The launch of a mobile-optimised website for The Telegraph just over a week ago has already led to a 50 per cent increase in mobile traffic.
Press Gazette understands that before the launch of the new mobile version of Telegraph.co.uk on 9 June the site was averaging 1m users per day on mobile. Since then insiders believe it has increased to an average of 1.5m a day.
The mobile relaunch comes ahead of a major investment in digital journalism announced today at Telegraph Media Group with the creation of 40 editorial jobs.
At the same time around a dozen editorial posts have been axed, including associate editor (politics) Benedict Brogan.
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The new jobs include the creation of a breaking news team and investment in data journalism.
Meanwhile, Press Gazette understands that new Telegraph football website Project Babb has exceeded expectations in terms of traffic since launching a month ago.
The site, which has a focus on humour and features no Telegraph branding, attracted some 600,000 unique users last weekend according to internal estimates and accounted for around a fifth of all football-related traffic to Telegraph.co.uk.
Some 90 per cent of traffic to Project Babb (which is outside the Telegraph metered paywall) is understood to have come via social media and more than two thirds via mobile.
In March, Telegraph.co.uk launched a free travel app offering interactive guides to various destinations which is said to be in profit. And that month the Telegraph also launched a new car reviews website.
Telegraph editor in chief Jason Seiken has previously said that he wants to create a “digitally native” culture at the Telegraph and Press Gazette understands that the current recruitment drive is intended to create momentum behind more digital projects.
Seiken said today: "I strongly believe that, in the long run, quality journalism wins.
“That is why we are focused relentlessly on two things: producing truly distinctive quality journalism and ensuring this journalism is seen by the largest possible audience.”
In January this year Seiken said: "We must reinvent the way we work and move beyond simply putting news and information online and be an essential part of the audience’s lives.”
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