• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, November 25, 2015

One of Canada’s largest newspaper publishers is taking a page from some of its American peers and turning itself into a marketing services agency for local clients.

Postmedia, which publishes newspapers including the National Post, Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Winnipeg Sun, Ottawa Citizen and Montreal Gazette, unveiled an expanded portfolio of digital marketing capabilities for small and mid-sized businesses across Canada.

Postmedia’s expanded digital marketing services for SMBs include responsive Web site design, search engine optimization and marketing, e-commerce functionality, campaign landing pages, and social media advertising. Postmedia’s local sales teams also provide guidance on measurement, analytics and optimization. The publisher is a Google AdWords Premier SMB Partner.

Altogether, Postmedia owns roughly 200 publications, including newspapers, magazines, and Web sites. Its daily newspapers reach 6.3 million Canadians per week.

As noted, a number of American publishers have already diversified their businesses with digital marketing services.

Earlier this year, Dallas Morning News publisher A.H. Belo acquired three marketing outfits with areas of expertise spanning digital and print: Distribion, specializing in local digital marketing automation; Vertical Nerve, focused on search engine marketing and optimization to help business build Web traffic and online conversions; and Marketing FX, a direct mail and promotional marketing company that provides print, packaging, specialty advertising and fulfillment services.

Last year, McClatchy Co. took a stake in Engage3, which specializes in retail intelligence and mobile shopping platforms.