12 June 2017: The Financial Times is launching its first video-only vertical, Transact, themed around the pivotal questions driving the future of capital. From today, Transact has a new hub on FT.com, a new YouTube channel and a Facebook page, aimed at an audience of corporate decision makers, institutional investors and wealth managers.
The FT is partnering with UBS to create a mix of FT editorial and UBS-branded content, produced by Alpha Grid. The channel will provide greater volumes of specialist financial intelligence.
A 2015 survey of senior decision makers by Alpha Grid found that the three most popular reasons for global business decision makers to click on a web video were its relevance to their industry, its entertainment value, and it being referred by a trusted contact. The 2016 iteration of the same study found increasing trust of video news and YouTube in particular as a source. More than 40% of those surveyed used YouTube as a daily news source, and roughly the same percentage called the video platform a trusted news source -- putting it ahead of many traditional publishers.
Branded content is an increasingly important revenue stream for publications around the world, with some analysts predicting it will be a $20 billion market by 2021. At the FT, working in branded content has been going from strength to strength, with revenue from paid posts within the FT’s branded content division, FT2 increasing 400% in 2016, and the acquisition of a controlling stake in Alpha Grid in 2016.
FT chief commercial officer Jon Slade said: “We are in an exciting new era of storytelling, and FT Transact brings the extensive knowledge and experience of our journalists to life with high-quality video production. We are pleased to have UBS as a launch partner for FT Transact as we help our audiences navigate complex subject matter through new and engaging formats."
About the Financial Times
The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. In 2016 the FT passed a significant milestone in its digital transformation as digital and services revenues overtook print revenues for the first time. The FT has a combined paid print and digital circulation of almost 860,000 and makes 60% of revenues from its journalism.