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Our friends at TheCodeCo suggest that, simply because your initial site was the basis for the person you are today, this doesn't mean that it will ever be a good fit. This piece is published by permission. see the original here.
You and your trusty publishing platform have gone through many experiences together. You're deeply attached. This is why you want to try all you can to bring back the joy of good old days.
However, just because your initial, custom website made you the successful publisher you are now, it doesn't mean that it will carry you to the next level. Just like all long-term relationships ending a relationship is difficult to do. Yet don't allow sentimentality to stop you from making advancement.
Are you ready to give up with your website?
Sometimes, you need to confront the truth. You've changed. The market has changed. We must change our ways. You already are aware of this. But somehow, it feels better to be rummaging around on your old, creaking CMS in search of a alternative, button, or magic to help you escape the ever-increasing confusion.
Why? Because it involves a tech project. Most people (even digital publishers) are uncomfortable with technology. Indeed, a research conducted by Chapman University revealed that technology is Americans' second biggest source of fear. That's right, technology is scarier than death (and only slightly less scary than being in the midst of an earthquake). But if you're trying to be a successful digital media professional, it's time to face your fears and review your most important relationship.
Your tech stack may be behind you
Are some of these scenarios sound similar to yours?
- The editorial team of your website is becoming involved in website administration and process
- The cost is huge in order to accomplish seemingly easy tasks.
- Half of your tech budget has been spent just to keep your website's lights on
- The developers you've hired have informed you that something can't be done "because of how the system is constructed"
- Your audience is growing but the profit is flat.
- Advertisers are requesting audience insight/data that you're struggling to provide
- You're running out of advertising stock or are having an uneasy feeling that you're missing revenue opportunities
- Your business model has shifted significantly since you first launched
If you are in agreement with one or more of the above statements, then you should seriously look into a tech overhaul. For any publisher that's grown tired of their site Replatforming is usually the fastest way to create significant and lasting change. This can be a way to see outcomes in a matter of minutes.
How do publishers avoid tech projects?
In reality, there's more than just tech-related fear that's holding your back. It's the fear of technology being faulty. For most digital publishers, their hesitation to innovate centres around one (or more) of these "nightmare situations"
- The cost blow-out
- The never-ending project
- The agency that isn't right
The fears you have are completely normal. You're currently leading an organization that is digital during one of the largest times of disruptions the world has ever experienced. That's why you're less than enthusiastic at the idea of an enormous reconstruction of the web. But, waiting and watching is no route to success, as recent McKinsey research 'Digital strategy in a time of Crisis' demonstrates.
"Early use of technology early and at scale, combined with a massive allocation of resources towards digital projects as well as M&A are strongly associated with creating value" MCKINSEY, 'DIGITAL Strategies in the Age of Crisis'
Which technology should publishers invest in?
While now is definitely the moment to invest in the field of technology, it is important not to overinvest. Tech debt is easy to accumulate but far less clear. Publishers are increasingly overwhelmed by technological options. This is one reason why that we begin every project with a the detailed discovery process. In order to give owners of media the chance to thoroughly look into their options, determine priorities and prevent costly mistakes.
The art of succeeding as a media entrepreneur is being aware of the best technologies to put your money into. Like Steve Jobs famously acknowledged, technology is simply a tool to facilitate the work of great individuals. It's the actions you take using that tool that's what makes the difference.
The truth is, technology shouldn't be complex or confusing.
Before launching any new digital tool, take a moment and ask "how can this help me streamline my work?' If it doesn't add to the confusion. In working with the media companies Our approach has always been "anti-complexity". What can we do to deliver an impactful and profitable business outcome using the least complicated method? by avoiding the distractions of flashing lights and ineffective gadgets, we ensure the budgets of clients are used only when is truly needed. Thus, when your project is completed and there's no unexpected costs, and all the worst-case scenarios are eliminated.
The most effective transformations are usually the result of simple changes that are executed with care and linked seamlessly to core business objectives.
The reason why traditional publishing goals are not the best
The first step for determining the technology requirements you require is to establish your company's goals. And this is what publishers typically tell us are their goals:
- More traffic
- Additional advertising
- More time
In the past, they were considered to be balls to pursue. However, the data revolution has revolutionized the publishing industry.
Make sure that your technology is aligned with the goals of your publication
The focus on traffic isn't the way to grow your digital publishing site. Potential advertisers don't care about the number of people who visit your website. They want to understand which users visit their site, how they engage with content and what value they add for their specific brand.
In this constantly growing data-focused customer base and vanity metrics like traffic are barely scratching the surface. It's time to think beyond selling advertising and instead focus on how you can harness technology to build profitable relationships with brands. If you can get your strategy right then you'll have more time to work.
What should your objectives be:
Goal 1: Improved audience data: The more you know about your target audience and their preferences, the better you are able to improve and refine your website's content. This leads to deeper engagement (see Goal 2) and gives you the opportunity to develop engaging opportunities for your clients (see Goal 3.)
Objective 2: Greater involvement of audience members: An engaged audience is an important audience. This is why this is a great time to be an independent publisher. A small and active community is where the future possibilities are for publishers.
