Page 176 - AC/E's Digital Culture Annual Report 2015

Cultural business models on the Internet176aging unlikes). But with 2,700 likes, Facebook still gives our community a place to connect and share content.The key for CPN has been to experiment and see what works. We also always remind ourselves that one size doesn’t fit all. What works for CPN might not work for the Guardian’s Teacher Network, whose readers, for example, are unlikely to connect with them on social media during the day (working hours).The network now and what’s nextIt would be remiss to talk about the develop- ment of CPN without giving some context to the changes that have taken place in journalism and publishing over the past decade.Those changes and their impact are far too complex and wide-ranging to summarise insuch a short chapter, but there is one thing in particular that can be said of the sector that relates to the future of professional networks like CPN: print revenues have declined significantly and readers are now turning to digital channels for their content fix.In June 2014, Ofcom research revealed that for the first time, consuming news on websites or apps was as popular as reading newspapers.24 According to that same report, of 2,731 UK residents: “Younger people (1624) are driving the surge in consuming news on the internet or apps, with 60% doing so in 2014, up from 44% last year. Some 45% of 1624s said that websites or apps were their most importantsources for news, up by a half over the year (30% in 2013).”The rise in users reading news and articles online means we have to continue to innovate and cater for increased numbers of digital readers.How does this impact CPN? First, the rise in users reading news and articles online means we have to continue to innovate and cater for increased numbers of digital readers. To address this, the network switched over to the Guard- ian’s new responsive layout in early December 2014.25 With roughly 40% of CPN’s readers consuming content via mobile channels, it was important that we adopted a responsive design to ensure that whether on a smartphone, tablet, phablet, laptop or desktop, the user experience remains clear, comfortable and familiar.The second way in which Ofcom’s research impacts how CPN operates is how many young people are using online, and only online, to consume content. It means that online sites must wiseup to the ways in which young people engage with digital content. Do they still use Facebook or are new messaging apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat their preference? Are they more likely to comment on certain types of article? How loyal are they to branded community sites such as CPN? These are the types of question that publishers and online communities like ours need to ask themselves heading into 2015.The Guardian Culture Professionals Network: a case study in professional community publishing