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The CodeCo, our friends from TheCodeCo advise that, just because your initial site was the foundation for who you are now, that does not mean it's always be suitable. This piece is published under the terms of permission. search for the source piece here.
Your trusted publishing platform have gone through various things. They are extremely bonded. So it's natural to are eager to explore every technique to revive the joy of the past.
But just because your initial, custom website has made you into the professional publisher you are now however, that doesn't mean it's going to last into the next decade. Like all long term relationships breaks can be extremely difficult to deal with. But don't let sentimental feelings hinder your growth.
Are you thinking it's the right the right time to get rid of your site?
Sometimes, you need be honest with yourself. You've changed. Markets have changed. The time has come to make a change. You, in your core, know this. Yet somehow it still feels better to be wrangling around with your old, creaking CMS looking for a solution, button, or magic to help you escape the ever-growing chaos.
Why? because it's a technological project. Most people (even digital publishers) do not like technology. Indeed, a research conducted by Chapman University revealed that technology was for Americans their second-leading reason for worry. That's right, technological disruptions are more frightening than the threat of death (and just a little less frightening than experiencing the aftermath the midst of an earthquake). But if you're trying to succeed as a digital media expert, now is the time to take a stand and take a look at the most vital connection you've made with your clients.
The tech stack could be behind you
Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
- Your editorial team is constantly overwhelmed by admin tasks for your website and process
- It is expensive to pay dollars for tasks that seem to be simple.
- The quarter of your tech budget is used to ensure that the lights are on for your site
- The developers you have spoken to have informed that something cannot be done "because of the way the system is constructed"
- The number of users visiting your website increases, however the profit is flat.
- Advertisers are requesting audience insight/data which you're unable to supply
- You're running low on marketing supplies, or have a a nagging suspicion that you're missing revenue opportunities
- The business model you have adopted has changed dramatically since you established your company.
If you are in agreement with one or both of these statements then it's the an ideal time to think about changing your technology. For any publisher that's grown tired of their website Replatforming is often the quickest method to make significant and lasting change. This can produce results in a matter of hours.
How do publishers avoid tech initiatives?
In reality, there's more than just tech-related fear to be a hindrance. It's the fear that technology could be being misinterpreted. For most digital publishing firms, their reluctance to change is based on one (or several) of these "nightmare scenarios"
- The blow-out cost
- Endless projects
- The agency that isn't right
It's completely normal. You're currently leading an organisation that's digital in one of the most significant periods of disruption the world has seen. It's the reason you're less enthusiastic at the idea of an enormous web rebuild. However, waiting and watching does not lead to success in the latest McKinsey's research, 'Digital strategy during times in Crisis' demonstrates.
MCKINSEY, 'DIGITAL Strategies for the Era of CRISIS'
What are the technologies publishers should to think about investing in?
Even though now is the best opportunity to invest in tech, it's important not to over-invest. Tech debt is very easy to accumulate and harder to get out of. Publishers are becoming overwhelmed with the variety of options available to them in technology. This is why every project starts by undergoing a detailed discovery process. This gives the owner of media the opportunity to look into the options available, decide on goals and stay clear of costly errors.
Achieving success as a journalist is being aware of what tools to put your cash into. As Steve Jobs famously acknowledged, technology is simply tools to help facilitate the work of talented people. It's the way you use it with that tool, it's the actions that make the difference.
HTML0Truth is that technology should never be complex or difficult to understand.
So before introducing any brand technological or new tool, think about "How could this help my business?' If it doesn't add to the mess. Working with media owners the way we've always worked has was "anti-complexity'. How can we achieve the highest-quality business outcomes with the least effort? By avoiding distractions like lighting flashing and inefficient technology, we can make sure that client budget is used only in those areas in which really required. Therefore, the project is finished without unexpected costs, and all nightmare scenarios are avoided.
The most effective transformative process is often the result of simple changes made with care and are seamlessly connected to primary business objectives.
Why traditional publishing goals aren't the most effective
The initial step in deciding your requirements in technology is to establish the goals of your company. What editors generally tell us about their objectives:
- More traffic
- More advertising
- Extra time
At one time, they could have been a sensible ball to aim for. However, the rise of data has revolutionized the publishing industry.
Be sure your tech is aligned with the goals of your publication.
It's not the way to boost the amount of your website's digital publishing. Advertisers who are interested in your site don't pay attention to how many people visit your website. They are interested in knowing what kind of people is going to your site, how they engage with the information they read and the value they bring to their particular brand.
With the ever-growing data-driven client base, the apparent measures like traffic do not just scratch the top of the bucket of iceberg. You need to look beyond the idea of selling ads and focus instead on ways to leverage technology to build positive alliances with companies. When you have the right platform, you'll be able to get more time for work.
Here's what your goals should be:
Objective 1: Better understanding of your target audience The more you know about your visitors, the more you can improve and refine your website's information. This will lead to a deeper involvement (see Goal 2.) as well as the opportunity to develop interesting opportunities for customers (see Goal 3.)
The third goal is More audience engagement: An engaged audience is an important target audience. It's the reason that it's a great moment to be a niche-based publisher. Being part of a smaller, vibrant community is where future possibilities can be found for publishers.
