BBC News getting 60 percent digital traffic via Mobile devices

Mobile devices have become a big source of digital traffic . BBC News is getting more than 60 per cent digital traffic via mobile devices with peak times at 7am and 10pm. The same content is also to go on YouTube and Facebook offering a consistent look and feel that users will recognise and find in their browsers.

Video viewing on mobile is increasing dramatically. In the UK the BBC News app now has 7.6 million unique users each month, with a quarter of those who watch video currently watching more than five clips each week.

Video remains the best way we tell our broadcast journalism, but the storytelling needs to be available to the smartphone generation too.

BBC News app users can now swipe through a new videos of the day function to catch all the latest news in an easy-to-consume list.

All are created with smartphone users in mind: the videos are vertical, succinct and sharply edited with subtitles for easy viewing.

When the last version of the app was introduced last year video views increased by more than 200 per cent when compared to the previous year. BBC app users now watch 48 per cent of all of the video published by BBC News online.

The app upgrade, which will load up in a new update being rolled out now, is one of the elements of Project Newstream, announced last September, to adapt BBC video journalism to the mobile era. The next smartphone service BBC Stories - personal, emotive, immersive, original video - will come out in a few weeks’ time.

James Montgomery, Digital Development Director for BBC News says: “Video remains the best way we tell our broadcast journalism, but the storytelling needs to be available to the smartphone generation too. These videos of the day are not only great to watch, but optimised for smartphones, because we get that people check their phones frequently but don’t have time to stay for long often when they are commuting.

“The new index helps them browse video news they can trust to quickly catch up on the day in a user friendly package. This is particularly important for younger audiences for whom the smartphone is the strongest link to the news.”