For over 200 years, The Inquirer and Mirror has been a steadfast voice for the Nantucket community. With its deep roots in the island’s stories and traditions, the publication faced a critical moment in its history: the need to embrace the digital age. This transformation would require maintaining its rich legacy while meeting the demands of a modern audience.
BLOX Digital emerged as the ideal partner for this journey, offering tools and expertise to help The Inquirer and Mirror not just adapt, but thrive. In partnering together, they reimagined a historic publication for the future, creating a digital experience as compelling and vibrant as Nantucket itself.
Embracing the challenges of digital evolution
Like many established publications, The Inquirer and Mirror needed to overcome significant hurdles in navigating their digital presence. The goals were clear: to streamline content management, grow digital subscriptions, and improve monetization opportunities while continuing to engage deeply with readers. For Publisher Robert Saurer, the stakes were high.
"Our old systems just didn’t give us the flexibility or user-friendliness we needed to achieve our goals," Saurer reflected. "We needed a platform that can keep up with our vision for a more dynamic, engaging publication."
The transition was anything but theoretical. The Inquirer and Mirror had to make significant strides in simplifying its workflows, connecting more seamlessly with its audience, and optimizing revenue streams in a competitive digital landscape.
Choosing BLOX Digital: A partnership built on reliability
After evaluating potential options, The Inquirer and Mirror selected BLOX Digital as their CMS provider. "BLOX Digital’s strong reputation and commitment to continuous improvement were compelling factors in our decision," Saurer said.
The ease of use and adaptability of BLOX CMS stood out. "We needed a solution that was intuitive enough for our team to make changes and updates in real-time," Saurer shared. The Inquirer and Mirror could quickly implement changes to their website without overcomplicating workflows or overwhelming the editorial team. This adaptability is crucial for a publication that serves a close-knit community where timely reporting is expected.
Saurer also expressed confidence that the BLOX Digital team was committed to achieving his goals. "BLOX Digital’s tools and consistent support have been instrumental in optimizing our digital strategy," Saurer said.
A digital presence that delivers
Delivering local journalism through a modern digital platform.
With BLOX Digital's solutions, The Inquirer and Mirror launched a visually striking and highly functional website, significantly enhancing the publication's digital presence and resonating with its readers.
"Our new website is a complete transformation," Saurer said. "It’s better looking and far more engaging for our audience. That was one of the key goals of this project, and BLOX Digital helped us achieve it."
This improved platform has played a critical role in boosting digital subscriptions. "We have improved digital subscriptions by 17%, and our online advertising is up 37%—it’s very healthy."
Redefining efficiency
For the editorial team, transitioning to BLOX CMS has transformed their daily workflow. Freed from the constraints of outdated systems, reporters and editors can prioritize storytelling over technical challenges. Saurer explained, "Our team needed the flexibility to manage web updates and launch new features without delays."Â
With BLOX CMS, the staff is free to concentrate on content creation, streamlining operations to meet deadlines while preserving the publication’s high standards. "Our editor came to me recently and said, ‘This system has completely transformed how we handle content,’" Saurer shared. "Our reporters can spend more time reporting instead of wrestling with outdated processes to publish stories. That’s been a huge win for us."
This new efficiency doesn’t just streamline workflows; it empowers the team to cover stories with greater focus and speed, keeping their audience informed on the issues that matter most.
Time-sensitive updates made easy and affordable.
A turning point for reader alerts
Engaging with readers in real time is crucial. Previously, the publication relied on a costly text alert system for important updates like weather warnings and ferry cancellations.
"Ferries are essential here, and cancellations impact everyone," Saurer explained. "We used to pay $700 a month for alerts with 8,000 subscribers. Thanks to BLOX Digital, we now manage alerts through our app, for free. That’s massive savings and a better experience for our readers."
Smooth interactions, stronger digital subscriptions
Expanding digital subscriptions has been a key focus for The Inquirer and Mirror, a goal greatly supported by the team at BLOX Digital. The integrated subscription portal provides a frictionless experience, with an intuitive sign-up process and easy content access across devices.
"BLOX Digital’s subscription portal has made it so much easier for our audience to sign up, renew, and access content with minimal friction. The simplified user experience has not only helped convert new subscribers but also kept existing readers engaged, minimizing churn" Saurer raved.
This confidence allows The Inquirer and Mirror to showcase its digital offerings, ensuring seamless content access, aligning with revenue aspirations, and providing a sustainable digital subscription strategy.
Effortlessly grow your subscriber base with user-friendly experiences.
Driving revenue growth
Advertising remains a critical revenue stream for The Inquirer and Mirror, and BLOX Digital provides powerful tools to optimize ad placements. The publication has experienced a 37% increase in online advertising revenue, driven by the ability to integrate ads in a way that feels natural to readers.
"BLOX Digital’s platform lets us use ads effectively without disrupting the reader experience," Saurer said. "It’s a balance, and they’ve helped us get it just right."
With real-time optimization tools, the team can adjust placements based on performance, ensuring every ad space works harder to generate value. For a small newsroom with limited resources, having the ability to manage these aspects independently was invaluable.
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A bright future
The partnership between The Inquirer and Mirror and BLOX Digital is a testament to tailored digital solutions supporting local journalism. With BLOX Digital, the publication has streamlined workflows, expanded its digital subscriber base, and generated sustainable revenue—all while maintaining its deep connection with Nantucket.
"Our experience with BLOX Digital has been incredibly positive, and we’re looking forward to future enhancements that will make our operations even more efficient," he said. "Working with BLOX Digital has given us what we needed, and we’ve been able to get things running quickly. News organizations need to be fast; we can’t vacillate for a year. BLOX Digital has been a great partner for that."
The Inquirer and Mirror has never been stronger with a 17% rise in digital subscriptions, a remarkable 37% surge in online ad revenue, and countless operational improvements. BLOX Digital’s tools and support have given this historic publication the foundation it needs to continue serving Nantucket with integrity and excellence for generations to come.
