Comparison site for consumer loans in partnership with one of Denmark's leading media
The business model for the traditional media has been under pressure for several years now.
This is not only because the tech giants are taking ever larger shares of the media’s core business, but also because it is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate through a digital, highly competitive advertising market – and to make money doing so.
For the same reasons, most media are focusing consistently on developing new revenue streams – without cannibalising existing business areas, that is.
Denmark's
biggest
news site
The Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet can trace its history all the way back to 1904. With almost a million regular users and, in round numbers, half a billion page views per month, the paper’s internet site ekstrabladet.dk is currently Denmark’s biggest news site by a considerable margin.
Having a strong case from previous partnerships with comparison sites from other verticals, the product team at Ekstra Bladet was subsequently keen to build on the success achieved, via corresponding working relationships within new verticals. In 2020, the newspaper therefore launched a comparison site for consumer loans, developed in a close strategic partnership with Karman Connect A/S.
Plug and
play
It was an easy decision for Ekstra Bladet. First and foremost, all aspects of the subsite have been implemented and are run by Karman Connect. This means that no input whatsoever is required from Ekstra Bladet’s own technical, marketing or sales departments to keep the site up and running, and to optimize both the traffic from a wide range of channels and the revenues earned via the associated affiliate network on an ongoing basis.
At the same time, the partnership generates value for the users of ekstrabladet.dk, in the form of useful online content on topics including private finances, budgeting, consumer loans and interest rates. All delivered by Karman Connect’s own experts.
Through this content, we teach the Danes, for example, about consolidation loans and how these can reduce their borrowing costs considerably and help them settle their debts.
Smashed all
forecasts
Prior to Ekstra Bladet launching the new subsite devoted to loan comparison, Karman Connect had supplied a forecast which Ekstra Bladet viewed as extremely ambitious. Nevertheless, not even a year had passed before the site had outperformed the forecast by a good margin, providing Ekstra Bladet with an appreciable source of income.
As further confirmation of the remarkable impact the site is generating, it is currently operating with 5-digit eCPM values, which is considerably higher than usual in the market.
"They have demonstrated an impressive willingness and ability to take a proactive rather than a reactive approach. At the same time, they are incredibly responsive to requests from us and always respond rapidly, regardless of whether our enquiry has to do with the technical details of a dashboard or matters of usability, compliance or brand safety.
The working relationship has been a delight from the business perspective as well. Prior to the launch, Karman Connect delivered a business case featuring an ambitious financial forecast – and within a year, the actual results had already shattered that forecast. To the positive side, of course.
In an increasingly tough ad market, the strategic partnership we enjoy with Karman Connect has proved remarkably valuable, both as a risk- and resource-free source of revenue, and as a way to create added value in the form of relevant content for the readers of both Ekstra Bladet and eb.dk. In short, we are extremely happy with the working relationship in every respect.”