Facebook restricted Australian news content on its platform last week in protest of the government’s proposed code, which Facebook felt “fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content”. 

Since then, the government has agreed to amendments to the code to “provide further clarity” about how the code will operate. This comes one week after the Senate Committee recommended no changes be made to the legislation. 

The amendments are designed to clarify: 

• The decision to designate digital platforms under the Code, which must take into account whether the digital platform makes a “significant contribution to the sustainability of the Australian news industry through reaching commercial agreements with news media businesses”; 
• A notification period of at least one month for digital platforms of the government’s intention to designate a platform a digital platform; 
• Non-differentiation provisions can not be triggered because of commercial agreements that result in different remuneration amounts or commercial outcomes for news media; and, 
• Final offer arbitration is a last resort in the event that commercial deals cannot be reached via mediation. 

“Importantly, the amendments will strengthen the hand of regional and small publishers in obtaining appropriate remuneration for the use of their content by the digital platforms,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said.

The government also said that its amendments add further impetus for parties to engage in commercial negotiations outside the Code – “a central feature of the framework that the Government is putting in place to foster more sustainable public interest journalism in Australia”.

Facebook issued a statement saying it is satisfied that the amendments address its core concern around allowing commercial deals that recognise the value that its platform provides to publishers relative to the value that it receives from them. 

Facebook Global News Partnerships VP Campbell Brown said ”After further discussions with the Australian Government, we have come to an agreement that will allow us to support the publishers we choose to, including small and local publishers.

“Going forward, the government has clarified we will retain the ability to decide if news appears on Facebook so that we won’t automatically be subject to a forced negotiation. 

“It’s always been our intention to support journalism in Australia and around the world, and we’ll continue to invest in news globally and resist efforts by media conglomerates to advance regulatory frameworks that do not take account of the true value exchange between publishers and platforms like Facebook.”

As a result of the changes, news on Facebook will be restored in the coming days. 

That’s good news for many publishers, but the relationship remains uneasy and this interaction between Facebook and the Australian Government has shown that a power imbalance remains. 

Smart publishers will continue ramping up their efforts to diversify their traffic sources and brand promotion away from Facebook.  

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The AOP’s quarterly Digital Publishers Revenue Index (DPRI) analyses survey data from UK digital publishers about their revenue priorities each quarter. The December 2020 quarter results are interesting for Australian publishers to note because they represent a quick step-change in priorities for publishers – one that may mirror the experience and trajectory of Australian publishers. 

Of those the AOP surveyed in the December 2020 quarter, 78 per cent viewed advertising revenue growth as a high strategic priority across 2021 – compared to pervious quarter, where no respondents cited it 

AOP said that this marks a clear refocus in digital strategies as publishers continue to adapt to the impact of COVID-19. With 89 per cent of publishers also prioritising non-advertising revenue growth – up from 60 per cent this time last year – AOP said that “it is clear that all possible revenue streams are once again a key focus for publishers”. 

The report found that cost reduction is also a high priority for 56 per cent of publishers surveyed in the latest DPRI, in comparison to 33 per cent a year earlier, as they concentrate on driving efficiency following a turbulent 2020.

According to the report, 53 per cent of digital publishers witnessed positive revenue growth in the December 2020, more than double that of the previous quarter (22 per cent). AOP said that this growth was driven in part by a significant rise in subscription revenue, which increased by 51.3 per cent from December 2019 to December 2020. 

Despite this marked rise, the AOP found that growth was offset by the year-on-year contractions in display (-3.6 per cent) and online video (-38.5 per cent) advertising, sponsorship (-25 per cent), and recruitment (-63.6 per cent). As a result, total digital revenue in the December 2020 quarter was down by 1.1 per cent compared to the previous year. This is in contrast to the experience of Australian publishers, with IAB Australia announcing a 20.3 per cent increase in digital advertising revenue for the same period. 

In the B2B sector, overall revenue experienced an increase of 4.1 per cent in the December 2020 quarter compared to the previous year 2019. AOP said that this was fuelled by an uptick in display advertising (15.2 per cent), and subscription (5 per cent) revenues. 

