DALLAS (20 July 2023) – How news media companies can leverage the revenue opportunities of the post-pandemic e-commerce boom is the focus of a new report released today by the International News Media Association (INMA).

“Why Media Ad Sales Teams Need E-Commerce” focuses on:

• How publishers can leverage e-commerce
• Sales teams and e-commerce
• E-commerce as an advertising offering
• The future of e-commerce

Click here to download report

With a 77% year-over-year increase in 2020, e-commerce growth during the pandemic accelerated at a rate that experts say would have normally taken four to six years. According to the report, this acceleration has introduced new growth and revenue opportunities to the news media industry.

Per the report, e-commerce offers media companies the chance to monetise their content directly by selling products related to their brand or content. Additionally, media can leverage e-commerce to create new revenue streams, such as selling digital downloads and subscriptions, or giving access to premium content.

Written by INMA Advertising Initiative Lead Mark Challinor and INMA Ideas Blog Editor Paula Felps, “Why Media Ad Sales Teams Need E-Commerce” looks at the main areas to be considered when entering the e-commerce space: the trends, which media companies are doing it well already, and how to (re)structure for a robust e-commerce operation.

While many news media companies are just beginning to explore e-commerce options, the report points out that others have been doing it for years and offers examples of how to leverage this opportunity.

Among the report’s examples and case studies are: SPH Media, Gannett, The Independent, The Telegraph, The New York Times, Conde Nast, Buzzfeed, Aftonbladet, and Dagens Nyheter.

“Why Media Ad Sales Teams Need E-Commerce” is available for free to INMA members and for purchase by non-members at INMA.org/reports.

About International News Media Association (INMA)

The International News Media Association (INMA) is a global community of market-leading news media companies reinventing how they engage audiences and grow revenue in a multiplatform environment. The INMA community consists of more than 21,000 members at 900+ news media companies in 89 countries, representing tens of thousands of news brands. INMA is the news media industry’s foremost ideas-sharing network with members connected via conferences, reports, Webinars, virtual meetings, awards competitions, and an unparalleled archive of best practices.

About the INMA Advertising Initiative

The INMA Advertising Initiative focuses on how to rejuvenate data- and research-backed media advertising sales while providing actionable, unique insights, thought leadership, and education into future media advertising opportunities for CEOs, senior managers, and sales teams.