CBS Local Digital Media’s websites and mobile applications attracted 56.8 million unique users – a new record for a single month – during January. Last month’s traffic topped the previous all-time high (50.6 million in April 2013) by 12 percent and was up 37 percent compared to January 2013.
Last month’s traffic surge comes on the heels of a record-setting performance during 2013, when CBS Local’s sites and apps attracted year-to-year growth of 21 percent in average unique users per month.
In the four years since CBS Local created new websites featuring the combined assets from CBS-owned television and radio stations, the number of monthly unique users has surged by more than 230 percent.
Also last month, CBS Local shattered its monthly record for unique users who accessed its sites and apps via mobile devices with 27.1 million users in January. Mobile traffic was up 24 percent compared to the previous high (21.9 million in December 2013) and up 109 percent compared to the same month last year.
“Our continued integration of digital into all parts of our local business is yielding dividends. The great mobile presence our stations have via mobile websites, Radio.com and CBS Local apps creates a presence that gives the consumer a great user experience,” said Anton Guitano, COO, CBS Local Media.
Original audio and video content continues to be part of CBS Local’s business strategy. Shows include: “Tailgate Fan,” an inside look at professional and college football tailgating around the United States; “Essentials,” mini-documentaries telling the stories behind the biggest artists and athletes; and “Pre-Game Playlist,” a look at the music that professional athletes listen to when they are on and off the field, rounded off with frequent artist and athlete interviews that give consumers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the world of sports and music. CBS Local’s unwired digital newsroom is the largest in the nation, giving consumers an unprecedented breadth and depth of content to consumers.
“We are extremely gratified to see such tremendous growth in the popularity of our sites and apps,” said Ezra Kucharz, President, CBS Local Digital Media. “Our continuing success is a testament to the great work being done by our local teams across the country that are responsible for bringing together the best content from our CBS Television Stations and CBS RADIO and also original content that is exclusive to our digital platforms. Our unique model for integrating great local content with compelling national content has yielded these great results. This is an exciting time for our business and we look forward to stacking success in the months and years to come.”