• by Melynda Fuller , April 16, 2020

As the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic came into focus, the team at Architectural Digestknew it had to find new ways to serve its audience while also delivering valuable information.

“The current crisis has dramatically underscored the power of great design to sustain, comfort and inspire. We believe that going forward, home and shelter will only loom larger in people’s mind-sets and priorities,” Amy Astley, AD’s EIC, told Publishers Daily. 

To better serve readers now, AD made a few changes to its editorial strategy. It turned editorial focus on stories around quarantine-adjacent terms, such as WFH setups, rearranging your space, organizing and cleaning.

AD also increased the frequency of its Clever newsletters and saw an 80% increase in traffic. The brand’s other newsletters, AD and AD Pro, also report a 35% increase in traffic.

Plus, AD has positioned COVID-19 adjacent stories across its brands, including Clever, which saw a 70% boost in traffic to its “Conversation” content between the end of Q4 2019 and the end of Q1 2020.

“Early on when the pandemic took hold, we posted a statement on all AD platforms that expressed our intention to be an outlet that provides both design news and visual escape. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and the message really defined what our approach has been,” said Keith Pollock, executive director of digital.

Pollock noted the brand’s shift in editorial programming was immediate, with Clever pivoting toward a focus on wellness at home.

“With interior projects on hold, that’s the kind of guidance people are looking for right now — how to properly disinfect your space or finding rituals to keep you sane,” said Pollock. The brand has also launched an Instagram video series called “Creatives in Quarantine,” that has attracted an audience.

Across its other digital properties, AD has lifted the paywall on trade membership site AD Pro’s COVID-19 content, while covering related design news hourly. AD Pro’s audience will also find features about navigating unique challenges like dealing with stalled projects and layoffs.

Pollock said: “This site is meant to serve as a real resource for business owners who are facing new uncertainties each day. We’ve seen growth in our AD PRO subscriptions, and great response to our COVID-19 coverage, so we believe the content is resonating.”

Joining its content slate is a new weekly IGTV show called “AD Visits.” The show, hosted by Astley, focuses on the design world with house tours from notable personalities at home during the pandemic and conversations between AD editors, top designers and other design luminaries.

“AD Visits” offers people access to beautiful homes and interesting people. But Pollock notes: “Amy really wanted this new series to continue to celebrate that mission during a time when ‘home’ has taken on a whole new meaning and importance. The format is a response to the pandemic — but the editorial mission remains the same.”

The AD team hopes to sustain that spirit once the pandemic ends.

“At AD, everything we do tends to have a polish to it. Our stories are beautifully shot, our videos are highly produced. We’ve had to be much more nimble during this time, as everyone has, and it’s something that we’re fully embracing.

“The ‘AD Visits’ series is a perfect example of this. We all grabbed our iPhones and started experimenting.”