B2C publisher revenue, meanwhile, witnessed a decrease of 1.6 per cent compared to the same quarter last year, but continues to be buoyed by a 68.3 per cent rise in subscription revenue.

Following recovery from Q2 2020, AOP said that confidence in the UK publishing industry has risen considerably, mirroring broader economic optimism following the announcement of COVID-19 vaccine efficacy. 

AOP Managing Director Richard Reeves said: “As the publishing industry starts to recover from the impact of the global pandemic, it is promising to see optimism continue to rise. While digital advertising remains the largest income stream for publishers, the positive growth of subscription revenue demonstrates how the industry has adapted to be stronger and more resilient in the face of the challenges posed by last year. 

“However, it is interesting to note a returned focus on advertising revenue growth as a high strategic priority in the year ahead. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, news sites and premium publishers have attracted greater readerships with their trusted content; fresh opportunities to leverage this will no doubt arise as publishers make smarter decisions to support their bottom lines.”

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In the December 2020 quarter, the Australian digital advertising market recording a 29.7 per cent growth from the previous quarter to reach $2,935 million, and a 20.3 per cent year-on-year increase from the same quarter in 2019. 

The data, drawn from the IAB Australia Online Advertising Expenditure Report (OAER), shows that all advertising categories achieved growth for the second consecutive quarter as the industry rebounds after the COVID-19 pandemic induced declines earlier in 2020.

IAB Australia CEO Gai Le Roy said: “Digital advertising saw a robust comeback in the second half of the year with an extraordinarily strong December quarter with marketer demand flowing across all inventory types. The combination of delayed marketing spend, traditional seasonal uplift, news of a COVID-19 vaccine, and increased consumer online media and commerce behaviour all contributed to the stellar quarter.”

Display advertising performs well in December 2020 quarter

IAB found that both general display and search showed strong year-on-year growth, up 26.8 per cent and 21.1 per cent respectively. The strong investment in display lifted its share of the digital ad spend to 41 per cent compared to 39 per cent in December. 

All display formats saw an increase compared to the prior year showing strong diversified investment for the quarter. Again, video advertising investment led the way with a 41 per cent increase compared to the same quarter last year.

The report states advertising by retailers held a record share of display investment representing 18.5 per cent of the market compared to 11.7 per cent for the prior year. Investment by auto advertisers continued to lag the rest of the market with share from 23.7 per cent in 2018, then 14.7 per cent in 2019 to 10.8 per cent in 2020.

Publisher ad inventory purchased via programmatic increases in 2020

Total investment in digital advertising for the calendar year (CY) 2020 reached $9.5 billion, up 2 per cent from CY 2019.

IAB said that growth was suppressed by the impact of the pandemic on classified listings revenue, which declined 7.3 per cent year-on-year. However, the display market saw a 5.4 per cent increase supported by another strong year for digital video investment, which was up 17.2 per cent.

Content publishers saw more of the inventory purchased through programmatic methods with programmatic real-time bidding, private marketplace and guaranteed representing 44 per cent of display revenue generated in 2020 compared to 36 per cent in 2019. 

IAB found that throughout 2020 retailers lifted their investment in digital advertising with this advertiser category now representing a 15 per cent share of display investment up from 10 per cent in 2019. Other categories to significantly increase share were technology and FMCG. The two categories that had the largest decrease in share were travel and automotive.

IAB Australia is the peak trade association for online advertising in Australia.

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Prime Creative Media said that Prime Mover magazine has historically covered last-mile delivery, and been an important resource for fleet buyers. The incorporation of Delivery magazine into the publication will further extend its coverage of the increasingly important light commercial vehicle market.

“The events of this year have seen a huge surge in demand in the light commercial vehicle market. By incorporating these two publications, we will be able to support the growth of this industry with a strong multi-platform offering,” said CEO John Murphy.

The incorporation of the publication will be overseen by current Editor William Craske.

“Providing strong technology and performance reviews of light commercial vehicles is an important part of supporting this critical industry,” said Craske. “A strong logistics and delivery system is now, more than ever, crucial in the world of supply chains and we look forward to supporting this important sector.”

Prime Creative Media acquired Delivery magazine from Motoring Matters in November 2020, assisted by Media Titles consultant John Blondin. Prime Creative Media acquired PowerTorque magazine at the same time. 

