Technology accelerating Alma’s journey towards advanced platforms

Growing in digital has been in the core of Alma Media’s strategy for many years. In fact, we have grown in digital remarkably in the past years and have turned our traditional media business into a successful digital business. Read in the following paragraphs, how Alma’s story will continue in the upcoming years.

In 2023 82% of our revenue came from digital sources, whereas fifteen years ago, the percentage barely made it on double digits. A lot has been achieved, but the journey continues.
In the upcoming years Alma is taking the digital strategy to the next level. We are moving from digital marketplaces towards advanced platforms. Sounds interesting, but what does it really mean?

– Traditionally our marketplaces have offered a platform where buyers and sellers can come together. Once the ideal home, car or job has been found, the actual transaction happens elsewhere. With advanced platforms we aim to enhance the experience of both parties, so that the whole interaction can take place in the same platform in a secure way, says Head of Alma Consumer, Santtu Elsinen.

– The advantages of advanced platforms are many, such as increased efficiency and, productivity, scalability and flexibility of the service, and more personalized user experience. In addition, advanced platforms enhance the collaboration of the trading partners and improve the platform’s adaptability to industry trends, Santtu continues.

Focus on AI and developing the skills of employees

The updated strategy requires new skills from employees and currently the focus is on AI, artificial intelligence.

– To develop our services towards advanced digital platforms, we need to make sure that our employees have the required knowledge and skills to take us there. At Alma, AI for example, has been used in service development for years, but now, with the rapid development of this technology, the need for increasing the competence of the whole personnel has gained new perspectives, Santtu explains.

– In the fall 2023, we organised a company-wide event, Alma Growth Day, which was entirely dedicated to the topic of AI. Our own employees shared successful use-cases of AI to their colleagues in all Alma countries, he concludes.

Santtu Elsinen has worked as Alma Media’s CDO since 2016. He recently started a new position as Head of Alma Consumer business segment. Alma Consumer is one of Alma’s three business segments and consists of digital marketplace services such as Etuovi.com, Autotalli.com and Nettiauto and many more. Also, Iltalehti, one of the biggest news media in Finland is reported in this segment.

Alma Consumer’s competitiveness is based on the superior reach of media and services as a digital network, uncompromising journalism, our unique data pool, and the developing industry verticals in the areas of housing, cars, and comparison services.

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