4 ms·

Publishers Must Adapt to a “Distributed First” Model

34 points by zackliscio 10y ago

pj_costello 10y ago
Facebook Instant Articles and Google AMP are accelerating the decline in website ad revenue. Will be interesting to see what new business models emerge - paywalls will just hurt growth even more for most top publishers.
shrave 10y ago
This was an insightful read. It's about time we take advantage of mobile platforms and synergy to better our model's forecasts for web development. Publishers absolutely need to unlock their strategies and adapt to a framework more suited for modern global infrastructure and social networking trends. What I'd like to see, in my opinion, are two competing hierarchies with zero barriers to entry in an old-style competitive mode of operation. Without that, I think most developers will be doomed to repeat history.
BergintheBay 10y ago
Good read. Important to note that as Facebook continues the trend of being the portal for eyes on all content online, publishers will need to ensure they hit the right audience EVERY TIME. This isn't done on their native websites, it's done via distribution.
- rewrew 10y ago
  But none of that matters if the publishers can't make money off the distribution -- and most of these deals simply don't allow for that. Apple made some changes recently but it's still not enough, and considering that many B2B sites still can make very good money with direct sales, there's very little incentive to participate. It's kind of like those sites who want journalists to write for them for "exposure" (or ask photogs to use their photos, or artists to use their art, etc. without paying)-- sure, maybe millions more eyeballs see your writing, but you're making nothing off of it and just hoping you'll get something down the road. Meanwhile, the smart writers are taking gigs that maybe only a few thousand will read but they will get paid reasonable rates (and sometimes very good money) every time. Not to say that many B2B publishers won't participate, but it'll be at a smaller scale and, I think, always with an eye on the trade-offs, which, again, aren't so great right now.
jkalan 10y ago
Fantastic read. I can speak from experience that distribution is the first priority when launching a new publication. To be a destination in this day and age will not happen unless you leverage existing platforms first. Go to them, and then (hope) they come to you.
yawaworht27 10y ago
I sense a voting ring...
- riprowan 10y ago
  This was an insightful comment. It's about time we take advantage of social platforms and synergy to better our platforms against predatory users. Publishers absolutely need to unlock their strategies and adapt to a framework more suited for modern global information warfare and social engineering trends. What I'd like to see, in my opinion, is a mechanism for identifying and purging spurious content with zero barriers to exit in an old-style curation mode of operation. Without that, I think most social networks will be doomed to repeat history. /s because I mean really honestly
  - rewrew 10y ago
    Ha! Well done.
metasean 10y ago
At the time I'm writing this, there are five top level comments. Three (3) are from new users (BergintheBay, shrave, & yawaworht), one is from a user who has only made a single comment (this one) in their 201 days on HN (jkalan), and one who has made a whole 3 comments (including this one) in their 910 days on HN. Something seems more than a little fishy!
- yawaworht27 10y ago
  That's what I meant when I said "I sense a voting ring..."
- anigbrowl 10y ago
  It doesn't help that their comments also have the same structure :-)
  - ablation 10y ago
    Indeed - and I also fail to see what was so "insightful"/"good"/"fascinating" about it either, just some relatively old stats and some copy badly in need of an edit. Clearly a voting ring.

34 points by zackliscio 10y ago

Facebook Instant Articles and Google AMP are accelerating the decline in website ad revenue. Will be interesting to see what new business models emerge - paywalls will just hurt growth even more for most top publishers.

shrave 10y ago

This was an insightful read. It's about time we take advantage of mobile platforms and synergy to better our model's forecasts for web development. Publishers absolutely need to unlock their strategies and adapt to a framework more suited for modern global infrastructure and social networking trends. What I'd like to see, in my opinion, are two competing hierarchies with zero barriers to entry in an old-style competitive mode of operation. Without that, I think most developers will be doomed to repeat history.

BergintheBay 10y ago

Good read. Important to note that as Facebook continues the trend of being the portal for eyes on all content online, publishers will need to ensure they hit the right audience EVERY TIME. This isn't done on their native websites, it's done via distribution.

rewrew 10y ago
But none of that matters if the publishers can't make money off the distribution -- and most of these deals simply don't allow for that. Apple made some changes recently but it's still not enough, and considering that many B2B sites still can make very good money with direct sales, there's very little incentive to participate. It's kind of like those sites who want journalists to write for them for "exposure" (or ask photogs to use their photos, or artists to use their art, etc. without paying)-- sure, maybe millions more eyeballs see your writing, but you're making nothing off of it and just hoping you'll get something down the road. Meanwhile, the smart writers are taking gigs that maybe only a few thousand will read but they will get paid reasonable rates (and sometimes very good money) every time. Not to say that many B2B publishers won't participate, but it'll be at a smaller scale and, I think, always with an eye on the trade-offs, which, again, aren't so great right now.

jkalan 10y ago

Fantastic read. I can speak from experience that distribution is the first priority when launching a new publication. To be a destination in this day and age will not happen unless you leverage existing platforms first. Go to them, and then (hope) they come to you.

yawaworht27 10y ago

I sense a voting ring...

riprowan 10y ago
This was an insightful comment. It's about time we take advantage of social platforms and synergy to better our platforms against predatory users. Publishers absolutely need to unlock their strategies and adapt to a framework more suited for modern global information warfare and social engineering trends. What I'd like to see, in my opinion, is a mechanism for identifying and purging spurious content with zero barriers to exit in an old-style curation mode of operation. Without that, I think most social networks will be doomed to repeat history. /s because I mean really honestly
- rewrew 10y ago
  Ha! Well done.

metasean 10y ago

At the time I'm writing this, there are five top level comments. Three (3) are from new users (BergintheBay, shrave, & yawaworht), one is from a user who has only made a single comment (this one) in their 201 days on HN (jkalan), and one who has made a whole 3 comments (including this one) in their 910 days on HN. Something seems more than a little fishy!

yawaworht27 10y ago
That's what I meant when I said "I sense a voting ring..."
anigbrowl 10y ago
It doesn't help that their comments also have the same structure :-)
- ablation 10y ago
  Indeed - and I also fail to see what was so "insightful"/"good"/"fascinating" about it either, just some relatively old stats and some copy badly in need of an edit. Clearly a voting ring.