In December 2020, Prime Creative Media announced that it would merge its existing Diesel title with the PowerTorque brand. 

At the time Murphy said that the merger would increase the reach of the new brand. 

Long-standing Editor of Diesel magazine Tim Giles will continue as Editor of the consolidated titles.

“With the acquisition of PowerTorque, this is a great opportunity to move to a magazine name which is going to remain relevant in the future,” said Giles. “We will retain our strong independent stance that has kept Diesel, magazine and website, at the forefront of technological development, industry analysis and comment, as well as bringing our readers stories of operators on the front line.”

Prime Creative Media’s other transport and logistic titles include Big Rigs, MHD and Trailer. 

With offices in both Melbourne and Sydney, Prime Creative Media produces more than 27 mastheads, 80+ digital platforms, and dozens of industry events.

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It’s not all roses though. Facebook’s news content restrictions are going to hurt small publishers who have relied on the platform as a significant source of web traffic. There’s no denying that. You’ll experience a big dip in traffic. And if programmatic advertising is your chosen monetisation strategy for your digital asset, then you’re going to hurt more, and fast. 

King Kong Founder Sabri Suby has said in a blog post in Mumbrella that “today’s response is the final nail in the coffin for many small and local news businesses around Australia who were already struggling to stay afloat”. 

But here’s where I disagree. 

A scenario where Facebook blocks all news content in Australia is fairer for small publishers than a scenario where Google and Facebook provide select publishers with competitive advantages in the form of algorithmic preference and advanced knowledge of algorithm changes. 

Suby also underestimates the power of small, agile businesses that can adapt to change quickly. Because what do we do when we get knocked down? We get back up again. And fight. 

We hustle. 

What are we up against? 

Facebook has restricted publishers and people in Australia from sharing or viewing Australian and international news content. 

This means: 

• Australian publishers are restricted from sharing or posting any content on Facebook pages 
• International publishers can publish news content, but links and posts can’t be viewed or shared by Australian audiences
• Australian Facebook users can’t view or share Australian or international news content on Facebook 
• International Facebook users can’t view or share Australian news content on Facebook
• Other content on Facebook will remain unchanged
• Publisher Facebook Page admins can still access features other than posting on their Facebook page. 

There seems to be some grey area in publishers’ pages that have had their content deleted – I’ve found a few where their content has remained, and others that wouldn’t typically be classed as ‘news’ that have had content removed (non-publishers with important societal functions – government health departments and not-for-profit organisations – have also been affected). Apparently, Facebook will have processes to review any content that was inadvertently removed from users’ newsfeeds. 

I’ll dip into the reasons why Facebook has made this move – then get into the practicalities of overcoming its impact.

Why is Facebook restricting Australian news content? 

The move is in response to the proposed News Media Bargaining Code, which I’m assuming you are well across. Who isn’t? 

Announcing the change, Facebook’s Australia & New Zealand Managing Director William Easton said: “The proposed law fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content. It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship, or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia. With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter.”

He points out that its response to the code differs from Google Australia’s – with Google launching its News Showcase initiative earlier this month – because it has a “fundamentally different relationship with news”. 

“Google Search is inextricably intertwined with news and publishers do not voluntarily provide their content. On the other hand, publishers willingly choose to post news on Facebook, as it allows them to sell more subscriptions, grow their audiences and increase advertising revenue,” Easton said. 

Easton said that the News Media Bargaining Code “seeks to penalise Facebook for content it didn’t take or ask for”. 

Practical steps for small publishers affected by Facebook’s news content restrictions 

Ok. Let’s understand the relationship between Facebook and publishers: 

• Publishers share their content on their Facebook page > Facebook shares this with the publisher’s Facebook page followers and the connections of users that like, comment, or share the post. 
• Facebook users share content they deem worthy to their newsfeeds > Facebook shares this with the users’ networks.

For publishers, both scenarios result in brand awareness, a source of traffic, and the potential to develop an ongoing relationship.

These can be found elsewhere. 

Facebook has been a good source of high-volume traffic for many publishers, particularly those in the news and consumer space. But part of its appeal for Facebook users is the convenience of accessing information on all their interests in one place – their newsfeed. Users are likely to still look for this convenience – and they’ll land on other sources of social media to find it. 

