Why Wordle should be your newest digital strategy inspo
We love a strong morning routine: journaling, exercise, coffee, skincare. And for much of 2022, we (along with millions of people) added a new activity to our lists: Wordle.
The game gives players six tries to guess a five-letter word. It exploded in popularity in January, when many of us were taking extra COVID precautions, i.e. rarely leaving our houses, and using it as a new way to pass the time and connect with others – sharing daily social posts about how well - or how poorly - we performed.
So, it wasn’t at all surprising when Wordle was scooped up by a big company shortly after taking off. The New York Times paid a price “in the low seven figures” to add Wordle to its growing game business, which was anchored by the famous daily crossword and built out further with the popular Spelling Bee. Wordle was the new crown jewel, accessible to all and with a passionate fanbase.
The NYT is known for its journalism, but like the rest of the news industry, it has had to get creative when it comes to other forms of revenue in the digital world. Most haven’t figured out how to do that authentically, which is why the NYT should serve as a case study when it comes to developing a well-rounded digital strategy. (Watch Melissa’s Tik Tok on why you should think about it the same way you think about your financial portfolio.)
Need proof? Check out what the NYT said about its first quarter results:
“While we experienced real momentum in news, it was not the only driver of strength in the quarter. Wordle brought an unprecedented tens of millions of new users to The Times, many of whom stayed to play other games which drove our best quarter ever for net subscriber additions to Games…”
They continued: “It was our best first quarter in terms of subscription growth since the launch of our digital subscription model outside of Q1 2020. We added 387,000 net digital subscribers in the quarter…The Times now has 9.1 million total subscribers, with 10.4 million subscriptions. Overall revenue grew more than 13 percent in the quarter, with digital subscription revenue up approximately 26 percent and total advertising revenue up almost 20 percent.”
For a brand that wants to be part of everyone’s morning routine - this was the way to do it.
Jonathan Knight, the NYT’s Head of Games (coolest title ever?), recently sat down with CNN’s Brian Stelter on the Reliable Sources podcast to talk all things Wordle, and how his department plays a role in the future of the powerhouse known for journalism, not games.
Coming from a background of more traditional digital games (including The Sims and Words With Friends), Knight told Stelter that he was attracted to the role at the NYT because he was impressed by their “commitment to games as part of their strategy for their future.” Not to mention, he finds his work in supporting the NYT’s larger mission of independent journalism to be “super rewarding.”
Much of the NYT is behind a paywall, but Knight said there are no current plans to do the same with Wordle, because what makes the game great is its accessibility, and the fact that “we’re all trying to solve the same word every day.
It’s all a lesson in thinking outside the box, but not too far out. The Sunday Crossword has been running since 1942 and is iconic in its own right. Knight told Stelter about the intention of adding the crossword to the newspaper, explaining it was meant to give people “a bit of a break” and act as “dessert after you get through the news.”
The focus on Games isn’t unlike another venture from the NYT: the cooking app. Social media’s affinity for recipe sharing, combined with a trusted voice in a sea of influencers, has made the app wildly successful, with over 335K reviews in the Apple app store, the vast majority giving it five stars. The vertical has even inspired the amazing Instagram account, NYT Cooking Comments (which has, sadly, not been updated since February).
You’re probably thinking, I don’t have the budget or the audience of the NYT, what am I supposed to take away from this? It’s true we can’t all just purchase the newest viral game, but there are some lessons and inspiration from the NYT’s strategy of jumping on a viral trend and using it to its advantage.
First and foremost, identify the natural extensions to your brand. Have you picked your content pillars? Try coming up with one out-of-the-box idea for each, as an exercise to be ready to jump on the next viral trend. (This will also help you identify where to put your energy - not every moment will make sense to participate in.)
Next, pay attention to the Internet. While we could all use a little less time on social media, block time regularly to stay caught up with what’s trending, so you can jump on moments that are relevant to your brand while they are happening. Many of the social platforms have ways of keeping you up to speed. We recommend LinkedIn’s twice-weekly trending topics emails.
Finally, don’t be afraid to act fast. Wordle was the game of the new year, and the NYT announced the purchase on January 31, 2022. It hasn’t been an entirely smooth rollout - Knight acknowledged the tech challenges in particular. But there’s an important cliche to remember here: don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Capitalizing on a trend that’s relevant to you will build your audience, and even if you’re not sure you’re executing perfectly, you’ll probably learn something new and hopefully pick up a few new fans along the way.
Viral moments can feel short-sighted, but working these lessons into your own strategy will have long-term payoffs. Case in point: the NYT is partnering with Hasbro to turn Wordle into a board game. Sounds like the word of the day is $$$$$.