Bauer Media Australia’s Dolly goes mobile in major relaunch

Bauer research has shown that more than 90 per cent of Dolly’s 14-17 year old target audience engages with the title via their smartphones. The new DOLLY.com.au has been designed as a fully responsive on demand mobile site that speaks to teens on the platforms they interact with the most.

The site boasts new features including a custom quiz platform and emoji reactions. Video is central to the new digital strategy with content produced in a purpose built DOLLY studio. In-read native video advertising platform Teads will offer advertisers enhanced engagement opportunities with consumers.

“We pride ourselves on knowing our audience, the kind of content they engage with and the forms they enjoy consuming it in. That’s why we’re putting video to the heart of our editorial strategy,” said Emily Kerr, Dolly’s digital managing editor.

DOLLY has also launched on Snapchat to leverage all of the key social media channels, as its consumers’ demand even more sharable content.

In addition to the new site, the new magazine also goes on sale. The new perfect bound bimonthly still reflects the same Dolly ethos but will include longer reads with deeper content on celebrity, lifestyle and relationships.

Dolly publisher Marina Go said: “When Dolly was launched in the 1970s there were very different consumer expectations to those of today. Dolly has remained the number one magazine for teenage girls throughout that time but our readers have told us they want the great content we deliver to them in the format and on the platforms they engage with the most.

“Smartphone usage amongst our audience is very high which is why a mobile first strategy is no longer a nice to have but a necessity.”

“We have spent a lot of time defining the purpose of our digital properties and the magazine. The website will be more reactive, topical and visually strong with a heavy emphasis on video, news and entertainment, while our print offering will be an ‘edited-for-her’ guidebook to her life, with more in-depth features on the issues she cares about most. We’re very excited to be reinventing Dolly for today’s teen.”

Bauer Media Australia is a FIPP member.