Will other social media sources deliver the same volumes of website traffic as Facebook? The jury is out on this one. As much as it’s designed to keep users onsite – the sheer amount of Facebook users means that it eclipses other social media platforms in this respect. (Unless we’re talking B2B, where LinkedIn is a no-brainer).

Recommendation: increase your social media presence on other platforms but with one key goal 

If the News Media Bargaining Code is passed, the Australian Government has indicated that it will apply the code to other major digital platforms too, which increases the uncertainty around the future of Australian publishers’ content on all social media platforms. 

So, while I recommend that publishers increase their presence on other social media platforms, it should be with one, clear goal: convert users to subscribers. 

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Form a strategy that is focused on building brand awareness, and delivering the right amount of content to provide value and convert users to subscribe to your e-newsletter. 

It’s a concept that targeted media brands are already across, but it’s one that should be refined given the current circumstances and enacted on steroids.

Some of you might feel confident with the number of e-newsletter subscribers you have already. Some of you might be minimally impacted by Facebook’s content restrictions. Regardless, this is too good an opportunity not to leverage to increase your subscriber base.

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Recommendation: double-down on your first-party data and focus on your engagement rate 

First-party data is more critical now than ever. Leverage the situation to collect more data on new and existing subscribers. 

In addition to collecting key contact, demographic, and business information about your subscribers, think strategically about the information that you need to know about your audience to keep them engaged: 

• What niche/topic within your content interests them most?
• How do they prefer their content delivered? 
• What format do they prefer – bite-sized, long-form, video, etc.? 
• How often are they open to receiving emails? 

Also, ask about how they plan to consume news-related content now that Facebook has restricted publishers from the platform: 

• Where else do they consume information on your niche or topic? 
• What social media platforms and news aggregation/RSS feed readers are they using? 

Combine the data from these responses with your existing Google Analytics to get a better understanding of your audiences’ needs and how best you can serve them. 

While diving into your Google Analytics, take note of the engagement metrics of users that came to your website from Facebook in the past compared to other traffic sources: 

• Facebook acquired users: how many pages did they visit, what was their average time on page, what’s the average bounce rate? 
• How does this compare to other traffic sources? 
• What traffic source delivers the most engaged traffic based on these metrics? 
• How can you amplify this in the future? 
• Review the ‘behaviour flow’ charts that depict how users navigate your website. 

Talk to your web developer about ways that you can increase your audience’s engagement with your website, and how you can encourage your audience to share articles to other platforms, RSS feeds or channels. If you haven’t invested in an email marketing tool that allows you to segment your subscribers and personalise their experience – do so. 

Analyse the data available to you and use the information to evolve your brand and connect more deeply with your audience. A smaller engaged audience trumps a larger disengaged audience any day – and you’ll need to boost engagement levels to allay any advertiser concerns.  

Recommendation: review and adapt your sales model 

This might not be a popular opinion…if your online monetisation strategy focuses on programmatic advertising or a CPM model, it’s worth looking at ways that you can diversify your online revenue to reduce your reliance on programmatic. 

Publishers that serve programmatic ads are familiar with being at the whim of Google and Facebook’s algorithmic changes, but the precedent that’s been set by the digital platforms by threatening to exit or taking away news sharing services in Australia is dangerous for publishers that rely on revenue directly generated from their traffic. 

On the other hand, if publishers put the work into growing subscriber lists flush with data, boosting engagement rates, connecting with audiences on a deeper level, and tracking the necessary engagement metrics – there is an opportunity to grow the relationship with your advertisers beyond programmatic. 

Perhaps there are opportunities where you can move to a direct selling approach, or offers opportunities to clients that directly involve your subscriber lists, e-newsletters and email marketing. There might be space for exclusive offers to be created at a higher price point – partnerships, collaborations – arrangements that build relationships with your clients that are outcome-driven but less transactional. 

Many publishers who serve programmatic ads already offer opportunities similar to these. But it may make sense to review the balance of revenue generated from each and direct more effort toward long-term, relationship-based client partnerships. 

The solution here will look different for each publisher, but there are opportunities available if media brands are willing to take a hard look at their sales model and make the necessary sales and structural changes to maintain profitability. 

