How trade observers view the future for online publishing companies on two key fronts
Creating strong, lasting content is fundamental to success for online publishing companies, but the work doesn’t stop there. Mequoda Members know that email prowess and tech savvy can go a long way in ensuring sustained audience growth and smooth revenue-driving conversions.
Let’s take a look at how Publishing Executive and Media Post, two of the most respected trade guides in the game, look at these two crucial components.
Emma Vice President of Sales Christopher Lester outlines three tips for online publishing companies looking to tackle email marketing. Mequoda Members will definitely recognize some themes here, particularly when it comes to email subject lines.
Here’s Lester’s advice:
1. Share your sign-up link.
Some might say it’s silly to promote your sign-up link on a list populated with subscribers, or even on social media, but as Lester points out, third-party validation opportunities ripen with solid email content.
2. Show your value.
According to Lester, email is 40 times as powerful as Facebook and Twitter when it comes to conversion, so why not tease fans and followers with chances to access samples of your best work?
3. Shuffle your subject lines.
This one is right in our wheelhouse: Amanda MacArthur is a pro on this and has written about it extensively. Lester echoes her here with these bits: Online publishing companies should keep subject lines short and simple, be concise, and get inspiration from other brands’ efforts.
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Tech
Here’s what Purch CEO Greg Mason has to say about e-commerce:
“Global B2C e-commerce sales are expected to eclipse $1.5 trillion this year. And savvy publishers, who have traditionally been hesitant to jump into the category, are becoming major players in it. With an influx in audience data, they’re adding full digital storefronts on-site that are more informed by the behaviors of their readers. The data, plus cheaper, more scalable technology, has made publisher-led e-commerce more of a reality than ever before.
“For many publishers this is playing out indirectly through advertising formats and lead-gen capabilities that aptly connect buyers with sellers. As publishers have built out data capture and analytics capabilities, they’re fueling smarter, more personalized advertisements. So, even if there is no direct sale being generated on a site, publishers can better connect visitors with a brand than ever before, influencing buying decisions without a storefront or affiliate link.
“In these ways, technology is pushing publishers into a new era, where they’re successful not because they have the best content, necessarily, but because they have bleeding-edge tools that can differentiate that content (personalization), anticipate consumer intent, and supplement it with another value proposition (e-commerce).”
Meanwhile, Mason bullet-points publishers’ use of data capture and tracking, as well as programmatic ads, in discussing the gravitational pull of technology for business models.
Are online publishing companies doing the most they can to maximize email and tech capacity? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
To read more about online publishing companies, visit Publishing Executive and Media Post.