Goal #3: More engaging marketing opportunities for clients: If you've achieved Goals 1 and 2, Goal 3 will occur naturally. When you're able to offer intelligent, customized marketing options to clients, you're suddenly a far more attractive prospect.
The game-changing technology of publishing
Now that you've established your objectives, it's safe to start looking at the technology you have in your collection. When working with digital publishers who are looking to grow, these are the first issues we address:
Content Management System
It's a business that relies on content therefore it shouldn't be an expert to appreciate how important the content management system (CMS). A superior CMS is the foundation of any successful digital publisher. It is (or it should be) the only source of truth, and can be flexible enough to meet all your editorial and advertising requirements.
If you're a growing media company, it's impossible to go past WordPress. Well you might, but you'll regret it very soon. Numerous other platforms have tried to challenge WordPress, but nothing has ever really even come close to its flexibility, reliability and integration capabilities.
Read More: Drupal vs. WordPress: What's best for digital publishing?
If you're part of a huge publishing enterprise, there's no reason to build an entirely new platform. The CMS's that are proprietary are inflexible costly, and they're likely to leave you behind If (or most likely if) technology develops in the current speed.
Many people don't realize is that WordPress can be optimized for complicated workflows. It happens often. Publishing platforms are complex beasts and it's rare to come across developers with the capacity (or enough time) to answer all the questions you have on your particular request. In the end, after several workarounds it's a complex publishing architecture.
What about SaaS publishing platforms like Substack as well as Medium?
If you're a blogger , or just a little curious about the world that is publishing SaaS platform are awesome. But plug-and-play tech stacks can be a huge warning for serious publishers. Are you willing to put your entire operation to be dependent on a $50 plugin? The majority of our work with The Code Company involves 'rescue operations' for publishers who learnt this the hard way.
Hosting Platforms
A website that is slow is the fastest method of losing customers and even advertisers. That's why your choice of hosting technology is vital. When selecting a server, you basically have two options:
- Hosting that is self-managed
- Managed hosting platforms
Historically, due to the sheer complexity of their requirements the majority of enterprise publishers chose to build their own hosting setup. However, managed hosting platforms have grown at such pace that almost every one of the essential needs of publishers growing have been taken care of.
READ MORE: What is the best hosting solution for digital publishers? Managed hosting is a good option if you're making use of WordPress. In terms of safety, reliability as well as backups, caching, and updates, the capabilities of hosting platforms such as WordPress Engine and WordPress VIP can be compared to the best. And you'll most likely save money. We have been reminded of the advantages of hosting services recently while working with a newly launched publishing client. By simply switching them to a managed service they saved around $200,000 annually!
AdTech
The team we work with recently had a meeting with a niche publisher who had built such an engaged audience community that advertisers were knocking on their door to advertise. A publishing dream come true? You'd think. There was however a issue. They were out of stocks. They had a shortage of ads on their site for client inquiries. Profit margins were declining and yet, they turned clients away.
One of the first things we did to change this dire situation around was the hiring of the AdOps group to correctly set up Google Ad Manager and build a smart WordPress integration. This gave editorial and advertising teams complete control of campaign management and their targeting. In addition, it contributed to immediate ROI and a sizeable increase in client revenues.
The primary focus of publishing shifts rapidly towards targeting and traffic, so it's inevitable that clients will demand increasingly complex marketing solutions. For the best chance of maximizing future revenue, now is now the best time to plan your AdTech to be successful.
Data Collection Tools
Are you sitting on an information goldmine? Probably. Many digital publishers are but few are aware of that. And even fewer know what they can do with it to increase their revenue. is the name of WPP's AUNZ CEO Jens Monsees made this point during the 2020 Mumbrella 360 when he likened digital data to high school sex.
"Everybody talks about it, only a few people are actually doing it, but nobody is doing it properly. More than that, you have to understand it. What is the location of this information? How can I access it and make sense of the data in real-time? What percentage of clients have a decent data strategy, and an IT infrastructure underneath it to harvest and make sense from the information?"
When you've got the right technology, it's possible to gain profound behavioural insights that show that you how your audience is performing for a long period of time. A good place to start is to set up your ESP (email service company) to gain insight into what content categories an users click on. This lets you customize your visitor's experience and provide highly targeted content and client marketing opportunities.
"Behaviorally targeted ads have twice the useful and as efficient as ads that aren't targeted"
Google Tag Manager (GTM) should be also on your radar. Like the name implies, GTM allows you to manage your tags on your site. This has been a game changer for webmasters as it provides greater control over the kinds of tags that you run on your website as well as ensuring that you're not constantly engaging programmers to make small changes. GTM Event Tracking tool GTM Event Tracking tool can be a very effective way to monitor interactions between visitors as well as specific features or elements on your site.
READ MORE: Server Side Tagging in Google Ad Manager What does it mean for publishers
Some parting thoughts
If you're a digital publishing company You're in a long-term relationship with the technology. However, is your website offering everything you require to succeed? Do you hesitate to change due to the fact that it's comfortable and familiar? Keep in mind that no major achievements could be achieved within a comfort zone.
However, innovation doesn't need to be stressful. With the right technology partner and an anti-complexity mindset both you and your publishing platform can live happily for the rest of your life.