Will Small Publishers Find A Way To Thrive?

The creator economy has shifted to favor small publishers, but that might be because they are the ones working hard to prioritize engagement. This week’s Publishing Insights looks at what small-scale creators are doing to reach their target audiences.

• Does your newsletter bring joy? The Des Moines Register successfully reaches readers by publishing a newsletter authored by different staffers that is personable, authentic, and engaging.
• Other local news publishers are also working to engage and become sustainable. This WNIP article by Esther Kezia Thorpe looks at four start-ups and the business models they are using.
• “Frequent readers are more valuable to news outlets than occasional readers.” This isn’t revolutionary, but Susan Chandler analyzes this Medill study insight and explains what it could mean for your newsletter.
• In this TechCrunch article, Connie Loizos reports that Substack may be feeling the realities of slowed growth and rising interest rates and has abandoned their plans for a Series C.
• There’s been recent discussion about subscription models catering to the “elite”, so Laura Oliver reports how several international publishers are switching it up and offering a “pay what you can afford” model.
• Joshua Lamel breaks down copyright laws and how catering to Big Content destroys creators along the way in this piece for Fortune.

Issue 81 • Jun 9th 2022 •

Issues & Possible Solutions

• Recently publishers gathered at Digiday’s Commerce Week to discuss how to best reach post-pandemic consumers. Sara Jerde compiled 5 key takeaways here.
• Struggling with retention? These 6 strategies from Richard E. Brown might help you to sustain your subscriber base.
• What font are you using for your newsletter (please don’t say papyrus)? Dávid Tvrdon explains how plain language and fonts affect readability here.
• In this WNIP article, Esther Kezia Thorpe shares how Tortoise, an “audio-first publisher,” is attracting new (younger) audiences with podcast subscriptions.
• Is “posh news for posh people” a viable funding model? Bron Maher shares a panel discussion on the topic here.

Issue 80 • Jun 2nd 2022 •

The Balancing Act: Audience Engagement And Subscription Success

• It’s predicted that the subscriber economy will only continue to grow. Faisal Kalim identifies 7 trends publishers should be aware of here.
• In this 40-minute episode of The Media Voice podcast, Toolkits Co-Founder Jack Marshall answers the question, “What’s next for subscriptions?” by addressing ads and subscription relationships, subscription slowdowns, and the next iteration of subscriptions.
• Do you need a new engagement strategy? WNIP offers insights from industry experts on how to better engage audiences and turn that engagement into value.
• “A user is unlikely to give you credit for something unless you tell them what you are trying to accomplish.” If you want your audience to trust you, Lynn Walsh suggests you start here.
• Have you utilized a registration wall yet? Jack Marshall identifies their benefits.

Issue 79 • May 26th 2022 •

Meeting Challenges Head On

Recent years have brought both new challenges and new solutions for publishers. This week’s Publishing Insights seek to examine both.

• The Guardian has launched 10+ newsletters over the past year as part of their changing strategy to stop using website clicks as a measure of success. Andrew Kersley explains why here.
• Does the news need “fixing?” Ros Atkins thinks so and is offering 7 ways publishers can help.
• How have “user needs” changed over the years? In his LinkedIn post, Dmitry Shishkin goes back five years to evaluate.
• In this article, Damian Radcliffe recaps leadership challenges the media industry faces, per his conversation with Anita Zielina, founder of the Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership at CUNY.

Issue 78 • May 19th 2022 •

Are You On The Right Publishing Trajectory?

Faltering subscriptions, detrimental monetization strategies, and unexpected sales all make their appearance in this week’s Publishing Insights. Learn what you can do to avoid some of the same mistakes.

• The Guardian used to measure newsletter success by how many people clicked through to their website. Andrew Kersley reports that their strategy is changing.
• “Selling was not the plan, but it became the very best path for Quartz.” Laura Hazard Owen explains why Quartz sold to G/O media here.
• There’s been a lot of discussion about paywalls, and Mark Stenberg is adding to the mix. He’s written a “taxonomy of paywalls” and broken down the what, who, and why of the different types.
• That’s not all Mark Stenberg has to say. He also writes how faltering subscriptions could impact publishers who rely on affiliate revenue.
• Tobias Silber recently wrote about the detriments of clickbait in publishing. He begins, “When the sole motive is profit, publishers fail.”

Issue 77 • May 12th 2022 •

Are You Retaining Subscribers?

Retaining subscribers has become a growing challenge for publishers. This week’s Publishing Insights examine strategies, tactics, and even incentives publishers are implementing to hold onto what they have.

