Latest stats from FunDza mobi site and Mxit portal show that readers are really engaging with the content. Currently, there are more than 350,000 active users of FunDza’s Mxit portal. (An active user is defined as one who has been onto the portal in the previous three-month period.)
And, collectively these readers are reading for more than 45,000 hours per month! This translates into in excess of 1-million monthly page views.
Statistics indicate that the content is really absorbing too! On average each ‘story page’ – containing approximately 500 to 1000 words – is viewed for 3:39 minutes, showing deep engagement with the content.
In addition, FunDza has identified the emergence of an almost 2000-strong group of ‘super users’ who visit FunDza at least every second day.
Says, Mignon Hardie, managing trustee of FunDza, “Seeing this level of engagement is really exciting for us. It is our mission to grow a culture of reading among teens and young adults – and we can see that this is becoming a reality.”
FunDza is using the statistics to help it to identify the best type of content to get young South Africans hooked on reading. In addition, the qualitative feedback, via comments and discussion strings, show that the stories are having an impact on readers as they reflect on themselves and their lives. In the words of one reader:
“Wow…This story has made me appreciate life more. It’s great. Made me grateful for all I have, even the smallest things that I thought didn’t matter.”