Business Chat: Oliver Rouane-Williams, Ipswich.co.uk
What is ipswich.co.uk?
Established in August 2024, it is a free and fiercely independent local news and media brand that unashamedly serves the people and businesses of Ipswich.
What was your journey to get here?
I spent seven years in local media, three years leading the growth of The Sun, The Times, and talkSPORT at News UK, two years on the executive team at a mobile technology scaleup, and three years advising media and technology companies.
What drove you to launch a local news brand in Ipswich?
A combination of passion and stubbornness…and possibly a bit of stupidity! But every decision I’ve made in my career, I’ve made to get me one step closer to launching a local news brand in my hometown – despite its undeniable challenges.
It’s a great domain name – how did you acquire it?
I put in an offer and, after some back-and-forth with the seller, we agreed a price of £20,000. I didn’t have the cash, so I sold my pride and joy (an orange Lotus Exige) before sheepishly telling my wife the “good news”. A week later, it was mine, along with ipswichtown.co.uk and ipswichcity.co.uk.
That’s a lot of money – why did you spend it?
I only know one way: all-in at 100mph. I also wanted to make a statement of intent and build a brand that could extend way beyond a news website in the future.
How have you funded the business?
I invested £70,000 and raised a further £90,000 from a friend who shares the same vision and values. A few years ago, I turned down the opportunity to raise equity capital because I didn’t want to be forced into a ‘growth at all costs’ mentality and an exit further down the line.
What innovative revenue streams or business models are you exploring?
There are no ads on ipswich.co.uk, instead, local businesses are invited to make a financial contribution towards our journalism. In exchange, we work with them to grow their brand, reputation, and sales so they can thrive for the collective benefit of our town.
Another innovation is our sponsored referral concept, which enables businesses to share our content in exchange for exclusively sponsoring 100% of the traffic they refer to us.
What role will challenger news brands play in the future of local journalism?
Legacy media companies have proven over the last decade that they’re incapable of innovating, but independent publishers like us are forced to be innovative to survive. We are shaping a better future for local journalism.
What challenges and opportunities have you encountered?
In the UK, everything is geared towards supporting large incumbent media companies.
Newsquest receives thousands of pounds a year from Ipswich Borough Council for advertising and statutory notices – we don’t receive a penny. It also gets taxpayer funding from the BBC to hire local democracy reporters and thousands from Google which also prioritises it in search results.
Everything is stacked against you.
Where do you see the business in five years?
In five years, we’ll be Ipswich’s primary source of news and information and the primary route to market for local businesses. We’ll have a physical presence in the town centre, and we’ll publish our journalism across the web, social media, email, app, and print.
I also want to create a blueprint that can be replicated in other parts of the country so that, over time, we see a shift of power to independents like us.
