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Our friends at TheCodeCo say that, just because your original site was the basis for what you are today, it doesn't mean it will always be suitable. This piece is published by permission. check out the original article here.
Your trusty publishing platform have seen a lot together. They are deeply connected. It's only natural that you want to try all you can to bring back the glory of the good old times.
However, just because your initial customized website helped you become an accomplished author now, it doesn't mean that it will carry you to the next level. Just like all long-term relationships breakups are difficult to break up. But don't let sentimental feelings hinder your progress.
Do you think it's time to part the ties with your website?
Sometimes, you just need to accept the reality. You've changed. The industry has changed. It's time to move on. Deep down, you already know this. But somehow, it feels like a more relaxed stumbling around in the old creaky CMS in search of a workaround, button or miracle to lift you out of the ever-growing chaotic.
Why? Because it involves a tech project. The majority of people (even digital publishers) do not like their relationship with technology. Indeed, a study by Chapman University revealed that technology was Americans their second-leading source of fear. That's right, digital disruption is more terrifying than death (and is only slightly less terrifying than experiencing an earthquake). If you're looking to succeed as a modern media operator, it's time to face your fears and review the most crucial relationship you have with your customers.
Your tech stack may be holding you back
Does any of these scenarios look similar to yours?
- The editorial team of your website is becoming involved in website administration and other processes.
- It costs a lot of money for seemingly simple tasks.
- The majority of your budget for tech is gone just keeping your website's lights on
- The developers you've hired have informed you that something cannot be achieved "because of the way it's built"
- The number of people who visit your site is increasing, but the profit is flat.
- Advertisers are requesting audience insight/data which you're unable to supply
- There's a shortage of advertising stock or are having the nagging feeling that you're missing out on revenue opportunities
- Your business model has shifted significantly since you first launched
If you agree with any of these assertions, it is time to seriously look into a tech change. For any publisher that's outgrown their website Replatforming is usually the most effective way of bringing about substantial and long-lasting change. The process can produce immediate results.
How do publishers avoid tech projects?
It's fair to say that it's not just the tech-related fear that's holding your back. It's the fear of technology getting wrong. For most digital publishers, their reluctance to experiment is due to one (or several) of these 'nightmare scenarios"
- Cost blow-out
- This never-ending endeavor
- The incorrect agency
These fears are perfectly understandable. You're already leading a digital organisation during one of the largest periods of disruption the world has ever experienced. It's no wonder you're feeling less than enthusiastic at the idea of an enormous web rebuild. But, waiting and watching will not be a successful strategy, as recent McKinsey research on 'Digital strategy in a time of Crisis' demonstrates.
"Early the adoption of digital technology early and at size, in conjunction with heavy allocation of resources against digital projects and M&A are strongly associated with the creation of value" MCKINSEY, 'DIGITAL STRATEGY IN A TIME OF CRISIS'
Which technology would publishers be wise to invest in?
While now is definitely the time to be investing in the field of technology, it is important not to over invest. Tech debt is easy to accumulate but far less clear. Publishers are becoming overwhelmed with technology choices. It's one of the reasons each project begins with a thorough discovery. This gives media owners the chance to thoroughly look into their options, determine priorities and prevent costly mistakes.
A key to success as a media entrepreneur is being aware of what technology to invest in. As Steve Jobs famously acknowledged, technology is merely tools to help facilitate the work of brilliant people. It's the actions you take with that tool, which makes all the difference
The truth is, technology should not be complex or confusing.
When introducing a new digital tool, think about 'how will this simplify my work?' If the answer is no make sense, you're adding to the mess. When working with media operators Our approach has always been 'anti-complexity'. We must be able to provide the most effective business outcomes with the least effort? By ignoring the distractions of blinking lights and unnecessary devices, we make sure that the client's budgets are utilized only on areas that are is truly necessary. Therefore, your project will always be completed, there are never any surprise costs and all of the worst-case scenarios are eliminated.
The most efficient changes are typically simply a result of changes, smartly executed and aligned seamlessly to core business objectives.
The reason why traditional publishing goals aren't working
The first step for determining your requirements for technology is to determine your company's objectives. This is the kind of thing that publishers generally tell us is their objectives:
- More traffic
- Additional advertising
- Additional time
In the past, these were considered to be balls to pursue. The advent of the digital revolution has changed the game of publishing.
Use technology that is compatible with your goals for publishing
It's not the best way to grow your online publishing website. Advertisers don't really care how many people visit your site. They'd like to be aware of who visits, how they engage with the content they are reading and the value they bring for their specific brand.
To this ever increasing data-focused client base, vanity metrics like traffic are barely scratching the level. It's time to think beyond marketing advertising, and instead concentrate on ways to harness technology to form positive relationships with brands. If you can get your stack right, you'll automatically have more time to work.
What should your objectives be:
Goal 1: More accurate understanding of your audience The more information you have about your target audience, the more you can enhance and improve your web content. This results in greater engagement (see Goal 2.) and gives you an opportunity to design exciting opportunities for clients (see Goal 3)
The second goal is Deeper audience engagement: An engaged audience is a highly valuable audience. This is why this is a great time to be an independent media publisher. Having a small, active community is where the future opportunities lie for media operators.
