Leading Edge Forum + Turtl | Case study | Turtl
How Leading Edge Forum's shift from print to digital reshaped the reader experience and uncovered hidden audience insights
*Leading Edge Forum + Turtl:* Repackaging research for an online audience
How Leading Edge Forum's shift from print to digital uncovered never-before-seen data insights
*Overview:* The story in a nutshell
The team at Leading Edge Forum (LEF) had been considering a more digital approach to their research reports for some time. A survey of their client base also found a clear external push for a more digital way of delivering that content. The pandemic was the forcing function.
"We were publishing about 10 research reports a year in print that could be up to 80 pages long," explains Gareth Scragg, Marketing Director at LEF. "Suddenly, all the office buildings we were delivering those reports to were empty. We had to find a new way to get that content in front of our audience."
Gareth had come across content created with Turtl's software several times over the years, so the tool was high on his list when they began considering digital platforms. He introduced it to James Bodsworth, LEF's Advisor on Emerging Technologies, who began discussions with the Turtl team to figure out if it could deliver on their content repackaging venture.
"I wanted more than just an online PDF," says James. "I think that's a short sell for your readers and doesn't capture the potential of digital content today."
Once Turtl had proven that its technology was a truly digital-first format, LEF began integrating the software into its workflows and among its design and research teams. The results quickly spoke for themselves:
- Production cycles were reduced by 5 weeks
- Average read times over 8 minutes
- Hundreds of clicks on interactive widgets
- And much more...
Leading Edge Forum is a research-led advisory program that helps senior leaders accelerate the business outcomes of technology-enabled change. LEF is part of DXC Technology.
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*Challenges and objectives:* Digital done right
What criteria did LEF use to find a digital solution that would outmatch the industry-standard PDF?
James and Gareth both knew that an online PDF would not live up to the leading edge name. They needed something that would innovate and enhance the client engagement experience. There were four main objectives for an alternative solution:
1. Innovative user experience
Can we find a format that will shake up audience expectations and create an innovative experience?
2. Multimedia-friendly
Is it possible to mix different mediums such as audio, animation, and video in one format?
3. Flexibility across devices
How do we cater to the proportion of readers who are reading on mobile devices and tablets?
4. Speedier production
Will removing the printing segment of the production cycle significantly impact our time-to-market?
There is nothing engaging about reading an 80-page PDF document on mobile. You spend more time scrolling and zooming in and out than you do actually reading it.
James Bodsworth, Leading Edge Forum's Advisor on Emerging Technologies
*Solution:* Interactive online research reports
Why Turtl's software was the solution of choice
THE SOLUTION:
Built from the ground up for digital readers
A winning format backed by science
Turtl's format has been built from the outset to work with the science of reading. In a study using eye-tracking technology, the Turtl format extended read times 73% longer than the same document in PDF and even boosted the accuracy of memory retention. This benefits LEF's comprehensive reports that can be up to 80 pages long. The Turtl format segments them into more easily digestible chunks.
Interactive widgets for two-way content
LEF has generated a wide range of multimedia assets that would largely be unfit for print. Turtl has allowed their research and design teams to collate these visual assets and embed them within their reports. There are also Turtl's own interactive widgets such as charts and polls that give their readers an opportunity to engage and even provide live feedback or insights while reading.
Optimized for mobile devices, always
One of James and Gareth's biggest criticisms of the online PDF was the poor UX when reading on mobile or tablet. The endless scrolling and zooming were not what they were looking for in a digital format. Turtl, however, automatically adjusts content created in its format for any device that it's being read on. You can also make specific changes to differentiate desktop and mobile view.
A streamlined production process
When LEF was creating these reports in print, the entire printing process took around four weeks. Not only is this now eliminated by going digital, but Turtl's editor is so easy to use that the designer is able to shave an extra week off of the design time compared to using some of the leading design software on the market. That's a reduction of five weeks in total.
How LEF produces research reports with Turtl
The hidden benefit of a fully digital approach
Switching to Turtl's digital-first format proved to deliver even more than they were initially looking for. Due to being cloud-based, the Turtl software can track readers at a granular level as they progress through the reports. These data insights can then be fed back into the production of future reports.
Step 1: Research
LEF’s research team undertake in-depth C-Suite interviews to produce comprehensive reports
Step 2: Design
A designer takes the original report and uses Turtl's in-app editor to quickly design its layout.
Step 3: Analytics
After the report has launched, the engagement metrics are relayed back to the research team.
Our research team is naturally very data-driven and they really care about the end result. Being able to offer them tangible data that shows exactly how people travel through the reports is significant in helping them refine future content.
James Bodsworth, Leading Edge Forum's Advisor on Emerging Technologies
*Results:* Audience-first research
See what hidden insights were discovered by going digital
RESULTS
Repackaged reports with reader behavior in mind
Turtl's proprietary format has allowed LEF to turn static reports into multimedia-rich, interactive digital documents that are designed to offset cognitive overload and encourage readers to stick around for longer.
They've not only shaved five weeks off their time-to-market, but they've also been able to discover hidden insights like the ones shown here. This data is invaluable to create resonating research for the type of audience that LEF works with.
It's incredible how much information people will absorb via Turtl. The platform enables readers to access multiple resources and rich data sources in one single publication.
Gareth Scragg, Marketing Director, Leading Edge Forum
Performance:
Average read time is more than 8 minutes
126 engagements with interactive widgets and links
1 in 3 readers are re-engaging with the report multiple times
Content iteration
The audience data generated from the reports have been used to help improve the quality and relevancy of future reports. For example, the research team has learned to shorten the headings and subheading of their reports after seeing higher click-throughs on chapters with shorter, snappier titles. This would have been completely hidden in print and PDF.
"I personally use Turtl's analytics to get a better gauge on what makes our audience tick," says James. "I'll look at the metrics on our reports to see which imagery saw the most attention and then use those images on social media to improve engagement there. The insights have cross-applications."
We've never had quantifiable data like this that I can take to executives and prove the value of what we're doing.
Gareth Scragg, Marketing Director, Leading Edge Forum
Proving ROI
The LEF team has historically reported to the CTO at DXC. The CTO would regularly ask which parts of the reports were the most interesting to their audience and which topics customers were engaging with. These questions were hard to answer before Turtl, and further justified the decision to ditch print for digital.
"We've never had quantifiable data like this that I can take to executives and prove the value of what we're doing," explains Gareth. "The insights these reports are producing are exactly what they've been asking me to provide for years."
