We have seen the popularity of the iPad and similar tablet devices within their infancy. We’ve also seen the mobile device market explode. These trends will continue to evolve. In order to utilize the popularity behind these technological advances, it’s important to know who and what you’re really developing your magazine for. Our Digital Publishing Trends posts capture what’s happening in the digital publishing world.
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Subscription websites LinkedIn and New York Times expand; WSJ closes Google loophole
Subscription websites can be a profitable endeavor for content publishers.
We begin by looking at The New York Times, which is experiencing growth in regards to its digital audience. Subscription Insider reports, “Last Thursday The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT) posted its fourth quarter
Facebook makes an algorithm change; Google still uses PageRank; Twitter enhances video to round out our audience development news
We begin our audience development news with a look at the new changes coming to Facebook’s algorithm. MeetEdgar is reporting, “One of Facebook’s most recent algorithm changes relates to universal signals. That means it has to do
Skiing magazine ends print run; Digital magazine publishers launch video brand; O partners with Holland America Line
We’ve already seen lots of changes from digital magazine publishers this year. Today we begin with Active Interest Media, which is shuttering it’s print edition of Skiing. Folio reports, “The quarterly magazine catering to passionate skiiers, in circulation since
Multiplatform publishing expands for Condé Nast; Slate lays off editors and writers; Vox Media names first COO
We begin this multiplatform publishing news by looking at an acquisition for Condé Nast, which involves a social data and marketing platform named CitizenNet. WWD reports, “The deal is meant to deepen Condé’s data-science talent and expertise, in order to enrich
Subscription publishers WSJ try ad-free digital; Huffington Post tries story format; NYT shares subscription lessons
A lot can be learned by trying new initiatives, especially when they are undertaken with some foresight. We’re watching as subscription publishers report on their initiatives, and attempt new ones.
We begin today with The New York Times, which is sharing information
Facebook’s mobile ad network reaches the top; Organic SEO news looks at 2016 data; The future of voice search
For the first time, Facebook’s mobile ad network has topped Google. MediaPost is reporting on this story, saying “Facebook’s mobile ad network emerged as the top-performing advertising network during the second part of 2016, giving marketers running campaigns
Magazine publishers Hearst and The Atlantic share exciting news; Chemistry World gets a new website
Witnessing the still-changing world of print magazines is a sign that publishers have intentions of making it work financially, at least to some extent.
We’re seeing some major magazine publishers going that route, while other publishers bring new life to their digital
Multiplatform publisher news for keeping up with a changing industry
We begin today’s multiplatform publisher news with a look at Condé Nast, who is making a big move by eliminating the role of publishers. minOnline has the story, who says “The reorganization — anticipated even before the cross-title combination of creative, research, copy teams in October — adds new capabilities
Time enhances user experience for golfers; Surfing folds for digital; Conde Nast launches new publisher website Healthyish
Enhancements to publisher websites come with new ideas for reaching and engaging audiences.
We’re seeing this with Time Inc., and MediaPost has the story. “The site of Time Inc.’s Golf magazine has relaunched with a cleaner, more modern look that loads
Publishers are seeing mixed results from Google AMP pages, but it just got even more important for news publications
According to Rank Ranger, who has been tracking the presence of Google AMP pages in mobile search results, only a quarter of pages that ranked in Google’s Top Pages were AMP pages at this time last year. It
It’s not every day you get to see the path of magazines in digital. Here’s an inside look at how The New Yorker has been evolving.
Poynter recently published a great article by Benjamin Mullin about how The New Yorker has changed to evolve for a digital atmosphere over the last decade. Here are a few major adjustments
Multiplatform publishers Condé Nast and The Atlantic reorganize; Esquire names Buzzfeed editor to head website
The shuffling of talent among multiplatform publishers continues in places like Condé Nast, Esquire, and The Atlantic.
First, we begin by taking a look at Condé Nast’s reorganization, and WWD has the story. “The business side reorganization comes after the New York-based publisher
TripAdvisor offers subscriptions; Facebook attempting to appeal to subscription website publishers; Apple looks at original content
Subscription website services develop out of necessity and a desire to develop new revenue streams. In today’s digital world, the opportunity to make more from these streams continue to grow as devices and accessibility grow as well.
First, we’re seeing TripAdvisor
Google’s Bad Ads report shows action taken in 2016 to remove and ban deceptive advertising tactics
Finally, Google has decided to start cracking down on misleading and bad ads that look like news articles, or system errors that deceive users. When you think about it, these advertisers are paying for clickbait which probably has a high
Why is subscription revenue falling for print publishers and rising for app store subscriptions?
