Marketing is the action of getting a consumer to move. That movement could be booking a hotel room, buying a sweater, renting a car, or clicking “confirm” on an appointment. In every case, we need the customer to move closer to us and act. 

But that movement doesn’t happen in a vacuum. In modern marketing, the biggest challenge isn’t product or price, it’s attention. The platforms are splintered. The audience is distracted. And in the midst of this fragmentation, marketers chase shrinking visibility with rising costs. 

Now imagine if you had a destination, a website that consumers already visited daily, where attention came organically. That would change the game, wouldn’t it? 

Nieman Lab dropped a new article titled, “How did newspapers in places like Harrisburg, Birmingham, and Syracuse become some of America’s most-read online?” That proves some media brands are doing exactly that. While it’s no shock to see the L.A. Times at number one for U.S. local news traffic, what may surprise you is who else made the list. 

NJ.com ranks second in the nation according to SimilarWeb, an analytics company that reports total monthly visits. Even more impressive: our parent company, Advance Local, owns seven of the top 11 most-read local news websites in the U.S., including MLive.com, Cleveland.com, AL.com, and Syracuse.com. Furthermore, NJ.com consistently ranks #1 among local news websites in the U.S. for monthly unique visitors (July 2024 – June 2025 average). 

Let that sink in. 

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” It’s a fitting reminder in a time when digital attention is harder than ever to earn. Platforms change, algorithms shift, and audiences scatter but the fundamentals remain: storytelling and human connection always work. 

That’s what makes the recent Nieman Lab story so compelling. While many outlets are chasing audiences across platforms, the most-read local news sites in the country are seeing readers come to them understanding how to consistently build trust and relevance in their communities. 

These sites haven’t had smooth sailing. The local news industry faces constant headwinds. But through it all, they’ve stayed focused on what matters – understanding their audience and telling stories that resonate. 

It’s a reminder that while the tools may change, the goal doesn’t. If people seek you out because they value what you offer, that’s a position of strength no matter what the platform. 

Interested in seeing how you can leverage NJ.com and other Advance Local news sites for your marketing efforts, contact us!