Unique visitors to websites owned by Bath-based media group Future have soared by 57% over the past year, taking the total to more than 23m and confirming the business as one of the UK’s leading digital publishers.
The data is the first since Future acquired London-based TI Media for £140m in April, which added 38 brands such as Decanter, Country Life, Homes&Garden and Woman & Home, to Future’s portfolio, taking it to 200-plus titles.
Future said the deal – the largest in a string of takeovers it has made over recent years – had strengthened its position in existing markets and entered it into new sectors such as women’s lifestyle.
The audience figures have been released by Comscore, the American media measurement and analytics company that provides marketing data and analytics to advertising agencies and publishers.
Future, whose portfolio spans gaming websites and social media communities such as GamesRadar, PC Gamer, TechRadar to hobby sites including Classic Rock and FourFourTwo, remains No. 1 for UK consumer tech audiences for the 19th consecutive month, with an audience reach of 12.9m, according to Comscore.
The group has also taken the top spot in the homes category following a 35% uplift in unique visitors to its homes sites, including Homes & Gardens, Livingetc, Ideal Home and Country Homes & Interiors, thanks to the addition of TI’s ‘iconic’ portfolio.
The combined reach of its cycling titles also made Future the UK’s leading publisher of digital cycling content while it sports portfolio achieved significant growth, with unique visitors up 208% on the quarter and 421% on the year, to reach a UK audience of 2.4m.
It attributed the success to the expansion of the portfolio, with Rugby World, Golf Monthly and Cycling Weekly added to the brands measured by Comscore.
It was also in the top 10 for lifestyle sites and became a new entrant into the women’s lifestyle sector, with a UK audience reach of 5.9m. Future’s lifestyle portfolio includes high-profile brands such as goodtoknow.co.uk, marieclaire.co.uk and woman&home.com.
Future credited its audience growth to “innovative content models, expertise in growing audiences and proprietary technology”.
Future UK commercial revenue officer Zack Sullivan said: “These fantastic results reflect the strength of the Future portfolio, the quality of the individual brands and the exceptional work of our expert editorial and audience development teams.
“Reflecting our new scale following the TI Media acquisition, this set of results presents an exciting opportunity to connect new commercial partners with engaged audiences via premium, contextually relevant and brand-safe environments.
“As we enter Q4, we’ll be capitalising on the holiday shopping period and looking ahead to our expansion plans for 2021.”
Last month Future launched three new digital brands to capitalise on the top emerging trends from lockdown – gardening, keep fit and binge-watching TV.
Future said it had brought the new websites to market at speed in response to growing consumer interest in areas previously seen as niche.
The brands – Gardeningetc.com, WhattoWatch.com and FitandWell.com – leverage content and editorial expertise from TI Media.
Now it has created PetsRadar.com, a digital pets brand with a mission to “help the world’s pets lead happier, healthier and longer lives”.
Future said PetsRadar.com offers a unique combination of trusted advice, detailed product information, pricing comparisons to ensure quality and value, and the best deals on top pet products, enabling animal lovers everywhere to make pet-related decisions with total confidence.
Launched by Future’s new tech lifestyle group, the brand taps into the booming pet market – the American Pet Products Association estimates that, within the year, $75.38bn (£56.78bn) will be spent on pets in the US alone – and an acceleration of 63% growth in online pet retailing since Covid-19.
PetsRadar.com will also place a particular emphasis on smart tech for pets, reflecting the emergent trend in pet technology. As a result, the site will carry buying guides and reviews covering pet trackers, monitors, entry-systems, automated feeders and high-tech toys.
PetsRadar.com managing director Paul Newman said: “We live in extraordinary times and the companionship and comfort our animal friends provide has never been more important. PetsRadar.com is about equipping owners with the information they need to ensure their cat, dog, rabbit or reptile lives the best life they possibly can.
“Our in-depth advice and buying guides will help to connect our commercial partners with high-spending consumers who care deeply about their pets and the products they buy for them.”
