Creamer Media launches new information-rich website

Publishing group Creamer Media has this month (February 2011) launched a new website, which offers users a wealth of information on the group’s various publications, as well as paving the way for e-commerce.

Creamer Media CEO Kenneth Creamer explains that although the group had an existing corporate website, it was decided that a major revamp was in order

“We felt it was important to update our corporate website in order to provide user-friendly access to information on Creamer Media’s print and online offerings. We offer a wide range of advertising and subscription opportunities across a number of titles and it is our intention that the new website should assist in communicating our products and services to our market in an effective way.”

“It has always been our philosophy that clear communication is essential to good business, through our new site we intend to practice what we preach,” says Creamer.

Creamer Media’s products include the print and online versions of Engineering News, Mining Weekly, Polity and Research Channel Africa. It also publishes a range of special supplements, including Projects in Progress, a Real Economy Yearbook, an African Mining Roundup, as well as an Advertisers’ Catalogue.

The new website provides extensive information relevant to each publication, detailing the target market, key readership statistics, upcoming features and advertising rate cards.

“One of the most dynamic aspects relates to the advertising options, with prospective advertisers now able to access all details related to advertising – including advert sizes, advert positions and advert rates – all from a single and easy-to-use source,” says Creamer.

The various advert sizes are displayed in a graphical manner, offering viewers a visual representation of the size and positioning of the ad on the printed page or website. Details of advertising costs are available and an online request for a quote can be generated.

Creamer Media chief operating officer: sales and marketing Reinette Classen says the new Creamer Media website will make it easier for prospective clients to gain information about the various subscriptions and advertising options on offer.

“The supporting graphics and information provided will assist clients and advertising agencies to make informed decisions while planning their marketing campaigns,” explains Classen.

Website designer Shane Williams explains that the design of the website was aimed at presenting a wealth of information in a simple and easy-to-use format.

“We took all the information contained in our many rate cards and packaged it into accessible, well organised and simplified versions, without compromising on the depth of information.”

Creamer adds that the new website will house Creamer Media’s Online Ad Centre, which allows online advertisers to track the actual performance of their advertising campaigns.

“After logging in, advertisers can view in real time the amount of times that their online adverts have been viewed,” says Creamer. “This ad centre allows us to offer accountability as every advertising campaign that we run comes with a minimum guaranteed number of ad views,” says Creamer.

“Online advertising has become an extremely dynamic part of our business in the last decade, having grown to a sizeable part of our ad revenue.”

He adds that one of the most exciting aspects of the new website is that it provides the backbone for the introduction of e-commerce in the coming months.

“Globally, people have taken to e-commerce in a big way, with millions buying applications, books, music and research, to name a few, over the internet. We intend to use this impetus to create an online arena for the purchase of certain Creamer Media products,” says Creamer.

“This development will allow for online subscription to the group’s magazines, its website services, online databases and research reports on a range of industry sectors,” says Creamer.

One of the benefits of buying the research reports online is that it will be possible to purchase and download industry-specific research reports, rather than the entire research bundle.

The research reports cover a range of industries, mining sectors, countries, and projects in projects. Industry sectors include the automotive industry, chemicals, construction, electricity, liquid fuels, telecommunications, infrastructure and water. Mining sectors include coal, diamonds, ferrochrome, gold, nickel, platinum and uranium.

Creamer says that the website will make use of industry standard secure gateways for the e-commerce element, and that agreements have been put in place with a number of third party secure gateways.

“The e-commerce capability will also give new energy to the subscriptions side of our business and we hope for significant increase in subscription revenues over the next few years,” says Creamer.

“We are very excited about the new website and believe it will allow us to continue to grow our revenues as well as entrench the image of the Creamer Media brand.”