While publishers are all fighting for their subscription lives, Apple’s over here seeing subscription revenue up 74%. While much of this revenue applies to app subscriptions for video subscriptions, games and software products, it does also include magazine apps. The top apps
Multiplatform publisher Forbes settles takeover; CBS eyes Scout Media; IDG sold to Chinese investors
We begin with a look at Forbes, which has been involved in a legal battle with Honk Kong media group IWM since 2015. Financial Times is reporting. “…both IWM and Forbes say the dispute has now been settled, following an agreement last
New changes are coming globally for subscription websites using ad blockers
Ad blocking has become a big topic for subscription websites building audiences, as well as other digital media brands.
As this topic continues to be popular, we’re seeing new changes coming forth.
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To start, Forbes is reporting on a decision made in the European Union regarding ad
Ad sales are positive for WaPo’s Instant Articles and Facebook just added a new feature
Instant Articles is a feature from Facebook that allows publishers to create Facebook-native content that loads quickly and is given preference on their social network. It (surprise, surprise) also works seamlessly with their ad platform. Facebook has said that Instant Articles
Star magazine shows us how NOT to publish sponsored content in a print magazine (or anywhere)
Although it might seem like we ignore the trends of print magazines unless they’ve fallen off the map and decided to go digital, we’re still paying attention. One recently interesting bit of news about Star magazine and a complaint from
Multiplatform publishers Meredith Corp. and Time Inc. talk merger; Variety launches content studio
We’re seeing movement with some major multiplatform publishers recently.
We begin by looking at a possible merger between Meredith Corp. and Time Inc.. MediaPost is reporting on this story. “After dating a few years ago, then taking some time off and seeing other companies, publishers
Subscription publishers are now looking at app buttons, branded podcasting, and intrusive marketing workarounds
Subscription publishers have a lot of options when it comes to how they market their content online. We already know that content marketing provides high-quality content with value, so that’s already part of the process. But options for delivering and marketing that
Audience development pros are learning exactly what Google’s new mobile penalty entails and also how to improve emails over the next year
Just as Google rolled out their algorithm penalty on mobile interstitial ads last week, we got a lot more information about exactly what the penalty is, and isn’t.
According to Search Engine Land, the types of
Will Time Inc. save magazine publishing on newsstands through retailer innovation?
In an interview with Folio:, Time Inc’s Retail president Drew Wintemberg spoke about the future of magazines and the newsstand. In the interview, when asked about challenges in the new year, Wintemberg said, “From my perspective, it doesn’t seem that many publishers are investing to
A Global Digital Commercial Team is launched by Hearst; Multiplatform publishers Discovery Communications and Active Interest Media names high-rank employees
As a new year gets underway, some multiplatform publishers are tackling major initiatives early on.
We’re seeing this play out at a number of publishing brands, including Hearst, Discovery Communications, and Active Interest Media.
The first story is
This week’s subscription website news shines a light on new marketing initiatives and revenue generated by successful subscription services
We’re seeing that subscription website news takes on some interesting dimensions early on in 2017.
The first story, filled with some intriguing insight for subscription and digital marketers, features Aiden — a digital marketer created with artificial intelligence.
Recipes are being treated as a new Google ecosystem just like shopping and local businesses with new results pages for recipe cards
Google is making huge efforts to make the mobile experience better. Part of this effort is punishing businesses who have floaters and OFIEs that appear before content of the website, and Don offered advice
Magazines with the most mobile traffic have great mobile magazine websites and social-friendly content
The Association of Magazine Media recently stated that on average, magazine websites are getting 26% of their traffic from mobile. According to AdWeek, “The MPA’s monthly Magazine Media 360° report dissected publishers’ online traffic in July and compared it with traffic from a
Multiplatform publishing involves a wide range of strategies, and unfortunately, some of those can be hacked
We’ve seen some interesting and unfortunate develops in the digital realm recently, including hacking and fake news.
We begin by looking at some recent data from eMarketer on the use of video in content marketing efforts. “According to the survey, a
Subscription publishers love to see surges, and that’s what’s happening at Washington Post, New York Times, and LA Times
We love to report on successes in the publishing world, and what better to report than subscription publishers seeing increases in the sizes of their audiences.
The Columbia Journalism Review is reporting on two publishers that have increased
Facebook Live and other live video becoming a large testing ground for brands and publishers
Live video is at the front of mind for many brands and publishers. The only question is how to use it. Sometimes it takes seeing some good examples to inspire progress within a large media company, so I’m glad that Digiday
Native advertising becomes a focus for the Guardian
According to Digiday, the Guardian says that customers were beginning to become their competitors, and that is the reason why they have started an in-house native advertising agency called “Hosted by the Guardian.” And by customers, they don’t mean subscribers. They’re talking about the advertising agencies that they once
Multiplatform publishers succeed because of the innovation they bring through their organizations
We like the term “multiplatform publishers” because it implies that numerous activities are at play, allowing a publication to experiment, meet their audience members where they want to be met, and expanding their brand throughout various channels.
