A hyperlocal app which began as a project winner in a ppi Media promotion has progressed to a news ecosystem for a local publisher.

At ppi's Open Days event in Kiel earlier this month, Alexander Drössler, digital product manager at OWL-Digital, a subsidiary of the Neue Westfälische, Lippische Landes-Zeitung and Mindener Tageblatt, told of his company's hyperlocal strategy. The Neue Westfälische has built up a local news ecosystem working with ppi startup competition winner Lokalportal, with two pilot projects launched in East Westphalia in April.

Drössler told delegates he was "extremely pleased" with how the neighborhood portal project was progressing and the positive response from the local residents. There are plans to expand the strategy and introduce a monetisation model in the near future.

More than 160 guests at the city's Atlantic Hotel heard hyperlocal products are becoming increasingly important for media companies, with the aim of combining local journalism with ads from local retailers and publishing them digitally, for instance via Facebook or WhatsApp.

Regional media companies in particular could address specific target groups more efficiently like this and at the same time, make advertising more accessible to local retailers.

The Open Days event was opened by Norbert Ohl chief executive of ppi Media for many years, who symbolically handed over the reins to his successors Hauke Berndt, Markus Feldenkirchen and Jan Kasten, who take over as managing directors on July 1.

Delegates discussed ways that media companies could meet today's digital challenges, the significance of local journalism for publishers, and how weather data affects ad sales and even internal production processes.A total of 14 international speakers, 11 of whom were chief executives, gave a broad insight into today's challenges and possible solutions for publishers. Michael Maness from the Harvard Business School and Shannon Kinney from Dream Local Digital (USA) also shared their experiences. The event was rounded off by an evening function.

One approach discussed was for publishers to diversify their product portfolio in order to minimise risk. Stephan Marzen, chief executive of Rheinische Post - RP Digital in Düsseldorf - explained how the company has been reorganised to now focuss on digital products and new business areas such as real estate, radio, TV and translation and document management. Christoph Rüth, chief executive of Madsack Media Group in Hanover, explained how his group has taken up the challenge of diversification by making the group's organisation more flexible, with the north and eastern German regional publishing company covering new business areas such as postal services, ticketing and events.

On the technical side, managing editor of the Weser-Kurier Media Group Christian Wagner described the integration of ppi Media's Content-X editorial software into pressinfo, enabling it to respond more quickly to today's trend towards greater digitalisation.

Speakers also presented concepts for new business models, with TV presenter and chief executive of Meteolytix in Kiel Meeno Schrader presenting a solution for creating weather-related sales forecasts.

In the round of discussions following this presentation, a number of advertising concepts for publishing companies were put forward on how to achieve a better conversion rate with relevant content. Weather data can also be used to optimise publishers' inhouse processes. One example was to improve time management between production and delivery by taking icy weather conditions into account.

Next year, ppi's Open Days will take place from May 29-30 in Hamburg.

Pictured: Delegates at Kiel's Atlantic Hotel

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