• Personalization is not new, but publishers are finding new ways to use it to convert and retain subscribers. Sara Guaglione explains how legacy publishers are adding personalized sections on their homepages here.
• In this Toolkits article, Jack Marshall explains how subscriber models are in a shakeup, and publishers are having to face the facts about what it means for their products and approach.
• Publishers are having a hard time maintaining early subscriber growth numbers. Simon Owen looks at possible causes and effects in his newsletter.
• In this issue of The Rebooting, Brian Morrissey explains how publishers need to change the way they signal premium value.
• To increase subscriptions to digital news, Canada offered a tax credit. This Nieman Lab article by Sarah Scire evaluates how it’s going.

Issue 76 • May 5th 2022 •

What Should Publishers Pursue?

NFTs. The Metaverse. Paywalls. Should publishers be trying to do it all? This week’s Publishing Insights balance the possibilities with the truth.

• Big news: Quartz dropped its paywall while The Guardian is adding one. Esther Kezia Thorpe discusses these changes and all things paywalls here.
• “How can I increase engagement and subscriptions?” This WNIP article explains how both NOLA.com and The Advocate asked this question and are trying out the answers they came up with.
• The NFT craze just keeps growing and publishers are working to capitalize on it. Bron Maher reports how news publishers have made $11m in just over a year.
• But, how long will this NFT craze last? This Digiday article by Kayleigh Barber looks at how NFT collections are still being created, but the strategy is shifting.
• Speaking of opportunities, is the Metaverse still the way to go? Charlotte Tobitt writes about both the possibilities and the realities for publishers.

Issue 75 • Apr 28th 2022 •

All About Audience Needs

If publishers ask themselves one question it should be this: “how can I better meet the needs of my audience?” This week’s publishing insights focus on what others are doing (and failing to do) to effectively answer this question.

• Recently, Shannan Bowen reported that the Minneapolis Star Tribune transitioned from prioritizing print to creating a digital-first workflow. Why? To meet the needs of their audience.
• Another local publisher, The Chattanooga Times Free Press, recently conducted mini-experiments to attract younger readers. Shay Totten reported they learned they can’t keep doing things the way they always have.
• If you offer subscriptions, it might be a good idea to pay attention to lifetime metrics. Thomas Baekdal breaks down 7 of them here.
• We’ve seen how people have strong opinions about big tech, and Cory Doctorow is sharing his here: “Big Tech is the problem with the news. It’s not the solution.”
• Substack’s growing, but growth often brings challenges, too. Tiffany Hsu writes about some of Substack’s downsides in this article.
• When it comes to media companies, is it wise to launch as a nonprofit? This issue of A Media Operator doesn’t think so and offers examples to prove the point.
• What’s next for publisher email? In this episode of Media Voices, participants discuss optimizing in-email ads, maintaining audience trust, monetization, privacy, and more.

Issue 74 • Apr 21st 2022 •

How Publishers Can Improve Engagement

When it comes to our newsletter readers, engagement is the goal. This week we’re looking at ways to improve engagement both now and in the future.

• “Any story’s a good story if you can get me to read it.” Faisal Kalim writes about how publishers are engaging readers using wire stories in this WNIP article.
• According to Rick Edmonds, the key to engaging mistrustful newsreaders is this: “Do it quickly.”
• Innovation in media is booming, so why is it innovation in email advertising seems to be stalled? Esther Kezia Thorpe with Media Voices takes a look.
• CEO and President of FIPP, James Hewes thinks that publishers have no choice but to adapt to the changing landscape. This WNIP article explains why.
• Are your subscribers frustrated or engaged? According to Madeleine White, it’s a careful balancing act.
• If your newsletter is going to be competitive, it may help if it’s “on-trend.” Sarah Ebner identifies newsletter trends in this InPublishing article.

Issue 73 • Apr 14th 2022 •

It’s Time For Forward-Thinking

What are publishers doing to usher in a new era of media?

• Morning Brew recently surpassed 4 million subscribers, but they aren’t stopping there. Alex Sherman writes about their plans and avenues they are exploring here.
• AI is here and here to stay. Nausicaa Renner explains that publishers have a responsibility to understand it.
• Recent world challenges have paved the way for changes in journalism. But will that mean less competition and more collaboration? Nieman reports that it should here.
• In this Digiday article, Sara Guaglione covers how the New Yorker recently switched up their newsletter, “The Daily”, to have more personality and a distinct voice.
• Ken Doctor is coining a new word that may help you describe what you do, too: “newspub”. Learn what it is here.
• People have strong opinions about Big Tech. T. Alexander Puutio thinks breaking it up completely would be a mistake.

Issue 72 • Apr 7th 2022 •