Goal #3: More compelling advertising opportunities for customers: If you've achieved Goals 1 and 2, Goal 3 will naturally occur. If you're able to provide intelligent, customized marketing options to clients, you're suddenly an attractive target.
Technology for publishing is a game changer.
After you've decided on your goals, it is appropriate to look at your tech system. In the case of digital publishers who are looking to grow this is the initial challenges we take on:
Content Management System
You're a content-based business, so it doesn't take someone with a genius to realize the importance of your Content Management System (CMS). A top-quality CMS serves as the core for all digital publishers that are successful. It's (or it should be) the only source of information, and should be adaptable enough to accommodate all your demands for editorial and marketing.
If you're a growing media company, it's impossible to pass up WordPress. Well you might, but you'll regret it very quickly. Numerous other platforms have tried to take on WordPress however nothing can even come close to its versatility, reliability and ability to integrate.
READ MORE: Drupal Vs. WordPress: What's best for digital publisher?
If you're part of a huge publishing enterprise, there's an excuse not to develop an entirely new platform. Proprietary CMS's are rigid, prohibitively expensive and threaten to completely obliterate you If (or more likely when) technology evolves at its current pace.
Many people don't realize is the fact that WordPress is able to be optimised for complex workflows. It happens often. The problem is that the publishing platforms are complex beasts and it is rare to meet developers who have the capacity (or the time) to fully answer your specific brief. In the end, after various workarounds, the result is a wildly complicated publishing structure.
What do you think of SaaS publishing platforms like Substack or Medium?
If you're a blogger or simply dabbling in the world of publishing, SaaS services are fantastic. However, plug-and-play technology stacks can be a huge problem for publishers who are serious. Would you want to have the entire company to rely on a plugin that costs $50? The majority of our work with The Code Company involves 'rescue operations' with publishers that learned this lesson the hard way.
READ MORE: The three biggest mistakes made by publishers when building or replatforming their website
Hosting Platforms
A website that is slow is the fastest way to lose viewers and even advertisers. That's why your choice of hosting technology is vital. If you are choosing a server there are two choices:
- Self-managed hosting
- Host management platforms
In the past, because of the difficulty of what they needed the majority of enterprise publishers chose to build their own hosting setup. But managed hosting platforms have grown at such pace that almost every one of the essential needs of publishers growing are being met.
Read More: What is the most effective hosting option for digital authors? Managed hosting is a good option if you're using WordPress. When it comes to reliability, security as well as backups, caching, and upgrades, the features of hosting platforms such as WP Engine and WordPress VIP can be compared to the best. They will also help you reduce costs. We have been reminded of the advantages of hosting platforms recently when we worked with a brand newly launched publishing client. Simply by switching to managed services and saving them around $200,000 annually!
AdTech
Our team has recently met with a publisher in a niche market who had built such an engaging audience, that brands were banging down their door to advertise. A publishing dream come true? You'd think. There was however a difficulty. The company was out of inventory. There were literally not enough ad units on their website to meet the demands of clients. Profit margins were declining and yet, they turned customers away.
One of the first things we did to turn this unfortunate scenario around was the hiring of the AdOps staff to correctly implement Google Ad Manager and build an effective WordPress Integration. This gave editorial and advertising teams full control of campaign management and targeting. In addition, it contributed to a rapid ROI as well as a sizeable increase in client revenue.
The primary focus of publishing is rapidly shifting from traffic to targeted, so it's inevitable that customers will require more complex strategies for advertising. To maximise future revenue opportunities, now is the perfect time to design your AdTech to succeed.
Data Collection Tools
Do you have an information goldmine? Probably. The majority of digital publishers are however, few realize this. And even fewer know how to use it to grow their business. The WPP AUNZ CEO Jens Monsees made this point at the 2020 Mumbrella 360 when he likened digital data to high school sexual activity.
"Everybody speaks about it," but only a few people are actually doing it, but nobody is doing it properly. It's more than just talk it is important to comprehend it. Where is this data sitting? What can I do to access it and interpret it in real time? How many clients have a solid data strategy, and an IT infrastructure in place to collect and extract meaning out of their information?"
When you've got the right technology It is possible to get profound behavioural insights that show that you how your audience is performing over a longer period of time. A good place to start is by configuring your ESP (email service supplier) to gain insight into the content categories an individual users click on. This will enable you to customize your visitor's experience as well as provide highly targeted advertising opportunities for clients and content.
"Behaviorally targeted advertisements are more than twice as useful and as efficient as ads that aren't targeted"
Google Tag Manager (GTM) is also a must-have on your radar. As the name suggests, GTM allows you to control tags on your site. This has been a game changer for webmasters because it gives you more control over the tags used on your site, and means you're not continuously involving programmers in making trivial updates. It's the GTM Tracking tool is a powerful way to track events. Tracking tool can be a very effective method to observe interactions between your users as well as specific features or elements on your site.
READ MORE Server Side Tagging within Google Ad Manager What does it mean for advertisers
Parting thoughts
Being a digital-only publisher You're in a long-term connection with the world of technology. Is your site giving you everything you need to succeed? Or are you resisting change due to the fact that it's comfortable and familiar? Remember, no great accomplishments could be achieved within a comfort zone.
Yet innovation needn't be stressful. With the right technology partner and an anti-complexity mindset the publishing system could be happily forever.