Newsweek is catering to digital readers by rolling out a mobile-optimized redesign of its site featuring smartphone-friendly tools such as a sticky social-sharing bar and easier navigation.

As publishers ramp up to maximize digital subscriptions and evolve their content to better fit the increasingly mobile-centric world, Newsweek is introducing a new online visual system designed to optimize the reading experience for consumers using tablets or smartphones. Fans of the brand will now be able to more easily share favorite stories with their social media networks, navigate the different sections of the site and view more magazine articles than before.

?Newsweek launching new upgraded digital properties is an important move to retain, enhance and grow readership,? said Marci Troutman, CEO of Siteminis, Atlanta. ?Understanding the needs of its consumers by closely reviewing the data and understanding the way consumers change with the digital times in this world of the Internet of Things can only build its loyalty base even further.?

Extending print to digital
An increasing amount of consumers are demanding ways to receive print-quality and print-like journalism on their smartphones, allowing them to access content from any location and on any device. Sitting down with a newspaper and cup of coffee used to be a morning ritual for many individuals, but has now morphed into a daily routine of on-the-go news consumption while commuting or on lunch breaks.

This has prompted Newsweek, along with a slew of major publishing companies, to adjust content to better fit smaller screens. Newsweek?s revamped site is meant to extend the look and feel of the print magazine to mobile and desktop formats.

When consumers visit the homepage, they will spot the company?s logo, as well as the current lead article. They may click on the menu button to pull up a drop-down tool showcasing all of the available news topics, including business, technology and science, culture, sports and world.

Users will be able to toggle back and forth between stories and topics quickly, bolstered by the more easily readable format and quick download times. Readers may also type keywords into the highly visible search bar atop each topic section.

The homepage, while heavily focused on highlighting trending stories, was designed to provide additional room for integrated sponsorships. It will feature sticky ad units in a bid to appeal more to advertisers and offer a memorable browsing experience for consumers.

Social at the center
One of the most noticeable new tools on Newsweek?s site is a sticky social media bar that appears at the bottom of the page when a reader is scrolling through an article. If he or she enjoys the piece, he or she may easily click on one of the social media icons to share the story with friends and family.

The easy-to-use feature enables quick sharing across Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Google+ and email.

The sticky social media bar may also have an effect on the volume of Newsweek?s readership. If individuals can tap a button to instantly disperse stories via their popular social networks, a wider audience will be privy to Newsweek?s content.

Other publishers seeking to gain more traction on social media would be well-suited to implement the same type of tool.

Newsweek is also ending the year on a strong mobile foot, alongside major brands that have seamlessly jumped to a digital focus as well.

This past June, Newsweek brought its news content to iPhone users with a new application, giving readers on mobile a sneak peek of the weekly edition in a bid to ramp up subscriptions (see story).

Additionally, as audiences gravitate toward bite-sized pieces of news consumable on mobile devices, the New York Times furthered its commitment to targeting younger demographics by eliminating subscriptions for its NYT Now mobile app in May (see story).

?Media companies need to realize the critical nature of 'the share'; especially with the competition being strong, they need to ensure that their news is easily viewable and shareable,? Ms. Troutman said. ?Newsweek offering a sticky social media bar on its revamped site shows the brand is forward-focused and listening to the consumers and reducing the friction required to share content. 

?Media companies should take note and ensure they too are adding enhancements and important upgrades that show they listen to their community on where, when and how they want their news delivered.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely, staff writer on Mobile Marketer, New York