Are You Staying Up To Date?

What’s happening in and around the publishing world? This week’s Publishing Insights take a look.

• In this INMA article, Erin Lebar reports how the Winnipeg Free Press is changing up their newsletter strategy after surveying subscribers about the topics they’re interested in reading.
• Why did Axios find success when so many other digital media startups failed? Simon Owens lists 4 things they did right in his newsletter.
• When you think New York Times you think news right? Sara Fischer reports on their expansion of their advertising business into bundled products.
• In this issue of Trusting News, Lynn Walsh recommends making it easy for people to reach you by using contact forms.
• Carolyn Morgan is asking all the questions about publishing and community building. She not only asks and investigates why and how, but she also goes deeper into getting started and building engagement.
• Is it time to report the news differently? The creators of RocaNews thought so, and are now successfully reaching younger generations by taking a social-first approach. Esther Kezia Thorpe shares the full story for WNIP here.
• Are there still opportunities for publishers and NFTs? Freddy Mayhew explains how NFTs may be a way to reach new audiences and expand the publishing industry.

Issue 91 • Aug 18th 2022 •

Stop Overcomplicating It

This week’s Publishing Insights include examples of publishers who are finding success by simply doing what they do well, and offer ways you can simplify, too.

• Cox Enterprises just bought Axios. Sara Fisher explains why it matters here.
• In the UK, The Times, The Telegraph and The Guardian seem to all be in a good place. Esther Kezia Thorpe attributes this to two things: 1. They are spending more and making less 2. They are focusing on reader revenue.
• “Numbers do not speak for themselves.” In this Nieman Lab article, Joshua Benton makes a case for making it easier for readers to understand complex data in stories.
• Readers want privacy but also expect personalized results. Ray Schultz looks at how publishers can balance the two.
• In this INMA article, Jodie Hopperton uncovers 4 different ways publishers can incorporate personalization.

Issue 90 • Aug 11th 2022 •

How can publishers diversify revenue streams, expand monetization options, and ultimately find success? This week’s Publishing Insights provide some options.

• “Newsletters are ‘the old medium that never quite went away, the publisher’s swiss army knife that keeps adding blades.’” Media reporter Faisal Kalim breaks down how they continue contributing to revenue here.
• Meta is cutting funding for publishers. Sara Fischer explains why it matters here.
• In this Better News article, Jill Jorden Spitz and Caitlin Schmidt explain how the Arizona Star flipped the narrative from focusing solely on community problems to “solutions-oriented” reporting.
• Brian Morrissey explains what Industry Dive did to “win”, including keeping it simple, having a playbook, and embracing ads.
• “If a thing‘s worth saying, it’s worth saying over and over and over again.” This Media Voices podcast episode explains why “stealing” publishing ideas is successful.
• Could you sell your publishing expertise? Peter Houston explains why consulting may be a good option these days.
• In this Digiday article, Kayleigh Barber looks at publishers’ options for a new (successful) business model. Should publishers move into Web3 with DAOs?

Issue 89 • Aug 5th 2022 •

Successful publishers are constantly building. This week’s round up includes a few bricks you can add to your proverbial foundation.

• “Do you want help?” Stefanie Murray writes how this simple question led to news organizations collaborating to expand resources and reach.
• Facebook referrals are on the decline. In this Adweek article, Mark Stenberg reveals 4 charts that show how Facebook traffic has changed for publishers.
• “The problem is clear, but the solutions are complicated.” Monica Chin explains how tech journalism has an accessibility problem and this article is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to finding a solution.
• In this article, Charlie Beckett does two things: 1. Explains how AI technologies are impacting journalism and 2. Works to explain how even the smallest publishers can benefit.
• What if consumers don’t want to pay for a full subscription and micropayment options have proved unsuccessful? There may be another option. Esther Kezia Thorpe writes about a Sesamy, a company ready to tackle payments for single pieces of content.

Issue 88 • Jul 28th 2022 •

Want To Succeed As A Publisher?

This week’s Publishing Insights look at what publishers are doing right… and how you can take what they’re doing and apply it to your publication, too.

• Want to stay updated on all things news industry? Follow these 6 newsletters.
• Morning Brew recently hit 4 million subscribers, but they’re aiming for going bigger. Alex Sherman writes how the company is actively exploring M&A to expand.
• In this WNIP article by Esther Kezia Thorpe, Rolling Stone UK’s digital director shares 4 growth strategies.
• Why do people unsubscribe on the first day? Sarah Scire identifies the main reasons, including only wanting to access one article, disappointment with the full paid experience, dislike of auto-renewal, and more.
• Want to turn text into audio? Turns out it’s easier than you think. David Tvrdon explains how and why you should do it here.
• Next for Reuters: they are launching a subscription business aimed at individuals conducting research. Sara Fischer shares the details in this Axios article.

