Mail Online: 'Why we're staying free'

DMGT execs have been wooing shareholders at an investors day on Monday. We're not there, but DMGT has published all its slides online - they show a publisher determined to eschew Times Online's paid route by aggressively courting advertisers and eyeballs to remain largely free . Here are the key bullet points… Photo by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com on Flickr. Some rights reserved Bullishness:- • Half of Mail Online traffic is direct hits. • "Digital-only display ad revenues for MailOnline are currently up 131% year on year for financial ytd." • Mail Online publisher Martin Clarke says he's " gunning for the portals " and "attacking portals like MSN and Yahoo". • Why the site is celeb-heavy: "Choice of content is heavily influenced by real-time minute-to-minute monitoring of reader activity – while preserving core brand values." • Site's readers are " MidBritons to a man and woman " - "a younger, richer version of the people who read our papers". On charging:- • " Readers will not pay to consume general news on the web ." • "All news has traditionally been free – EXCEPT print." • " People pay for the convenience of print in recognition of the special cost of production and delivery of a tangible product and because they purchase it WHOLE." • "Which is why they will also pay for news on mobile devices." • "And we will also experiment with niche paid-for web content ." Staying free:- • " Like it or not, the web is free with one or two players in each sector becoming big winners." • "MailOnline – uniquely among UK newspaper sites - is now big enough to make the advertising model pay ." • "Staying free also allows us to expand our news brand internationally." • "And protect and promote our group's paid-for products and services." • " A pay-wall MIGHT make a little money – we will make a lot ." Pushing to print:- • Web begets print - "78% of UK MailOnline audience do NOT buy Mail newspapers, but are exactly the kind of people who SHOULD." • "Mail readers who also use our website buy TWICE as many copies of the paper." • There's a "focus on converting new customers to paid-for products in print and on mobile devices ". Paper sales:- • Mail Newspapers made about £11 million from cruise adverts in 08/09. • Sainsbury's sells 27 percent of all Daily Mail/Mail On Sunday copies. • Mail circulation revenue has been growing for the last decade. • The Mail's circulation is falling slower than the rest of the market. Diversified income:- • The MailLife retail affiliate brand earned £21 million turnover at half-year - £4.7 million revenue for A&N. • Customers used it to buy 566,000 products in 08/09, spending £31 million - it sold £3.6 million worth in wine alone . • A&N Media says it has a database of 13.7 million contactable customers. • Now A&N wants to connect up its whole consumer portfolio, including Metro and Loot, in this way.