User needs are at the heart of building a true bond with your audience - one that is based on trust and value. Any newsroom can be successful as long as it finds its product-market fit and its output satisfies audience user needs strategically, consistently and creatively. Ultimately, we would like to give you tools, techniques and examples, showing you how the model can work for you and how it leads to various alternative and attractive stories.

User needs analysis in the newsroom is the first step to create more impactful content, that generates higher engagement and a stronger connection to your readers. We have the data to back this up - but more importantly, we are your ultimate user needs partner.

See how we help

Smartocto didn’t just adopt User Needs. We built our platform around it.

When the User Needs Model 2.0 reshaped how newsrooms think about audience value, we made it a structural part of our system. Not as an add on, but as a guiding principle. Our goal is simple: help editorial teams turn audience centric strategy into daily practice, in a way that is measurable, collaborative and sustainable.

Here is what that looks like:

  • We translate user needs theory into practical newsroom workflows. Tagging, analysis and reporting are embedded directly in your routine, so editors can act on insights instead of treating them as abstract concepts
  • We combine real behavioural data with user needs insights, helping teams understand not only what performs, but why it matters to their audience
  • We make user needs measurable at scale. Editors can track balance, impact and blind spots across sections, formats and time periods, turning strategy into something concrete
  • We integrate AI driven guidance that converts complex audience data into clear editorial recommendations aligned with user needs
  • We continuously research user needs and share the results through client cases, whitepapers and webinars, so the industry can learn and improve collectively
  • We support adoption beyond software through training, consultancy and peer learning in programmes like User Needs Labs

Smartocto acts as infrastructure, research partner and training environment in one. The result is a system that does not just measure performance, but helps newsrooms build long term audience relationships through the practical application of User Needs.

User needs analysis in the newsroom is the first step towards creating more impactful content, driving higher engagement and building stronger relationships with your readers. It works - and we have the data to prove it.

Portrait of Rutger Verhoeven

Rutger Verhoeven CMO, smartocto

Our content analytics system helps news publishers create content that connects first, so that clicks, conversions, and loyalty follow naturally.

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Or, learn why smartocto is your ultimate user needs partner by reading this client case - and then book a demo.

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