Publisher growth tactics for election season | WEBINAR
Write your intro last. That was the advice I received from a senior colleague at the start of my career and, after reading The Verge’s latest article on the ills of the SEO industry, I was immediately reminded of its value. You might have already read Amanda Lewis’ lengthy article last week (or the couple […]
A quick look at the global economic situation reveals that monetization diversity remains as sound a strategy for publishers as ever. Before the Israel-Hamas war, the outlook for the global economy was middling, with the OECD projecting that growth would slow next year amid persistent core inflation. Now, however, the World Bank has just warned that […]
Between information abundance and falling attention spans, how should publishers prepare to engage future audiences? This is a pressing question as technologically driven changes in media habits become increasingly apparent. Social media and mobile devices now deliver an endless buffet of bite-sized content, leading users to compulsively scroll through their feeds for hours. Many publishers […]
Over the past two months, publishers have been slammed with 4 Google system and algorithm updates, particularly the Helpful Content Update (HCU) and core algorithmic update, resulting in traffic slippages across the board. While my industry colleagues across the board have provided their winner and loser analysis on queries and niches, we’re still focusing and […]
Since writing about Google News Showcase early last year, I’ve been pondering the difficult position publishers find themselves in concerning Meta and Google. Publishers rely heavily on social media networks and search engines to help them reach new audiences. At the same time, the publishing industry has locked horns with Meta and Google, claiming they […]
Observers love to talk about change. It gives them the chance to flex their analytical muscles and present some “what if” scenarios with a certain degree of risk-free authority. Sure, it can go spectacularly wrong when making short-term predictions. Still, more forward-looking projections are generally treated with more forgiveness, perhaps because the sea of other […]
I’ve found myself wondering what the future of Google SERPs looks like following the rollout of Search Generative Experience (SGE). Despite all the technical and design changes Google has implemented over the last 25 years, the general structure of 10 blue links has remained largely untouched. Can this continue with SGE’s launch? Answering that has […]
Australian industry body the Digital Publishers Alliance (DPA) released its first-ever report last week, shedding some new light on the conversation around trust in the media. I’ve previously shared some thoughts about declining trust in the media, believing that more work must be done to engage audiences before trying to win their trust. The DPA’s […]
I sat down to write this week’s missive intending to delve into the financial challenge of working as a freelance journalist. I’d been mulling over whether full-time freelance journalists were an endangered species, increasingly relying on other income streams to put their kids through school and keep a roof over their heads. It made me […]
The publishing game is far from easy. The sector has long struggled between audience building and monetization; even those at the top still strive to optimize and thrive. Commercial viability isn’t up for negotiation, and even those publishers lucky enough to have the support of a generous patron with deep pockets eventually need to show […]
Is Google a publisher? It’s a question that’s been occupying my thoughts of late. On the face of it, the answer is simple: Google doesn’t create content, so it’s not a publisher. That was part of the tech giant’s defense in court against an Australian defamation suit. The Supreme Court of Victoria ruled in 2020 […]
Echo chambers, though widely acknowledged, often remain unnoticed in our personal lives. Take, for example, the notion that digital media’s rise is ushering in print’s inevitable end. Perhaps not dead, but it’s certainly on life support. It’s a perception that tends to be reinforced by stories such as The Guardian’s coverage of the closure of […]
After a restful break last week, in which not one odd job around the house was completed (utter bliss!), I’m back at my desk once more, refreshed and reinvigorated. If you haven’t had a chance yet, I’d recommend checking out last week’s editorial note from SODP’s very own Vahe Arabian, in which he touched upon […]
Video Transcript: 00:00 Hello everyone, I hope you’re all doing well. It’s been a while since I’ve recorded in person, and for this week’s editor’s note, I wanted to share some updates with you. Instead of struggling with writer’s block and spending a lot of time putting words together, I thought I’d share some insights […]
I can’t say I was overly surprised when new research revealed that there’s less freedom of expression now than 20 years ago. A quick look at global events over the last decade — including the rise of authoritarian governments, outbreaks of armed conflict and even the “culture war” — should be enough to explain UK-based […]
The best part of any conference, at least to me, is when delegates get to chat amongst themselves and share their “war stories”. I found myself caught up in one such conversation last year with a publisher whose primary audience consisted of those either in retirement or in the process of doing so. He explained […]