The road for small publishers in an Australia without Facebook news

The ACCC, Facebook, Google conundrum is a speed bump. But like any speed bump, it’s needed. It provides the perfect opportunity for publishers – big or small – to review their business and make it stronger. To build better relationships, to tighten their website experiences, to deliver content and products that their audience really want and need. 

And I think smaller publishers will come out on top. We don’t have big budgets or big teams. But we’re nimble. And, typically, we have smaller audiences who are more loyal. So we’re going to be ok. We just have to hustle. 

The post Why Australia’s small publishers are going to survive without Facebook appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

The US-based Nieman Journalism Lab aims to help journalism “figure out its future in an Internet age”, and each year they ask a group of media experts what they think is ahead for journalism in the coming year. 

The 2021 predictions have been published on a creative and engaging web page layout. There are a lot of predictions – some are relevant to targeted media brands. Some aren’t. I’ve picked out the themes that are worth noting for Australia’s print and digital niche publishers. 

Business first, journalism second 

Don Day, Founder of BoiseDev (a business news website for the US’ Idaho area), says that independent publishers need to focus on the business first, and the journalism second. He argues that sustainable media businesses need to have a mix of skill sets – at the founder/owner level, but also within the editorial team. 

“We’ll need to attract more entrepreneurs into space who have a background in sales, businesses, and marketing,” he says, explaining that these multi-skilled teams will need to pursue diversified revenue streams across advertising, reader revenue, events, and other ideas. 

Niche is best 

Director of the Journalism and Media Lab at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, Tshepo Tshabalala, believes that media organisations need to “go niche, go deep, and serve a community” in 2021 and beyond. 

“The future resilience of the world’s media lies in focusing on niche audiences and verticals. Its success lies in organizations that speak to very specific interests and the need for credible content,” he says. 

To be successful, he says that publishers need an incredibly detailed understanding of their audience, and remain valuable to them – become subject matter experts: “Niche platforms become valuable as they provide more deeper insights on focus areas that larger but broader news organizations are more likely to miss.”

Co-Founder of Opinary Pia Frey agrees: “The era in which every news site covers more or less the same set of topics and stories is over. The challenge now is differentiation and segmentation — the rise of the niche, if you will. The clearer the editorial profile of a particular niche, the higher the potential to build a loyal and paying audience around it.” 

But Tshabalala warns that while deeper audience insights can lead to more revenue opportunities, achieving scale and sustainability when exploring a niche can be challenging. 

RSS feeds will return and new digital media formats will be explored 

Technology critic Sara M Watson believes that the “glory days of blogging” could make a comeback in 2021, fueled in large part by the rise of independent writers making use of the Substack platform. 

She says they just need to land on a viable monetisation strategy that doesn’t involve exploiting user data or advertising – and a way to reach people via RSS feeds that doesn’t include inbox clutter or noisy social feeds. 

Medium writer advocate Kawandeep Virdee believes 2021 will see the demise of the “doomscroll”, with readers and media makers exploring ways to break free of the negative mental health impacts of social media in favour of “media that cares for you”. 

In particular, Virdee believes high-quality zines with a “healthier UX” will be explored. 

“There’s a hunger for media formats that feel more considerate, more consentful, and designed with care. It’s absolutely crucial for our safety and our wellbeing. This next year, we’ll see new formats for news and storytelling adopting these qualities. I’m excited to see this. My burned-out, screen-fatigued eyes and brain are too.” 

Substack newsletters will morph into magazines

Garance Franke-Ruta (Executive Editor of GEN, a Medium publication) and Nicholas Jackson (Director of Content at Built In) believe that independent writers using Substack will inevitably ‘bundle’ their newsletters together, creating a product similar to magazines. 

“Newsletters will become more magazine-like as the most successful practitioners bring on interns, designers, and even staff writers or contributors, offering more than single-voice value to subscribers,” says Franke-Ruta. 

While Jackson predicts the creation of a magazine product regardless of success level: “When writers can’t make it on their own, they’ll band together…When they want to put out a weekly product but only be responsible for publishing once a month, they’ll find three friends. And it’ll be easier for potential subscribers to justify the expense of a bundle — not just more content, but a diversity of content, and voices, all for one price and under one subscription. It’ll probably look a lot like a magazine, but on the internet. Growing up, we used to call them blogs.

