– Hello, do you know Heidi.news?
– Anyway, I don’t like Jews and Arabs.
– …
Here is an example of a prospect – to use our jargon – who will not become a reader! I reassure you, the anecdote is not representative: on the contrary, we are generally approached with a lot of kindness. But it is real work, especially in these days when information abounds, to transform this polite interest into a firm subscription.
A media, we love it or we leave it
I sometimes explain my job to children, which is a good exercise in synthesis. What I tell them: “How many people do you meet every day? How many of them do you recognize? And how many end up becoming your friends?” This is the true nature of my job: to ensure that the public meets the brand and recognizes it, that it stands out in their eyes. Then, and most importantly, they come to love it.
A private media outlet may sell its services, but it is not a company like any other – as journalists never fail to point out. It’s less about selling a product at a given moment than building a long-term relationship with the reader, well beyond the transaction. It’s a matter of emotion and proximity.
And for that, you must first learn to know yourself. So who are you, dear readers, dear readers of Heidi.news? Well, I went to ask you.
We lift the veil on you
A little over a month ago, you received a questionnaire to fill out to tell us who you are, what you like about us, and what you would like to see different. More than 900 of you responded! It’s the least we can do to get back to you.
A preliminary note: you are diverse, it goes without saying. You will therefore forgive me for speaking here in general, on the understanding that you are all special cases.
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You are about as many women (48%) thanmen (52%). This is not a surprise, but it is interesting to know that the choice of subjects and their treatment do not divide the genres.
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You made good studies: 80% of you have a university degree – that’s twice the national average. This is expected given our formats, which are in-depth and require an appetite for reading.
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You are young in your heads, but a little less in marital status: three quarters of you have over 45 years old. In reality, our young readers are a little more numerous than that, but respond less to surveys. And if this seems old to you, know that it is rather less so than among colleagues in the French-speaking press.
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You are French-speaking Swiss, and above all Geneva and Waldensian for 70% of you. We are sometimes told that we are too human-centered, and we are working to be less so. But it is also a reflection of our readership.
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YOU read the newspapers with avidity: more than 80% of you are already subscribed to at least one other title from the French-speaking press. Thank you for them and for us, who rely heavily on your intellectual curiosity.
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Would you like more topics on science, health and environment, which are part of our identity: we take note of this. It’s even in the pipeline, but I’m not allowed to say more (marketing also works on suspense!).
Finally, you are committed and attached to little Heidi, to her independence and to her content. If we are to believe your feedback, our “new formula”, this refocusing on long formats and large surveys, pleases the vast majority of you.
Last but not least
Many of you have told us clearly: you want Heidi.news stays true to himself. An independent media that surprises you and gets to the bottom of things. One last number says it better than a thousand words. More than 95% of you say you are satisfied with the editorial quality.
This recognition honors and obliges us. We will continue to do our best to prove ourselves worthy. Because my job is above all to ensure that you are at the center of everything we do.
Besides, we are almost celebrating our fifth anniversary, have you noticed? Don’t go too far, we’ll have other things to tell you very soon… And that, in marketing jargon, is what we call teasing.
