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"Survival and Evolutionary Transition"

A New Publishing Paradigm

Evolution Of The New Digital Channel


By Dan Beyer

Let us speak of leveraging the power of the internet by applying the Longtail strategy of mass distribution, profiting by distributing hard-to-find and niche items to many customers whether they be local or globally diverse. Persons that are attracted to the hard-to-find or niche items form the Long Tail.

Groups such as readers of special interest publications take on new significance when viewed through a Longtail lense. Certain local publications fit into this special interest category as well.


Today’s fragmented media environment presents diverse opportunities for the consumption of entertainment, information and commercial offers. The current reality is not altogether different from the onslaught of advertisements chasing Tom Cruise’s character in the shopping mall scene as portrayed in the film “Minority Report”.

Newly refined technology, easilly available and affordable have lead to initiatives that are closing the gap between fantasy and reality. The future is now. Local and special interest publications must find a way to leverage their brands into a complete multi media channel or watch the new competition eat their lunch.

Old media from TV Networks to print publications are struggling to find ways of maintaining relevancy to keep or expand their currently diminishing audiences. Simultaneously, small and medium businesses are becoming aware of the declining cost of applied technology. A new age of messaging and informational consumption is at hand. Through modest allocation of resources and judicious leveraging of assets Old Media is now New Media.

An Industry Dependant Upon The Wisdom Of Crowds
Marketing organizations are sprouting up to leverage new developments in customer acquisition such as Social Networking, personalization and localization. The language used and understood by national organizations in the deployment of permission based digital tools is about to be leveraged locally to small and medium sized enterprises. Using Social Networking and other nascent techniques, new marketing companies hope to convince these clients to consider self publishing as the best use of their advertising dollar, leaving an entire class of existing publishers without a seat at the table. This is not to say that attracting an audience simply as receptacles for advertising is a panacea. Other dynamic efforts such as some sort of subscription based offerings of premium content and services may also be necessary as part of any successful digital initiative.

Powered by the new generation of digital and mobile applications and devices such as the next crop of cellphones expected to arrive by summer 2008, the niche use of permission based 3D (Digital, Direct, Database) push techniques is here now and enhanced applications using GPS technology are imminent.

Technology allows publishers to provide effective access to and delivery of content while respecting consumers and working with them. Although content remains the draw that attracts the audience, careful attention must be paid in using advertisers and sponsors to monetize that audience. The devil is in the details.

Recent consumer trends suggests that print publishers may avoid a myopic tomorrow by leveraging their brand online today. Metrics indicate that the most effective use of print publications is to drive traffic online. Actually mediasites developed by print publishers are experiencing extremely successful results according to the latest information from the Online Publishers Association and other industry groups. What is required is not simply a flat 2D digital rendition of the print publication but an expanded engaging and immersive 3D interpretation.

The special interest publication becomes THE SOURCE; a network or channel unto itself.

Become The Portal !

Use The Ingredients Already In Your Cabinet
Publishers may not be aware that they already are in possession of most of the resources required to bring their enterprise forward. The brands editorial and mission statements are of course key to the effort. The existing manufacturing process can be modified and enhanced to maintain a competitive edge. With a few additions, the existing editorial and design assets, process and facilities can be leveraged to ascend from the creation of static product into the development of interactive and video content.

The transition required is nothing more or less than a conversion from print to online magazine to full blown mediasite. Accomplished via the addition and use of features and conceits such as;

1) The opt in email and SMS Text delivery of ; content, news alerts, event notices and exclusive special offers, discounts, coupons and other opportunities.

2) Multiple Touchpoints and Social Networking features such as User Generated Content, Forums, Chat, User Profiles, Blogs, user rating and feedback opportunities and live events.

Usability
The design of the user interface is of prime importance. The landing page is the first impression and possibly the only opportunity that the publisher will have to capture the visitor and convert them into a customer. The use of CSS or Cascading Style Sheets in site creation substantially decreases the effort and expense required in making the site functional across all platforms, home, office and mobile. (To see an example of the variations possible, using Firefox visit www.Walmart.com and using the drop down menu under VIEW select “Page Style”and toggle between the No Style (Mobile) and basic page style (desktop) options.)

Video and Multi Media
Thanks to You Tube and more robust services such as KickApps.com what was extremely expensive yesterday has become virtually FREE today. Not only does internet video on your mediasite provide the engagement and immersion that internet audiences crave but they allow for the promotion of your online presence as well.

Most articles including product reviews can be redone as video segments. Journalists and authors can act as producers, directors and even perform as on-camera talent where appropriate. Certain informational content is best presented as an online slide show or interactive application. A nautical publication might want to provide an interactive tide calculator, a dining magazine a tip calculator and so on.


Today where markets are conversations, attracting audiences through immersive engagement is paramount.

Contact: Dan Beyer 954-727-1983 danielmarcbeyer@gmail.com services available.

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