“The primary difference is that these blogs, these magazines, these whatevers, will be built and guided by the individual creators for their audience, not by the executives they once reported to or their shareholders and owners. And that’s interesting.” 

Frey suggests that media organisations could learn from the rise of independent journalists finding success on Substack by hiring subject-matter experts and letting them guide the marketing subscription funnel, creating “personality-centered communities” that may serve as an excellent gateway for advertisers to reach their target audiences.

Deez Links writer Delia Cai believes the Substack model offers a blueprint for media organisations looking to develop reader revenue: “What a relief it is to find that people are finally comfortable – event willing – to pay for relevant and high-quality journalism, especially if it meets a niche that can’t be filled anywhere else, especially when written in voice-y, approachable editions that show up in your inbox like a close friend.” 

Product development should be audience-driven 

Cory Haik (Chief Digital officer at Vice Media Group) and Nico Gendron (Audience Interaction Producer for The Wall Street Journal) see deeper audience engagement as critical for publishers to develop and refine their products in 2021. 

Haik says that media organisations should aim to be essential for their audience. “So I ask the practical and existential question: What do audiences need from us? Not in the macro, but the micro. That new franchise you’re building, that podcast, the video series: Who is it for? What need is it serving? What will the audience do with it? Do they really want it, need it? Or are we just trying to keep their attention long enough for the ad to serve? These are the questions we need to be asking so that our content — how we serve our audiences — can steer our strategy.

“I believe 2021 will be (should be) the year we embrace audiences of all shapes and sizes and work to produce work that fits their needs — as opposed to chasing as many people as we can to pay attention.” 

Gendron agrees, outlining that her job focuses on facilitating the creation of content that solves a problem for WSJ readers – not just reporting on it. She asks: “If tech products can consistently serve their users this way, why can’t journalism?..Newsrooms should commit to having community managers who can close the feedback loop between a community’s needs and the corresponding service journalism.” 

To read all the NiemenLab 2021 journalism predictions, visit their website. 

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Levine made the comments while announcing Roy Morgan’s most recent survey on magazine readership in Australia for the December 2019 to December 2020 period. 

“Despite the challenges faced by publishers during 2020 with periods of lockdown forcing many non-essential businesses from which magazines are sold to close, there are still many magazines with large average issue print readerships including five magazines with a print readership of over 1 million and nearly a dozen with average issue print readerships of 500,000+ Australians,” Levine said. 

Roy Morgan calculates an ‘average issue readership’ estimates over a 12-month period, which represents the number (or percentage) of Australians who read an average print issue of each publication. This provides an estimate of ‘reach’ that an advertiser can expect to receive when choosing to market their product or services within the magazine. 

Newsstand magazines that increased their average issue readership over the last year include: 

• Australian Golf Digest (published by CustomMade Media Australia), up 40.4 per cent to 66,000
• Money Magazine (published by Rainmaker Information) up 16.1 per cent to 137,000
• 4X4 Australia (published by Are Media) up 12.3 per cent to 146,000.

The five most widely read magazine categories are: 

• Food and Entertainment (6,230,000 Australians, 29.6 per cent of the population);
• General Interest (3,402,000 Australians, 16.1 per cent of the population);
• Home and Garden (3,066,000 Australians, 14.6 per cent of the population);
• Mass Women’s (2,676,000 Australians, 12.7 per cent of the population);
• Business, Financial and Airline (943,000 Australians, 4.5 per cent of the population).

The most widely read free magazines for the December 2019-2020 period were Coles Magazine (produced by Medium Rare Content Agency), Woolworths’ Fresh (produced by NewsLifeMedia), and Bunnings Magazine  (also produced by Medium Rare). Bunnings Magazine readership has increased by 6.9 per cent over the year, which Roy Morgan said makes “the hardware retailer’s magazine one of only five with an average issue print readership of more than 1 million Australians”.

Roy Morgan’s full report on Australian magazine readership from December 2019 to December 2020 can be found here.

