Upgrading Video Formats
Mediapool.bg stands as a leading investigative online media platform in Bulgaria, respected for its independence and adherence to high journalistic standards. However, due to ongoing media dynamics, these commendable attributes alone fall short in engaging a wider and more diverse audience.
Participation in the “Deepening Digital” project provided Mediapool with an exciting opportunity to diversify their predominantly text-based digital content. The primary aim was to conceptualise and implement a pilot project dedicated to video content production, exploring diverse formats such as video explainers, animations, and reels.
This initiative significantly bolstered the newsroom’s capabilities in crafting visual narratives. The entire team was actively involved in the process, from conducting thorough research and interviews to handling filming and scriptwriting.
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Call for Innovation
Overall, Mediapool.bg stood as a robust and valued independent media outlet. It demonstrated commendable traffic generation. The content produced by Mediapool maintained a consistently high level of quality and quantity. However, there was a notable absence of diversity in terms of formats utilised, and media types employed. This lack of content innovation, particularly in the realms of video, posed a risk to Mediapool’s competitive edge. Prior to the project, the team had limited experience in creating their own video content due to lack of resources, knowledge and skills.
Visual Storytelling Project
Mediapool’s team was thrilled at the opportunity to leverage their journalistic skills in the realm of visual storytelling. The mentoring sessions focused on refining and structuring the process and crafting an efficient workflow from the topic selection through script writing until production
The outlet dramatically increased its video production and diversified from predominantly textual content.
As a result, Mediapool experienced a surge in its total and especially in its core audience. Also, a remarkable increase in loyal audience members has been observed. This indicates a notable rise in repeated engagement and interaction with the platform’s content among a specific audience segment. In the long run, the growing loyalty of the audience creates an opportunity for launching a paid membership program, leveraging this burgeoning base of loyal followers.
Another noteworthy increase was the rise in brand lovers, highlighting an enhanced level of appreciation and affinity for Mediapool’s brand among the audience.
Moreover, the strategic diversification of Mediapool’s digital content holds the promise of unlocking new avenues for monetisation, particularly through video advertising in the future.
Overcoming Challenges Together
Due to inexperience, the team underestimated to a certain degree how time consuming could be script writing and video production in collaboration with an external supplier. However, all difficulties were overcome thanks to the positive and enthusiastic approach of the team.
The impact of this project was not only measured in terms of enhanced website traffic but also in gaining a nuanced understanding of what resonates effectively with the audience.
“Everyone is enthusiastic about preparing videos and video animations. There is no way to describe it all, but it was an incredible experience for the whole team. You can feel how gradually Mediapool has transformed itself”. – Mediapool.bg team
