The problem

Every previous attempt at surfacing new features or secondary content in the app landed at 1 to 2% CTR. Readers came for the news, scrolled the feed, and left. Anything that looked like a promotional slot was ignored.

The insight

The failures had one thing in common. They looked like ads. So instead of asking for attention, I borrowed formats readers already trusted and used constantly.

What I did

• Story rings at the top of the feed, using a pattern readers already knew from social apps, for time-sensitive and short-form content

• Native-format feed widgets built to sit in the reading flow rather than interrupt it, matching the article cards around them in type, spacing and behaviour

Results

• 9% CTR on story rings

• 15 to 25% CTR on native-format widgets

• Now the default launch surface for new features across the company

What I took from it

Attention is not won by standing out. It is won by earning a place in a pattern people already trust.

Full case study at voleshads.com