New technology links media platforms

An innovative mobile platform entwining the traditional media of newspapers and thriving online media is providing opportunities to South West advertisers and business owners to expand their virtual presence.

Launched in November last year, iNFOGO is an on-the-go online platform — a division of The West Australian Regional Newspapers — which gives users access to interests like news, weather, horoscopes and a business directory.

Introducing a new concept to iNFOGO’s online involvement means the user, and consequently advertisers and business owners, is more interactive.

Using a QR code reader on a smartphone, an iNFOGO user can scan a code in their South Western Times to access news content, video clips and photo galleries.

iNFOGO manager Felicity Renner said for businesses, the new interactive option was a way to combine print and digital strengths to boost traffic to their products.

“iNFOGO provides an opportunity for businesses to not only have print exposure, but mobile app and website exposure,” she said.

Mrs Renner said iNFOGO was designed to bridge the gap between print and digital news and advertising.

“The interactive aspect is a way to work together rather than compete separately,” she said.

“They work off one another.”

West Australian Regional Newspapers South West region general manager Geoff Beard said this step forward in iNFOGO’s interactivity was opening doors for South West advertisers.

“Businesses could use it as an opportunity to show more information about their business,” he said.

“A butcher could use one of the interactive links to link a special on meat to a recipe.

“A hardware store could link a picture of paint on sale to a video on how to correctly paint a room.”

Mr Beard said there had been a growth in the use of smartphones in recent years and it had emerged as a convenient, mobile way of accessing news.