Soccer Laduma has overtaken The Sunday Times as the most widely circulated weekly newspaper in the country. This is according to the latest circulation figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa (ABC), which reflect that Soccer Laduma has grown its circulation by 5.8%.
Founder and CEO of Soccer Laduma, Peter du Toit, said he is thrilled at the announcement. “This is a huge achievement for us, especially as total newspaper circulation has declined by 0.7%. We put our readers first, and I believe these numbers reflect that commitment,” said du Toit.
Soccer Laduma newspaper is the leading soccer publication in Africa and one of the top three soccer publications in the world. Founded in 1997, the newspaper’s reach extends beyond print, with a massive digital footprint of 1 312 504 unique browsers on web and mobile. The digital numbers are also supported by its over 2 million Facebook fans, 370 000 Twitter followers, and almost 200 000 Instagram followers.
Managing Director of Allied Publishing, Paul Peters, congratulated Soccer Laduma on the achievement. “In my 47 years in the newspaper industry, I have yet to meet a more dedicated and passionate editorial team. It makes our sales and distribution function much easier. A big thank you to Peter and his team of football experts,” said Peters.
This milestone comes just ahead of Soccer Laduma releasing their 1000th edition on November 23rd.
“Becoming the leading circulating weekly newspaper in the country tells us that we are serving our readers well, and that is hugely rewarding for us. I look forward to being part of this team as we continue to smash all the records,” said Soccer Laduma editor Vuyani Joni.
Ads24 has been representing Soccer Laduma since October 2015 for advertising sales including its digital properties. You might think that this newspaper is only in the business of soccer reporting, breaking news and telling stories, but it is so much more than that.
“Soccer Laduma is in the business of growing communities, of building spaces and platforms that allow like-minded, passionate people the ability to connect, to hold hands, to communicate and to tell others. The multi-platform approach works for Soccer Laduma and has the traction and, more importantly, the trust of the market that advertisers want to speak to,” says Evan Smith National Business Manager at Ads24.
This Media24 publication provides breaking news, interviews and analysis on local and international football complemented by user-generated content constantly feeding off each other to create a 24-hour hub of interaction. Soccer Laduma aims to get the most reader engagement by providing top quality content, and adjusts its content strategy according to what its audience wants. It is the leading active football community in South Africa across its print, web, mobile and social media properties.
Soccer Laduma is a conundrum in the media industry - a niche publication that's the giant of the group (Naspers). In contrast to the rest of the newspaper industry, where many newspapers have shrinking circulation, Soccer Laduma is still growing.
ENDS
About Ads24
Ads24 reaches six in ten South Africans, including print and digital readers. Ads24 touches the lives of over a half of all South Africans adults. While it is important to identify the size and segment the audience, looking at how Ads24 engages with its readers, is equally as important.
Ads24 is part of the Media24 Group representing 97 newspaper titles. From Dailies to Sunday papers to locals, Ads24 reaches almost every target segment in South Africa, no small achievement in such a diverse country. The most exciting element is how these titles become part of the community that Ads24 serves.
A news reader is an engaged reader. Ads24 news brands play an important and unique role in the daily lives of their readers. Ads24 sees beyond the numbers, beyond the market segments, to connect with the people on a personal level. Ads24 has the stats, the numbers, but also the insights.