Google's new program to help global publishers accelerate digital growth

Initially, the program will focus on the area of Reader Revenue with other topic areas including Audience Development, Advertising Revenue, Data and Product coming over the next few months.

Google today launched a new, free program to help news publishers around the world navigate the complexity of digital transformation, improve their readers' online experience and expand their business.

Developed in collaboration with industry experts including FT Strategies, FTI Consulting and Mather Economics, the GNI Digital Growth Program will help small and mid-sized news publishers develop the capabilities required to strengthen the digital presence and accelerate the growth of their online business.

In a blog post, the search giant wrote, "Google has long invested in supporting news organizations as they adapt their business models in an evolving media landscape. That's why widely sharing our findings with the news industry has always been a cornerstone of the Google News Initiative's approach."

"Through the GNI (Google News Initiative) Digital Growth Program, we look forward to working with more news companies to think differently about their digital business, unlock new revenue opportunities and build sustainable growth online."

Initially, the program will focus on the area of Reader Revenue with other topic areas including Audience Development, Advertising Revenue, Data and Product coming over the next few months.

Participants will get online access to a comprehensive playbook offering publishers strategies and real-world examples, a set of interactive exercises to estimate their potential reader revenue opportunity and build a plan for long-term reader revenue growth.

Further, the Reader Revenue workshops led by Google and industry experts will provide business recommendations and they will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Lastly, GNI Labs will offer personalized support and one-on-one coaching on a range of subjects to tackle specific business problems.

The program is built on the European edition of Google News Initiative's Digital Growth Program which was launched in Europe back in July 2020. The program is now available in ten languages- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Polish, German, Korean, Japanese and Bahasa Indonesia.