Posts Tagged ‘Specialist Media Network’
The challenge of mobile publishing
Sunday, October 31st, 2010Just as publishers are starting to work out how to use the web to drive revenues, they now have to take into account the rapidly growing proportion of their readers who are using mobile devices for their business and leisure browsing. A couple of stats I learned this week made me think again about the speed of change facing publishers. One is a quote from Mary Meeker that in 2 years time smartphones will be more numerous than PCs, and that by 2015 65% of all web browsing will be on mobile devices. The other is the fact that in the US Android has surpassed iphone on smartphones. It has been possible to dismiss the hype about iphone apps and ipads in the UK as so much tech and media-land hysteria, but if android tablets are available at £200 soon, and the app universe extends beyond gadget-enthusiasts and media luvvies, then ordinary publishers will need to brush up their mobile act. Here’s some tips to get smaller consumer or b2b publishers without the budget of a Conde Nast or Murdoch thinking about how to approach the challenge of mobile publishing: (more…)
Tags: android, Factory Media, iphone apps, mobile publishing, Pagesuite, Pixel-mags, smartphone, Specialist Media Network, specialist media show, Stream Exchange, Yudu
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer
How editors can contribute to commercial success
Sunday, October 24th, 2010As commercial pressures increase on media businesses, editors are being urged to get more involved in supporting ad teams. This can be fraught with difficulties. Many “old school” editors struggle to fully understand and work within commercial constraints. As advertisers increasingly seek ways to get more involved in editorial content there is a risk they will subtly influence editorial content to suit their own marketing objectives, to the detriment of providing independent advice to readers. However, my experience of working in more specialist consumer and b2b markets shows that a commercially-minded editor with a strong specialist knowledge can dramatically improve the success of a media business across print, digital and events: (more…)
Tags: commercial partnerships, editorial integrity, editors, industry expertise, specialist media, Specialist Media Network
Posted in b2b, consumer, content, people and culture
Creating content from communities
Monday, October 18th, 2010Increasingly media owners are realising that their business is not about the production and sale of content; it’s about building a community of interest, using targeted content to attract and retain the right kind of audience. That community is likely to include people who are experts in their field - leading professionals in a targeted sector, or prosumers in a specialist activity, sport or hobby. Smart publishers are encouraging this community to contribute to their content, widening the range of voices and viewpoints, and meeting the universal desire to see one’s name in print (or online). Here are five ideas for creating content from your own community, plus some examples of specialist media owners: (more…)
Tags: Advanstar, arts professional, Business Zone, communities, fish and fly, K9 Media, niche forums, photo answers, Specialist Media Network, the media briefing, user content
Posted in b2b, consumer, content, marketing
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 b2b publishers need a free content strategy
Monday, August 30th, 2010Business to business publishers are wrestling with how to apply their controlled circulation print model online, and how to persuade their readers to pay for content and related services. Some are successfully generating new revenues with subscriptions, events, conferences and training, but most also offer free online content as well. A recent debate on the Specialist Media Network on Linked-in, with contributions from Sift, Econsultancy, Subhub and Advanstar, has convinced me that the solution is to have a blend of free, “controlled” - ie registered - and paid-for content. Below are five reasons why I believe free content works for b2b publishers: (more…)
Tags: archive content, b2b publishers, controlled circulation, free content, online subscriptions, paywalls, Specialist Media Network
Posted in b2b, business strategy, content, news
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
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
Creating an event cycle that drives content and community
Monday, March 15th, 2010Many media owners are branching out into live events - either putting forward their experts as speakers or organising their own paid events, conferences, seminars and networking sessions. Events complement online content well, especially on controversial topics where the gurus disagree, and the audience has specific questions. Participants also love to meet each other in person even if they have already made contact online. But the greatest value in events is created by planning the entire event cycle to maximise the event’s ability to create lasting content and stimulate discussion in the community well beyond the time and place of the physical event. Here are my tips on creating an event cycle: (more…)
Tags: Business Zone, community, content, event marketing, events, networking, Penmaen Media, Specialist Media Network, specialist media show
Posted in b2b, consumer, events, news