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Australian Adventure Bike magazine is read by over 60,000 motorcycle adventure enthusiasts. 

Andrew Clubb will be editor from issue 12 of Australian Adventure Bike magazine, scheduled for publication in June. 

“I can’t wait to start this ride with AAB and get even more gravel in my travels,” said Clubb, who brings more than 35 years experience in local moto magazine publishing to the role. 

Clubb is a former Editor of both Dirt Action and Australasian Dirt Bike magazines, and has published his own independent title Trail Zone for ten years.

“I’ve closely watched the growth of AAB over the past three years, and it’s been inspiring to see the title cement its place in the fast-growing category of adventure bike riding,” Clubb said.

“Universal Media Co and AAB’s founding Editor Damien Ashenhurst have successfully targeted a niche in the market where readers and the industry alike appreciate a high-quality publication that gets everyone enthused about climbing on their bikes and exploring the great outdoors, both near and far.s

“Adventure bike riding is all about the bikes and rides, people and places, and that’s precisely what Australian Adventure Bike magazine will continue to feature.”

AAB is part of Univeral Media Co’s Total Moto Media Group, which also includes Dirt Action, Australian Road Rider and RetroBike. 

Marcus Hucker, Publishing Manager of Total Moto Media Group, said of the appointment: “Clubby is arguably the best possible person we could have commissioned for this role, not only because of his experience as an editor and his passion for adventure riding, but because of his desire to carry on the spirit and voice that Damien and the team created with Australian Adventure Bike.”​

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When COVID-19 hit, Amy Nelmes Bissett, a successful freelance writer with a long career working for media brands worldwide, found that her work dried up overnight. 

“As freelancers, we were the first to go. I went from essentially a six-figure wage to two or three commissions if I was lucky – and having to fight for them. It was depressing – watching the print industry pretty much crumble. So many people were made redundant and still haven’t found jobs.” 

But when Amy started thinking about a new direction for her career, she couldn’t quite let go of her print journalism background. 

“I literally just could not bear the thought of not doing what I do – of not making content and not storytelling. I kept seeing it posted everywhere that print was dead. Mumbrella published an Op-Ed about it. But I just couldn’t come to terms with that.” 

So Amy decided to start her own print media brand – a niche magazine aimed at supporting local businesses in her home region, New South Wales’ Central Coast. 

“When I told people I was going to launch a magazine, people thought I was losing my mind.” 

Fast-forward to six months later, and Coasties Magazine has a readership of approximately 40,000 and editions that sell-out with advertising. 

Being “something for someone” 

Amy felt that a magazine that supported local businesses could do well, particularly at a time when COVID-19 had, on the one hand, put a lot of pressure on small businesses, and on the other reinvigorated feelings of community and a support-local movement. 

Before launching, she spent a lot of time researching how print media was evolving around the world. 

“The biggest thing that I could see was publications that were hyper-focused, and free, were doing well,” she said.

So she set about defining the target market of her regional magazine. The Central Coast already had a much-loved magazine that serviced the area, focusing on high-end businesses and an older audience. 

How would Amy’s be different? 

“I felt like there was an outpouring of Sydneysiders to the coast – young mums who still like to socialise. Cool mums who don’t want to necessarily talk about the best playground to go to, or where to take the kids for baby chinos.” 

This became Amy’s market – young, busy mums based on the Central Coast. She spent a lot of time connecting with mums’ groups in the area, running focus groups and getting feedback on magazine concepts, content and the design elements required to draw them in. 

While this took time, Amy credits the magazine’s success with this research. 

“People are super engaged with it because they know what we’re about. 

“For a very long time, mainstream media has been targeting everyone, focused on reaching the biggest audience. But it’s actually better to talk directly. For me, I would prefer an engaged room of a 10 people rather than 100,000 people who aren’t really taking any notice. 

“We really know who we are, and know who we’re talking to. The idea has always been: be something for someone, rather than be everything for everyone.” 

A community-first approach 

Coasties launched in September 2020 at a time when small businesses had experienced a tough six months thanks to COVID-19 lockdown and travel restrictions. 

In its first edition, Amy offered all the magazine’s ad space for free to local businesses, and hand-distributed 15,000 copies of the magazine once published. It’s a strategy that many wouldn’t view as commercially sound, but Amy says that this move gave her an unrivaled “leg up” in launching the magazine. 

