The “mag”-nificent 7 magazine industry news sites monitored by the Mequoda research team
Ever wondered where Kim and her team find all of their magazine industry news for our daily Digital Publishing Trends posts?
Well, I have, so I asked them for their top sources – their “go-to” sites for discovering the latest and most useful news and analysis for magazine publishers. Of course, they had a hard time narrowing down their pool, so I happily let them get away with 7, which itself even proved tough given all of the high-quality coverage out there. Maybe we’ll do a part two down the road!
In the meantime, here’s a list of not only our favorites, but favorites of magazine publishers and digital marketers always on the lookout for relevant articles and best practices, cautionary tales, revolving door gossip, mergers & acquisitions updates, and more. These are the sites that drive discussion and inform the decisions of executives – and help us keep the Mequoda Method fresh while continuing to offer free advice throughout the week.
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The Association of Magazine Media
What They Cover: As a part of its role as the trade organization for magazine publishers, the MPA is a clearinghouse for magazine industry news across the web. Each day, to their members who subscribe to their emails, they curate a series of links from sites specific to media, marketing, and journalism. It’s a great place to start – a portal, if you will – when you’re looking for a snapshot of the business.
Why We Value Them: Of course, the MPA does so much more. Under the leadership of CEO Mary Berner, the organization launched its Magazine Media 360° Brand Audience Report, a monthly update on key performance indicators and metrics for digital magazines. The feature has put some wind back in the sails of online publishers.
Recent Article of Interest: The Magazine Media 360° Brand Audience Report for August.
Digiday
What They Cover: You name it. If it matters to magazine publishers – or most other media, for that matter – there has been a Digiday post on it within the past month. Pound for pound, probably our most preferred site for magazine news.
Why We Value Them: Digiday’s stable of writers are some of the best in the business when it comes to magazine industry news: They anticipate trends, cover them from every angle before most other sites even touch them, and provide strong analysis. In particular, we’re big fans of Lucia Moses, who earlier this year I named one of our 8 Niche Publishing Thought Leaders You Should Follow.
Recent Article of Interest: “Here’s How the New York Times Can Double Digital Revenue by 2020”
Folio:
What They Cover: Folio: (along with its sister site MinOnline, which we also rely on) is the trade bible for magazine publishers. With both a print and web product, its specialty is publishing economics, personnel comings and goings, and big think pieces on the state of the industry.
Why We Value Them: You’ll find Folio: and MinOnline articles cited often among our Digital Publishing Trends posts, because they’re so adept at both breaking news and sprawling long-view articles.
Recent Article of Interest: “The State of the Magazine Media Business, Mid-Year 2015”
MediaPost
What They Cover: MediaPost is a unique site in that it produces immense amounts of content across multiple verticals: publishing, broadcast, advertising, marketing, search and social, mobile, and much more. They combine originally produced news and opinion from a variety of authors while also aggregating some content.
Why We Value Them: MediaPost has been a must-read resource since 1996; visiting each day will give you a full picture of the digital media evolution, from every perspective.
Recent Article of Interest: “Five Suggestions for Publishers Struggling With Ad Blockers”
Subscription Insider
What They Cover: The name says it all, and its tagline punches it home: “Convert. Retain. Grow.” You wouldn’t think that there’s enough magazine industry news about subscriptions to sustain a site, but Subscription Insider will quickly dissuade you of such an assumption.
Why We Value Them: Subscriptions are a key component of the Mequoda Method, and a surefire way to generate revenue when done right. Subscription Insider provides case studies, tool kits, and context in that effort. We love what they bring to the table, and passing it on to you.
Recent Article of Interest: “The Mobile and App Debate: Where Do You Apply Your Strategic Energy?”
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eMarketer
What They Cover: Data, data, and more data.
Why We Value Them: eMarketer provides a ton of premium-level content for free. It produces its own studies, collaborates on others, and cites still more. Areas of expertise include mobile, social media, and device usage – all topics close to our heart. An essential site.
Recent Article of Interest: “Are Publishers Missing Out on Audience Extension?”
InPublishing
What They Cover: All of the above from a UK perspective.
Why We Value Them: For digital-only publishers with a niche strategy, global expansion is a growing option. To have a transatlantic outpost is invaluable.
Recent Article of Interest: “Kick Out the Trolls – How to Reclaim Comments”
What magazine industry news sites did we miss or forget? What are your favorites? Should we run a part two? Let us know in the comments!
