USA Today SWOT Analysis
This is the SWOT analysis for USA Today which covers the internal strengths, weakness and external threats and opportunities.
Strengths
• One of the leading newspapers to be known since 192.
• The most widely read newspaper in the United States.
• Strong target market, the newspaper has captured its presence not only within the United States but also in Canada and United Kingdom.
• Achieved rapid success due to its innovative format.
• No other media has ever considered writing a national newspaper to be written shorter in pieces compared to a traditional newspaper.
• Appealing design of the whole newspaper filled with colorful photos, graphs and charts.
• Strong market presence.
• From 350,000 readers in 1982 reaching to 2 million today, the readers now consider the US Today as the most reliable newspaper of all times.
• Its online website is known to be one of the top internet sites for news and information.
• Over the years the newspaper learnt to target the achievement oriented Middle Americans in professional and managerial positions who frequently travel and take more pleasure in reading.
• Became innovative with more serious newspaper that promotes journalism.
• Strong brand extension.
Weaknesses
• The newspaper has been unable to get online subscribers compared to The Wall Street Journal.
• The newspaper has a scattered layout material.
• The USA Today’s television channel failed to receive higher ratings and received negative reviews from the critics.
• Less advertising.
• Customers are unable to receive the updated information on real time unless they have an access of RS – enabled mobile device.
• Many people perceive the USA Today as promoting cheap journalism although the newspaper has worked hard to improve the quality of its content.
• The economic crisis has a direct effect on the travel industry which also reduced the sale of the newspaper in the hotels where they provide door to door deliveries.
Opportunities
• The USA Today capitalized its marketing opportunities by listening to the needs of its customers. They can further provide more personal level information in a clear, upbeat and positive way.
• Constant innovation in providing more valuable news to the diversified readers.
• The newspaper can further redesign to make the paper easier to read and simple in design.
• Although the newspaper has a strong distribution channel as being published in almost 90 countries, the newspaper can further go for market extension strategy against its strong competitors.
• The newspaper can adapt to a proper full event calendar listings, where the publications can list all the events for free while the event promoters can pay for highlighting texts or icons etc.
Threats
• Tough competitors in the market like The New York Times and the Wall street Journal.
• Negative reviews can be a threat to the newspaper.
• Lawsuits can be filed against any misrepresentation of any form.
• Online advertising competitor like Google continues to be a threat for the newspaper
• As the recycling culture has become more significant, readers are now discouraged to subscribe for newsprint editions as they feel papers are killing trees.
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