by Dana Lee on 4th Feb 2026 in Video Interviews

In this episode of A Coffee With... Meena Miles, director of global ad ops at The Independent, joins ExchangeWire's head of content John Still over a flat white to chat data, audiences, and flexibility in modern work.

Meena oversees ad operations for The Independent, the Evening Standard, and the recently acquired UK Buzzfeed brands. Tune in as she and John discuss the importance of quality metrics, understanding audience value, and shifting consumer habits towards quick media consumption.

Data-Driven Strategy and Quality Metrics

Data sits at the heart of publishing strategy, highlighting performance and opportunities. Meena talks about moving beyond RPM as a success metric to focus instead on the total value generated from a user's entire visit, prioritising engagement and time on-site.

"How do we make sure that people that are coming to our site are staying on our site, and are engaging and [...] consuming more content and more advertising? What helps us then explore that journey is data; it's showing us what people are doing, when they're doing stuff, and how long they're doing it for. Basically, we're moving away from revenue per page to more revenue per user, revenue per session."

A key part of this shift involves analysing traffic sources to gauge the value of users coming from different channels. By leveraging their understanding of audience behaviour, publishers can develop strategies to attract and retain high-value consumers.

Adapting to Audience Needs and Declining Traffic

Publishers have been seeing a steady decline in referral traffic amid the rise of AI and a changing open web. To adapt to this evolving landscape, publishers must focus on producing compelling quality content that gives users a need to visit their site, driving direct traffic without search.

One key initiative is The Independent's Bulletin section, which uses AI to summarise articles into concise bullet points. Following its success, they launched a dedicated Bulletin app, reflecting the demand for faster, more accessible news formats.

Flexible Working and Media Consumption Habits

Post-covid, much of the corporate world has experienced a paradigm shift from blanket office mandates to remote and hybrid arrangements. As a mother of two living outside London, such flexibility is essential for Meena to balance a demanding global role with family life.

These changing work models mirror broader shifts in media consumption. Audiences are increasingly time-constrained, consuming content in short bursts on their mobile devices during commutes and breaks. Engagement now peaks in the mornings, lunchtimes, and evenings. This pattern reinforces the value of short-form formats that deliver information efficiently during dead time.

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