GMA News Online sets record for highest number of page views for any local site
In an increasingly online world, leading broadcast organization GMA Network continues to blaze the trail as its online portal, GMA News Online, proved to be the netizens’ go-to news source during and immediately after the national elections held last week.
According to data from Effective Measure for worldwide audience for the period May 9 to 11, GMA News Online recorded 109,802,626 page views—the highest number of page views for three consecutive days, a feat that has never been achieved by any local site to date.
GMA’s online portal had almost 90 million page views over ABS-CBN News, which only managed 19,940,178.
GMA New Media Incorporated (GMA NMI), the Network’s forerunner in technology, collaborated with GMA News and Public Affairs to make sure that the online component of the Eleksyon 2016 coverage offered the most relevant, comprehensive and accurate online platform to adequately provide for the public’s need for election-related news and information.
GMA News Online delivered real-time election updates, including up-to-the-minute partial and unofficial results for all positions in the national and local elections up to the clustered precinct level, accessible in all platforms and devices.
Using a proprietary technology developed by GMA NMI, the Kapuso news portal offered “Smart Search,” which made it faster and easier for site visitors to find results by candidate, place or position.
The site also featured a map that showed the drill-down for the national elections, broken down per region, per province and per city.
On top of that, the local results pages can further be drilled-down to show national and provincial results per city or barangay and clustered precincts.
The reliability and responsiveness of the website was stellar and unmatched by competition; having been able to respond at an average of one millisecond per request from May 9 to 11.
Netizens also preferred to get updates via GMA News’ various social media accounts.
As a news organization, GMA had the highest number of new followers on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Viber.
GMA was the first to tweet about the partial and unofficial election results on Twitter.
It also showed statistics in terms of number of interactions surrounding the presidential and vice-presidential candidates coming from Facebook and Twitter.
GMA News Social Media also utilized Facebook Live to keep netizens updated on Election Day.
The GMA News Facebook page broadcasted periodic election news reports through the "GMA News-Facebook E16 Live," while “Para po sa Bayan: The GMA-Facebook Jeepney” allowed some Pinoy voters in Metro Manila to share their voting experience.
E16 Live and Para Po Sa Bayan videos have so far reached more than six million views.
The #DapatTama room on FireChat became the hang-out place for election discussions, while GMA gave Snapchat users behind-the-scene access to the ongoing #Eleksyon2016 coverage.
GMA also came up with #DigiDokyu, a series of short documentaries that incorporates mobile journalism in the Network's election education campaigns.
It is the first television network that produced content for social media that was entirely shot and mainly edited using Android devices.
During its launch on May 7, GMA produced 10 short documentaries about the five Presidential candidates' supporters before the official campaign period ended.
In the next few days, #DigiDokyu series published nine more election-related stories that touched on the voters' experiences, election heroes, and various #Eleksyon2016 behind-the-scenes.
GMA’s online feat in the Eleksyon 2016 coverage is a testament to the Network’s commitment of delivering Serbisyong Totoo.
Without doubt, GMA is well poised to further harness technology and social media in order to strengthen the Network’s equity as the preferred source of news and information not only during the elections but all year round. — GMA News