Goal 3: More engaging advertising opportunities for customers: If you've achieved Goals 1 and 2, Goal 3 is likely to happen naturally. If you're able to offer smart, personalized customer-focused marketing strategies then you'll emerge as an appealing prospect.
The game-changing technology of publishing
When you've established your objectives, it's time to start looking at the technology you have inside your system. In the case of digital publishers looking to scale they will be the primary issues we address:
Content Management System
The foundation of your business is content, which is the reason it's easy to anyone with the ability to recognize the value of the Content Management System (CMS). A rockstar CMS is the basis of any successful digital publisher. It's (or it should be) the only source of information, and should can be flexible enough to meet all your editorial and advertising needs.
If you're a growing media company, it's impossible to go past WordPress. Well you may, but you'll regret it quite soon. Numerous platforms have attempted to compete with WordPress but none could ever get close to its versatility, reliability and capabilities for integration.
Read More: Drupal Vs. WordPress: What's best for digital publishers?
If you're part of a huge publishing enterprise, there's no need to create your own platform. Custom CMS's are stifling costly, and they're likely to fall behind (or perhaps, when) technology evolves with the speed it's currently.
The thing that people are often unaware of is the fact that WordPress can be designed to be highly optimized for complex workflows. This happens frequently. It's because the publishing platforms are incredibly complicated and it's rare to find developers who have the capacity (or the time) to respond to all queries you might have about your particular request. So, by a series of alternatives, you'll end up with a complex publishing system.
What are your thoughts on SaaS publishing platforms like Substack and Medium?
If you're a writer or trying your hand at publishing business, SaaS platforms are great. But plug-and-play tech stacks are an important warning to serious publishers. Are you willing to put the entire operation dependent on an app that costs you $50? The majority of the work that we perform in The Code Company involves 'rescue operations' for publishers who have learned this through the pain of it.
Read More: The three most common errors made by publishers while creating or replatforming their website
Hosting Platforms
In the case of slow websites, they are among the best ways to disengage audiences and advertisers. This is why choosing the right hosting infrastructure is so important. In selecting a server you're faced with two options:
- Hosting that is self-managed
- Platforms for managed hosting
The past was a time when due to the complexity of their needs most enterprise publishers chose to develop their own hosting system. However, managed hosting platforms have evolved in such a way that nearly each of the vital requirements of publishing companies is being addressed.
Learn More: What is the ideal hosting service for authors who are digital? Managed hosting choices are especially straightforward when you're using WordPress. In terms of the security, reliability as well as backups, caching and updates, the capabilities of hosting platforms such as WP Engine and WordPress VIP can be compared to the most effective. These platforms can also assist you to cut expenses. It was a good reminder of the advantages of hosting platforms while we were working with a new client for publishing. Simply by moving to a managed hosting service they saved over $200,000 per year!
AdTech
The team we work with was recently in contact with a specialist publisher with an engaged audience that businesses were knocking on their doors in order to put ads. A publishing dream come true? You'd think. There was an issue. The company was out of stock. They had a shortage of advertisements on their website to respond to clients' inquiries. The company's profit margin was declining, yet the company was turning away clients.
One of the first things we took to change the situation around was to getting the AdOps personnel to properly install Google Ad Manager and build an efficient WordPress Integration. This gave editorial and advertising teams total control over the running of campaigns and targeting. In addition, it contributed to an accelerated return on investment as well as an impressive increase in customer profits.
The primary focus of publishing shifts rapidly from traffic to targeted and making sure that you are targeting the correct customers is going to require more complex advertising solutions. For the best chance to maximize future revenues, now is the perfect time to design your AdTech for success.
Data Tools for Data Collection
Do you have a goldmine of information? Probably. Most digital publishers are yet few realise it. They're also unaware of how to make use of the data to boost their profits. is the name of the WPP AUNZ CEO Jens Monsees's statement at the 2020 Mumbrella 360 when he likened digital information to high-school sexual sex.
"Everybody is talking about it, but there are a handful of people who are doing it. there is no way to do it properly. It's more than just talk and it's important to know it. What format is the data in? How do I access it and understand the data in real-time? How many customers are using an effective data strategy as well as the IT infrastructure to extract and understand out of the data?"
When you've got the right technology, it's possible to gain an in-depth understanding of the behavior of the user what they are doing for a long period of time. A good place to begin is to configure your email service provider (email service provider) to gain a greater understanding of what content categories the user clicks. This allows you to customize your visitor's experience, as well as offer highly targeted content and client advertising opportunities.
"Behaviorally targeted ads are twice the efficient and valuable than non-targeted ads on the web"
Google Tag Manager (GTM) should be in your list of things to consider. GTM is a fitting name, GTM allows you to control tags on your site. It's transformed the way publishers operate, as it gives you more control over the types of tags that used within your website as well as ensuring that you're not always contacting programmers for minor changes. GTM Event Tracking Tool event Tracking tool can be a very effective way to monitor interactions between visitors and certain features/elements on your website..
READ MORE The Server-side Tags in Google Ad Manager What does this mean for publishers?
Parting thoughts
As a digital publisher You're in a long-term relationship with the latest technology. However, is your website providing everything you need for success? Do you have a reluctance to alter your website because you're comfortable with it? Remember that no significant achievements have ever been made from the comfort of a zone.
Yet innovation needn't be stressful. If you have the right technology companion and an uncomplicated mentality, your publishing process could have a happy ending.
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