Archive for the ‘consumer’ Category
10 tips for effective digital magazines
Friday, September 3rd, 2010Digital magazines are beginning to move up the priority list of many publishers. Partly a backlash from free online web content, but largely driven by the growth of mobile devices, not least the ipad. There is a special quality to a carefully designed and packaged magazine, a curated, guided experience rather than the random meandering on a typical web-site. Traditional print publishers are exploring digital editions as options for international subscribers or simply readers who want instant access. Most suppliers are soon going to find a cost-effective solution to the flash vs html5 apple device issues. However, a simple facsimile of a print edition misses the point - they are hard to read on screen, and impossible on mobile devices. I’ve been working with a niche b2b publisher and researching some examples of best practice in digital magazines on a limited budget: here are my top 10 tips for an effective digital edition: (more…)
Tags: digital editions, digital magazines, ezines, Specialist Media Network
Posted in b2b, consumer, content, implementation
Why specialist titles thrive with independent publishers
Saturday, August 21st, 2010Media giant IPC are in the process of disposing of around 28 niche titles - like Guitar and The Railway - and reportedly are selling to several small publishers rather than as a job lot. This set me thinking about specialist media businesses and whether they actually do better under independent ownership than as part of a large media organisation. At Emap I disposed of several niche specialist magazines that were deemed to be uneconomic. They moved to independent publishers, where they were nurtured and started growing again. Here’s my thoughts on why niche media businesses can actually do better when independently owned: (more…)
Tags: Emap, independent publishers, IPC, Media Pioneers, niche titles, specialist magazines, specialist media, specialist media show
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, news, opinions, people and culture
How specialist media owners see their future: realistic optimism
Saturday, July 24th, 2010I’m cheered by the optimism shown by specialist media owners who responded to the survey we ran with Fusion Communications for the Specialist Media Show. They are well aware of the dramatic changes coming in their industry, but seem to be pragmatic and forward looking in their responses. 117 senior managers from b2b and consumer specialist media took part, across a range of businesses from one-title independents to mid-sized publishers with 6-10 titles. I’m referring to them as publishers, but most have print, digital and live events in their portfolio. What struck me is the gradual diversification of revenue sources: (more…)
Tags: content, digital editions, events, Fusion Communications, media brand, mobile apps, online subscriptions, paid-for content, publishers, Specialist Media Network, specialist media show
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer
What media owners can learn from the hospitality industry
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010I’ve long believed that a specialist media owners’ greatest asset is not their content but their audience’s attention. Once you have built a community of interest it is much easier to find new products and services to sell to them, and even find ways to get them to pay to contact each other. Miles Galliford of Subhub has long been a proponent of this view, and a discussion he started on the Specialist Media Network on Linked-in moved in some interesting directions - read on to discover what a media business can learn from the hospitality industry, and the importance of valuing and entertaining your audience… (more…)
Tags: audience, Colin Bradshaw, content, entertaining visitors, events, hosting an event, Miles Galliford, networking, Penmaen Media, Specialist Media Network
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, content, events
Online subscriptions secrets of a media pioneer
Sunday, July 11th, 2010Developing a content-based online subscription business is the holy grail for many specialist publishers. The latest winner of the Media Pioneers awards, organised by the Specialist Media Show to recognise innovative and entrepreneurial media businesses, has quietly established a community of paying subscribers who visit her site at least weekly. Read on to discover her experiences and learn tips for your own subscription business… (more…)
Tags: content, databases, Jancis Robinson, Media Pioneers, online subscriptions, paid-for content, specialist media show
Posted in business strategy, consumer, content
What makes a compelling consumer online membership package?
Sunday, July 4th, 2010Many media businesses who publish content online for free are investigating subscription or membership packages as a way to drive revenue from their online content. It’s a bit easier for b2b publishers who can build research reports or databases or workflow tools, and are also dealing with businesses with a defined budget for information, research or lead generation. So is anyone succeeding in consumer markets? I’ve found a few examples, and identified five key elements that appear to be adding value to membership packages. What unites them is that online content alone is not enough. And discounts on products and services are expected to be offered as part of the deal. So here’s some ideas for how to add real value to the package: (more…)
Tags: archive, consumers, content, customised content, databases, members forums, mobile alerts, online subscriptions, paid-for content
Posted in business strategy, consumer, content, marketing
Bright future for specialist media: build audiences; develop many revenue streams
Sunday, June 20th, 2010What is it that unites specialist media businesses, whether they serve consumer or professional audiences, in print, events or digital or some combination of the three? Listening to the speakers in the “future of specialist media” session at the Specialist Media Show conference, I’d say the common thread is building a specialist audience, with particular interests and information needs, then finding many ways to create revenue streams around that audience, from supplying content, facilitating connections online or at events, and creating opportunities for advertisers to reach that audience. Here are the highlights of the presentations from Phil Redwood of Fusion Communciations, Miles Galliford of Subhub and Riva Elliott of PMA media training: (more…)
Tags: content, digital editions, editorial team, Fusion Communications, Miles Galliford, paid-for content, Phil Redwood, PMA Media training, revenue sources, Riva Elliott, specialist media show, Subhub
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, content, events
Secrets of successful commercial partnerships in specialist markets
Friday, June 18th, 2010Growing commercial revenues from online publishing has provided a conundrum for specialist media businesses - they don’t have the volume of inventory to be attractive to ad networks and the CPMs are derisory - and their small commercial teams often lack skills to sell across multiple platforms. But at the Specialist Media Show conference last month, delegates heard from specialist media owners Duncan Tickell of Magicalia and Paul Hood, latterly of Emap and now at Mirror group, and gurus such as Chris Parsons of Q5 Partners, on how to create simple, clever campaigns that grow clients’ business with tips that can be applied to niche markets. Here’s the top 5 insights: (more…)
Tags: advertising, bespoke solutions, commercial partnerships, Duncan Tickell, Magicalia, Paul Hood, Q5 Partners, specialist media show
Posted in advertising, b2b, business strategy, consumer
How publishers can make digital media pay: digital editions, mobile, ipad, video
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010In the last year, the opportunities for specialist publishers to place their content in new formats has exploded. Instead of just web content, there are now multiple opportunities to package content in different ways, using video, links, and interaction to engage readers. Smartphones and e-readers are making these more portable, eroding a key differentiator between PC and print. But how on earth can content publishers make these new digital media pay, when the cost to create and distribute on new channels is still high? At the Specialist Media Show conference last month, delegates heard from four specialist media owners who believe they have found ways to profit from digital media: the Spectator, Circle, Advanstar and Factory - here are their top insights: (more…)
Tags: Advanstar, Circle Publishing, content, digital editions, Factory Media, mobile apps, Specialist Media Network, specialist media show, Spectator
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, content