Brafton has reported that 78 percent of Americans look for news online, and content marketers should consider that the rise of the iPad and other tablets may be making online […]

Brafton has reported that 78 percent of Americans look for news online, and content marketers should consider that the rise of the iPad and other tablets may be making online news readership more mainstream. The Wall Street Journal reports that a number of news apps are being developed for media readers, and this may help brands that act as news content providers get their content distributed to broader audiences.

The Journal reports that news reading applications Pulse, Flipboard and SkyGrid are among the top apps in a burgeoning category of news applications that consumers are increasingly using to keep up with the latest headlines via their tablets. The news source reports that Pulse and Flipboard currently boast 500,000 users each, while SkyGrid is supposed to exceed 1 million users in Q1 2011, indicating that online news readership is on the rise.

This development could be good for marketers who offer industry-relevant news content on their sites, as the apps strive to make news relevant to mobile consumers. "We can help publishers on the presentation of content and help readers become more engaged," Mike McCue, chief executive officer and co-founder of Flipboard, told the source.

The option to get news distributed to interested consumers through these apps may be appealing to a number of marketers this season – as Brafton has reported, content marketing is expected to be a top marketing priority in 2011. Plus, an IDC report covered by Brafton suggests that smartphone and tablet shipments will see significant increases next year, indicating mobile news apps could reach a broad audience.

Katherine Griwert is Brafton's Marketing Director. She's practiced content marketing, SEO and social marketing for over five years, and her enthusiasm for new media has even deeper roots. Katherine holds a degree in American Studies from Boston College, and her writing is featured in a number of web publications.