Surviving to Thriving in Online Publishing - Essential Strategies for Online Success

Surviving to Thriving
in Online Publishing
Essential Strategies for Online Success
By Aiden Colie Managing Partner of Two-Seas Solutions, LLC, Former Senior Vice President, Web Technology, Time Inc. Interactive
www.two-seas.com www.aidencolie.com acolie@two-seas.com aiden.colie@gmail.com

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Table?of?Contents??
Executive Summary..............................................................................................................................3?
Online Publishing Outlook ...................................................................................................................3?
Implications ............................................................................................................................................6?
Technology ............................................................................................................................................6?
CMS Options .........................................................................................................................................8?
Economic Considerations ..................................................................................................................12?
Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................................12?
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This white paper reviews the current outlook for online publishing, discusses the challenges companies face if they ignore digital during the downturn, and offers some ideas for surviving (and thriving) in this environment. From a technology standpoint, the paper reviews Content Management Systems, the life-blood of online publishing.
?©2009,?Two-Seas?Solutions,?LLC.??All?Rights?Reserved.?Page?2?
Executive Summary The recent economic downturn has caused massive layoffs, reorganizations, and cost reductions throughout the publishing industry. In many cases, these cuts have come at the expense of the online side of the house, as most publishers still make an overwhelming percentage of their revenue in print.
However, most publishers also recognize that digital is a major part of their future. So the question is: how do publishers weather the economic downturn without putting themselves years behind the competition when the economy starts to right itself?
This paper will look at the current outlook for online publishing, discuss some of the challenges companies may face if they ignore digital during the downturn, and offer some ideas for surviving (and thriving) in this environment. Specifically, from a technology standpoint, we'll be looking at Content Management Systems, which are the life-blood of online publishing.
Choosing the right CMS can mean the difference between uptime and downtime, fresh and stale content, happy and dissatisfied editorial staff and overall consumer experience. Each of these factors impact the profitability of a website since they impact the advertising inventory and the value of the ads on the site.

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Online Publishing Outlook With the economic downturn, some of the larger publishing companies are de-prioritizing their online efforts to channel their resources and money towards their print brands. For example, both Time Inc. and Condé Nast have re-structured in ways that have diminished their standalone interactive units. A major media executive was recently quoted in the New York Observer as saying that traditional publishers needed to focus on "revenue now, future later". In some ways, this is a smart decision, since for most publishing companies, online makes up a very small part of their overall revenue. A report published in AdAge in January, 2009, shows Time Inc. making 10% of their revenue online, while Hearst makes just 6.5% and Condé Nast a miniscule 3%. But despite these low numbers, publishers must clearly understand the importance of online revenue now and in the near future. Sarah Chubb, President of Condé Nast Digital recently said in an interview with paidContent, "when the economy eventually turns around, publishers will be more reliant on online ad dollars than ever before". As the saying goes, it's importan... [download for more]