How publishers can reach younger audiences beyond social media

By Naomi Owusu, CEO and co-founder, Tickaroo

For younger, digitally native audiences, news is something they encounter while doing something else. A headline appears between videos, a friend shares an update on WhatsApp, or a local story comes up on their feed as they scroll through Instagram or TikTok. Ofcom’s latest research found that 78% of young people aged 12 to 15 had accessed news through social media and video-sharing platforms in the past month alone.

With the UK government’s planned social media ban for under-16s expected to take effect in spring 2027, some of these familiar routes to news are set to change. For publishers, this creates a new challenge: how can they continue to reach younger audiences without relying on algorithm-driven distribution?

The risk goes beyond a decline in referral traffic. Without a compelling alternative, losing access to social media could mean that young audiences simply encounter less news, leaving them less informed and disconnected to what is happening around them. Closing this information gap will require publishers to think beyond simply replacing one distribution channel with another. This presents an opportunity for publishers to build trusted, engaging news experiences that younger readers actively choose to visit and return to.

Understanding younger audiences’ preferences 

Reaching younger audiences requires more than simply meeting them where they are. Publishers must first understand what young people want from news to curate a worthwhile experience to truly capture this audience segment.

The Reuters Institute’s latest Digital News Report reveals how the news habits of 18–24-year-olds have shifted in recent years. These social-first audiences consume news less intentionally than older generations and favour audiovisual platforms. On social and video platforms, they pay more attention to individual news creators (51%) than traditional news brands (39%). Around four in ten young people also say they ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’ avoid the news altogether.  While the depressing nature of news is cited as the main reason for news avoidance across generations, younger audiences are also likely to avoid the news because it feels irrelevant to their lives or is difficult to understand.

These findings show how important it is for publishers to tell stories in a way that connects with younger audiences and feels relevant to their everyday lives.

Live blogs are one way publishers can achieve this and build a stronger connection with younger readers. With community-driven, interactive features such as quizzes, polls and live Q&As integrated directly into news websites, real-time formats allow publishers to build immersive, short-form multimedia news feeds that mimic the fast-paced feel of the social apps younger audiences prefer.

Create destinations, not just distribution channels 

Building a stronger connection with younger audiences means giving readers a clear reason to turn to a publisher’s own website, app or newsletter. Simply publishing the same articles in a different place is not enough. The experience must reflect how younger audiences are accustomed to consuming information: quickly, visually and with the ability to move easily between updates, background and analysis.

Live blogs help bring these elements together. They create an evolving destination where new developments, explainers, images, video and links to related reporting can sit alongside one another. Readers can enter the coverage at any point, catch up on what has happened and continue following the story as it develops. 

Publishers such as Baltimore Banner and Stuff are already using live blogs during important news cycles such as elections, sporting events, or breaking news stories. During Maryland’s primary elections, more than 50 Banner journalists contributed reporting, photography and video to a live blog powered by Tickaroo. The live blog generated more than 380,000 views, while the wider election package delivered record subscription conversions.

Stuff offers another example. Its live coverage of the Taylor Swift ticket frenzy in Australia received more than 400 comments, giving readers a way to share their reactions and experiences and take part in the conversation as the story unfolded.  

Having a clear destination to check back for updates and feel part of the conversation can help make the publisher’s website part of readers’ regular news routine.

Design for mobile-first habits

Building that habit also means designing coverage around how younger audiences use their phones. Coverage should be easy to navigate on mobiles, with concise updates and clear visual signposting. Photography, short video, graphics and embedded explainers within live blogs can make complex stories more accessible without sacrificing depth.

The interactive elements can also make live coverage feel more relevant and personal. Live Q&As and moderated questions give readers a way to ask about details they find confusing and hear directly from journalists. Polls and reader contributions can bring their views and experiences into a story, while shareable updates make it easier to discuss developments with friends.

For younger readers, the value lies in being able to understand a story, see their experiences reflected and feel part of the conversation. However, these features need a clear editorial purpose and active moderation, so that participation adds useful perspectives and actually helps readers make sense of what is happening.

Make trust a part of the experience 

Younger generations are increasingly sceptical of the news agenda as the rise of AI-generated content fuels concerns about misinformation. To add to this, their lack of affinity and loyalty to legacy media brands means that publishers cannot simply rely on their reputation alone to earn trust. For the younger generation, trust is earned. 

Liveblogging formats can be particularly helpful in this endeavour to make the reporting process more transparent. Clearly attributed sources, timestamps, links to supporting coverage and visible corrections help readers understand where information has come from and how a story is developing. Publishers can distinguish verified information from emerging claims, correct inaccuracies as new details become available and add context as events unfold. This peels back the curtains and gives a glimpse into the journalism process rather than simply presenting the finished result. It creates an authenticity that appeals to younger audiences and demonstrates the practical value of trusted journalism.

Turn attention into a lasting relationship

A successful news experience should not end when the breaking news story is over. Publishers should connect real-time coverage to explainers, newsletters, follow-up reporting and other relevant stories, creating a wider journey for young readers around the topic.

Ongoing measurement is also a critical component of this process to help publishers adapt accordingly. This includes measuring more than page views. Engaged time, repeat visits, interaction rates, newsletter registrations and movement into related content can reveal whether younger readers are actually finding genuine value.

Beyond the ban: an audience-first strategy 

The aim is not to simply reproduce social media on a publisher’s website. It is to offer something social platforms often struggle to provide: a clear sense of source, context and editorial responsibility.

The upcoming ban presents a clear opportunity for publishers to build a relationship with younger audiences, one that takes their preferences into consideration. Combining mobile-first storytelling, real-time coverage, meaningful interaction and transparent journalism can help create news experiences that young audiences actively seek out and trust.