportunities tied to specific programming are also now available, such as with the Earth section, which has launched with the advertising support of AWS, a leader in cloud-based technologies and scalable solutions for organizations to meet their sustainability goals. The partnership underscores the business community’s growing commitment to solution-focused journalism on climate and sustainability.
These platform advancements coupled with research that shows advertising within news can drive business results, together bolster the opportunity for marketers to reach the coveted BBC.com audience of engaged and informed news consumers. In fact, according to the IAB1, advertising in news creates a halo effect, with consumers more likely to consider making a purchase after being exposed to a brand’s advertisement within their preferred news sources. Findings show that 90% of consumers have either a positive or neutral response to brands that advertise within news, while nearly half of consumers find brands that advertise in the news to be more customer-focused and engaging, more innovative, and relevant to them. The study from the IAB reinforces internal findings into the aggregated performance of advertising on BBC.com, which show an 80%+ average lift in likelihood to recommend and consideration across key categories.
BBC.com is the BBC’s global digital news platform reaching 120 million monthly unique visitors globally, 60 million of which are in North America. BBC News is regarded as the most trusted global news brand in the U.S., ahead of all major national news brands, according to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report. The ranking is a testament to BBC News’ commitment to its mission of helping people understand the world around them, make informed choices and take an active part in society and democracy. Advertising and distribution for BBC News outside of the UK is led by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC
(Source:BBC)