Issue 87 • Jul 21st 2022 •

Is It Time To Change The Status Quo?

Do you ever do something just because that’s the way it’s always been done? This week’s Publishing Insights reveal that more and more the status quo is no longer working. Here are a few ways to change it up.

• A recent report from Reuters devoted a full chapter to understanding opportunities in newsletters and Peter Houston compiled a summary and key takeaways here.
• Evergreen pop-up newsletters are becoming more and more popular, and Sydney Lewis spent time learning how to best create one. She details her process in this RJI article.
• Here’s Amanda Ripley’s secret: “I’ve been actively avoiding the news for years.” Her Washington Post article seeks to discover why people (her included) are done with traditional news.
• Are you contributing to your comments? In this issue of Trusting News, Lynn Walsh explains how adding to the conversation on your posts builds trusts with your readers.
• Why are some publishing powerhouses excelling while others are on the decline? Esther Kezia Thorpe compares and contrasts the NYT to The Washington Post here.
• Do you know what a “journo-influencer” is? David Tvrdon defines the term and offers insights into the relationships between journalists and influencers in this article for The Fix.

Issue 86 • Jul 14th 2022 •

Secrets To Subscriber Growth

This week’s Publishing Insights look at two different publishers who are growing both in subscribers and revenue. Find out what they are doing to see if it could work for you, too.

• Axios Local publishes in 21 and counting cities and has surpassed 1 million email subscribers. Mark Stenberg examines how this model of growth and success could be the solution for local news.
• 300% growth in subscribers is significant for any publication. Peter Houston reports how Mail+ did it in just 2 years by providing 9 updates designed to meet readers’ needs.

Issue 85 • Jul 7th 2022 •

Did You Know?

Sometimes, it’s just good to be informed. This week’s Publishing Insights looks at trends, reports, and articles that may help you make better decisions moving forward.

• ​​Kirsten Eddy explains how publishers now have to think outside the box to reach and engage younger generations (Nieman Labs).
• Want to know which news websites are the most popular? Here’s a list of the top 50. The New York Times topped the list thanks to their acquisition of Wordle.
• Reuters Institute recently released the 2022 Digital News Report. In this Toolkits article, Jack Marshall identifies what the findings mean for subscription publishers.
• Here’s an interesting trend: digital newspaper ad revenue is set to eclipse print newspaper ad revenue in the U.S in 2026. Why it matters for you.

Issue 84 • Jun 30th 2022 •

A Look At The Numbers

What is your data saying? This week’s insights focus on recent reports and what they may mean for publishers moving forward.

• What does the news industry do well and what do they do poorly? 12,000 journalists answered. View the findings here.
• In another report, the current “state of newspapers” is analyzed.
• The Reuters Institute recently released the 2022 Digital News Report and Damian Radcliffe identified four key implications for publishers. Find out what they are here.
• It’s important to create value for your audience. The Economist is leveraging its expertise to dip into education as yet another offering for its readers. Esther Kezia Thorpe explains what other publishers should take away from this move.
• Are you implementing an “audience-targeted approach?” Khalil A. Cassimally explains how this is the key to publishing articles that increase your reach and add value to your readers.
• City AM has returned its free paper to pre-pandemic distribution levels. Charlotte Tobitt has the full story of how they’re working hard to keep readers’ attention and “proving the skeptics wrong.”
• Have you considered micro-surveying? Tim Peterson and Kayleigh Barber report that publishers like Gannett are working to gather data on audience engagement without creating much friction.

Issue 83 • Jun 23rd 2022 •

What Are You Exchanging?

Publishing at its core is an exchange.

• Information for readership
• Personality for loyalty
• Content for profit.

The key is creating balance in the exchange. This week’s Publishing Insights might help.

• Facebook currently pays over $10 million/year to several publishers to feature their content on its news tab. However, according to Alexandra Bruell and Keach Hagey, Facebook’s reevaluating.
• The truth matters. In the middle of the pandemic, Jacob Granger reports that the Washington Post created a team to analyze and verify videos from news events and then turn their findings into reconstruction videos. What are you doing to ensure accuracy?
• Are you exchanging value? In this WNIP article, Jez Walters advises publishers to be clear on what you’re providing if you’re asking your audience for personal data.

Issue 82 • Jun 16th 2022 •