We’re seeing some publishers doing just that, and
In order to succeed in a changing landscape, savvy digital media companies understand the need to evolve
Whether it’s a new subscription website, an updated website, or a new digital product offering, digital media companies are bringing new experiences to audiences with the desire to evolve brands.
Hearst is one digital media company doing this with its
Fake news prompts algorithm experiments at Facebook
We’ve written a lot lately about fake news, not only because of its influence on our recent election but also because the search and social giants are making strides to change their algorithms to filter fake news out. And with every tweak in an algorithm it does have the
Are apps really the new magazines? (We don’t agree, but keep reading to see why Bloomberg might think so).
Bloomberg Media says their current focus is apps. According to Digiday, “Starting with its redesigned flagship mobile app, Bloomberg plans to launch several new apps in the coming year with a focus on delivering personalized content to users
Time Inc. C-suite executives out; Bloomberg and the Weekly Standard make changes
We see lots of changes take place at multiplatform publishing organizations over the years. This often is the case as proven talent is picked up by competitors, or new talent is brought in to help with the transition between print and digital.
Today we have
Some publishers are focusing on new subscription website products while others are focusing on website quality
We’re seeing new subscription website products launch and new website launches coming to the industry.
Talking New Media is reporting on the new website launched by Surface magazine. “The new surfacemag.com reflects a completely different content strategy for the company, one
This week in Google news, a few interesting tips for boosting regional magazines with local SEO hacks
Maybe you heard this week that you can now “Tweet an emoji to @Google and you’ll get an immediate reply that includes a quick quip, GIF and link to local search results that correspond to the emoji,” according to
A series of voice-focused trends are beginning to evolve within Hearst’s magazine arm
This week at Hearst, it was announced that they will be using a new Food Network persona to diversify their magazine brand by giving them their own magazine, a trend we expect will grow with more Food Network personas. Women’s Wear Daily writes:
Hearst
Multiplatform publishers Condé Nast and Bloomberg are ending some print titles; A popular indie returns to print
The revolution in digital publishing has led to many multiplatform publishers rethinking their content strategies. This had led to a many publishers turning their focus primarily to digital while letting some print titles go the wayside.
The first multiplatform publisher
Statistics show that ad blocking software isn’t being used on smartphones as much as on desktops
Ad blocking software has become a challenge for publishers and digital properties using it for marketing purposes. However, it seems that the tides of the ad blocking wave may be changing in favor of marketers. Or, in the very least,
Publishers are flocking to vertical video content and ads now that “it’s hip to be vertical.”
In the not too distant past, vertical video was only for Facetime and school plays you forgot to flip your phone sideways for. But with the advent of video streaming on social networks, and apps like Snapchat, vertical video is
Multiplatform publishing organizations are twisting and turning around big changes
With industry changes taking place all over, throughout areas of technology and strategy, we’re frequently reporting on partnerships, reorganization, and diversification within multiplatform publishing organizations.
A recent example involves a partnership between Forbes and Advantage Media Group. According to an article from MediaPost, “Forbes has teamed with
An uptick in digital newspaper subscriptions seen by major publications since the U.S. presidential election
Major newspapers approached the U.S. presidential election in an interesting way. Some of these newspapers, like The New York Times and The Washington Post, took their paywalls down. Others, like The Wall Street Journal, decided to keep its paywall up, and
Google isn’t shy about offering guidance on AMP or structured data for certain types of content and has recently invited course publishers to the party
Online courses are a big business model for many publishers, so it’s no stretch to say that the announcement last week from Google about course structured data is a pretty big
Sponsored email newsletters and podcasting provide additional advertising and affiliate revenue opportunities
Email newsletters have been in vogue for at least a decade (even while consumers kept denying it but continued to spend money through email efforts). However, podcasting had a little phase a few years ago before going quiet, and now it’s back with equal
We see multiplatform publisher hirings and firings frequently as organizations continue to evolve
Our favorite multiplatform publisher hirings are ones that lead to growth and prosperity within the industry. Of course, this isn’t always the case. Some changes are made for restructuring and relaunching. Bloomberg is one organization experiencing such changes now.
It was recently announced that
Google continues to set standards in SEO and content quality, usually for the best.
Last week, Google and Facebook (finally) decided they’d wave their little wands on content quality and cut off ad revenues to fake news sites. If you spent even a wink of time on Facebook during the last few months of prime election
These new digital subscriptions are focused on building engagement with readers through different strategies
We continue to see new digital subscriptions arise among subscription websites. Some of these new subscriptions are focuses on changes made by existing publications, while others are completely new ventures being offered to audiences.
The Telegraph, for instance, is one digital subscription getting
Multiplatform publishers like Coursera are offering specializations for their audience; McDonald’s brings a multiplatform approach to app marketing; WPP and Spotify form partnership
Multiplatform publishers can do amazing things by adding to a variety of offerings. Some of these publishers are experienced in the digital world, while others are starting to get their feet wet with
