The Daily Sun Facebook page now has over 400 000 fans, which according to Social Bakers, places it second in the media category in terms of the number of Facebook followers. The social media team at Daily Sun attribute this growth to the unique content, delivery methodology and to fans who share their posts, creating reach that is beyond just the page.
“The most effective tactic in growing a Facebook following is word-of-mouth (WOM), or in the digital sense, shares and recommendations,” said Thabiso Sekhula, digital content producer at Daily Sun, “We have a lot of people who read the paper and then go online to share opinions on what they read and they do it quickly. Some comment on Facebook with the hope that they will see their comments in the paper, but most of our online audience is completely different from the print reader. We have found ways to make digital and print work together.”
The Daily Sun social media platform makes access to the publication faster and easier. This market spend a lot of time on their mobile phones (SA has the 4th highest cell phone penetration globally) and the convenience of being able to access Daily Sun content builds audience and has the added benefit of creating visible brand ambassadors who defend the publication.
“Consumers are seeking credibility from brands, Ask Afrika’sTGI Township reveals that word-of-mouth (WOM) garners the greatest trust, South African’s are taking WOM online and are champions of mobile, internet and social networking, providing a platform of greater social cohesion,” said Mike van Eck, digital portfolio manager at Ads24.
The Facebook page has a symbiotic relationship with the editorial of the newspaper, and provides insight into what content the market wants to read. The Daily Sun Facebook page gained access to a video of a child being abused at a crèche and through fan interaction, which led to an in-depth follow-up story, assisted the community.
