For over two decades, the article has shaped the way digital journalism is produced and delivered. It is the object around which CMS systems are designed, the format that defines editorial workflow and the container used to measure everything from engagement to revenue. In many newsrooms, it is not just one format among many. It is the product.
But for most mobile readers, the article is no longer the beginning of their experience. And more often than not, it is not where their attention ends up either.
Inside publisher apps and mobile feeds, users scroll through headlines, respond to a push alert, watch a short video or interact with a poll. They engage in moments. They get what they need and move on. Many never open the article at all.
That does not mean they are uninterested. It means they have already found what they came for, outside the format we keep treating as central.
When editorial logic and product behaviour fall out of sync
Newsrooms still invest most of their time and energy into producing articles. This makes sense. The article is where the reporting lives. But the problem is not the journalism. It is what the product assumes about how users will interact with it.
In mobile environments, the assumption that people move in a linear path from headline to article to related story no longer holds. The path is more fragmented. Sessions are shorter. Attention moves sideways instead of downward. Reading cannot be assumed.
It is common now for a user to open a news app several times a day, skim the top stories, engage with a visual or quote and close the app without ever tapping on an article. This is not a sign of disinterest. It reflects how attention operates when time is short and options are endless.
Why format is the real interface between product and journalism
Format is often treated as an afterthought. A visual layer that wraps around a story once it is written. But in practice, format shapes the experience. It decides how the story is encountered and how it moves the user forward.
Good formats do more than look nice. They organise information, guide comprehension and lower the barrier to entry. They help the user know where they are and what comes next.
If the article is the only format in play, users have to work harder to extract meaning. Some formats are too dense for mobile. Others ask too much too soon. When every story leads to a long scroll, many users hesitate or leave.
A more thoughtful approach gives readers multiple ways in. Instead of pushing all attention into the article, it spreads it across surfaces that reflect user needs.
Ten mobile-first formats that outperform the article at the surface
This behavioural shift has prompted leading publishers to explore a new set of formats. These are not superficial tweaks or engagement tricks. They are deliberate editorial structures designed to capture interest, reduce friction and guide users through complex stories in more natural ways.
Here are ten mobile-first formats that have proven more effective than articles at the top of the engagement funnel. They are designed not to replace depth, but to enable it.
1. Threads
A sequence of short, feed-native content blocks published within the app, often structured around a theme or developing commentary.
Why it works:
Threads break the narrative into digestible steps. They mirror the rhythm of social feeds while allowing editorial voice and continuity. Instead of a dense scroll, users can follow an argument or update one card at a time, which improves comprehension and reduces bounce.
When to use it:
Ideal for analysis, opinion, explainers, multi-part narratives or reactions to ongoing stories. Works well when you want to build momentum or hold attention across a session.
Example:
While few news apps currently support native thread-style feeds, many of the same publishers rely on this format extensively on social platforms like X (formerly Twitter). The value is well understood: sequential delivery, editorial voice, mobile-native engagement. But the execution often stops short of being integrated into their own products.
A notable example comes from The New York Times’ climate team.
In a recent thread titled “What’s a peatland and why does it matter?”, they broke the topic down into nine concise, image-supported updates. Each post tackled a specific angle; from carbon storage to quirky ecological facts, allowing users to scroll, learn and engage without needing to read a full-length article. The structure mirrored a mobile-native thread, guiding the audience step-by-step through a complex subject.