“It got us noticed,” she said. 

“We were on radio shows before we even launched, people were talking about us because it was a community-first move, during a time when the morale was low. 

Amy also received recognition from the Central Coast Council, being named as their Australia Day Ambassador for her work helping local businesses. 

“It felt good to give companies free advertising space, especially to those that had been struggling through the pandemic that couldn’t have afforded to pay for the promotion.” 

Amy said that it made Coasties’ ethos of supporting local businesses clear from the start. And in return, small businesses have been supporting the magazine by selling out the advertising in each edition since – with no concerted sales outreach on Amy’s behalf apart from hand-delivering each magazine edition. 

“Hand delivering 15,000 magazines is hard. But it is also joyous because I go into these businesses and straightaway they know who I am, I know who they are, I know about their dreams, what they want to do, their family. I’m invested in them succeeding – mainly because losing my job at the beginning of the year was really hard and upsetting, and I would hate for anybody else to go through that. 

“Yes, the magazine means I’ve created a job for myself, but it’s also about making sure that others have the means to promote their businesses so they have the best chance of succeeding.”

The Coasties card 

Fostering close relationships with local businesses has also led to brand extensions for the Coasties Magazine. During her magazine deliveries, Amy recognised that many of the local businesses were busy on the weekend but not during the week. 

“It made me think – there has to be a way to inspire the community to visit these businesses during the week. The community wants to do it – they’re super engaged with supporting local businesses. They just needed a sweetener,” Amy said.

Amy created the Coasties Card, a membership card for locals that gives them discounts at participating businesses. It worked perfectly with the magazine – Amy explains: the magazine shares the best places to eat and explore on the Central Coast, and the Coasties Card inspires locals to step into them by offering exclusive savings.

The Coasties Card launched with 100 participating small businesses, and today has nearly 150. 

“It grew into something much bigger than I anticipated,” said Amy. COVID-19 had changed the feel of the Central Coast communities, with large numbers of tourists visiting from Sydney each week because of restrictions on out-of-state and international travel. 

“So there has been this mass influx of tourists and the locals wanted something that made them feel special. In the end, a lot of the participating businesses didn’t actually need the extra traffic – but they were doing it as a thank you to locals for supporting them during a challenging year.”  

Balance and dispelling myths about media brands 

Despite Coasties’ success, the path to launching had its challenges. As a mum of two young children, Amy said that getting the balance right when launching a business is really hard. 

“There’s always a sleepless night; there’s always teething or sickness; there’s always a call to make. And then in the early days of any start-up publication, you have so many titles that you’re doing yourself – content, marketing, social media. 

“I wish there were more than 24 hours in a day. I have so many ideas to grow the brand, and I suppose I’m very impatient – I want it done yesterday.” 

Amy explains that the other challenge is dispelling the myth that Coasties is run by a large media company. 

“Coasties is funded with my own money. Sometimes people don’t realise that. So a lot of our wording around social media is about the fact that we are a small business – we’re supporting local businesses, but the local businesses that are supporting us are also supporting a local business.” 

Growing digital and full-service marketing help 

Now that the Coasties print media is well-established, Amy is focused on growing its digital channels. She views the magazine as the backbone of support for local businesses, and the Coasties digital channels as providing immediate news about local businesses on the Central Coast. 

“I do believe it has to be a double-pronged approach. You have to have print and digital work together,” she says. 

Outside of its print and digital channels, the Coasties brand now provides general marketing support for local businesses. 

“There’s a growth in people starting businesses since the pandemic, but starting a business isn’t having an idea and then just putting it out there. If nobody can hear you, there’s no point.” 

So Amy now offers affordable social media, website and SEO services to local businesses who are skilled in the service that they provide but struggle with the marketing elements. 

“Marketing is expensive and often out of reach for your one-man and one-woman business. It’s a daunting overhead. So offering affordable marketing help is a potential area of growth.” 

Amy’s advice for those looking to start a regional magazine 

Amy says that coming onto the scene as a new publication is really hard. 

“There’s a lot of noise – everyone is a content creator now. A lot of people on the Central Coast lost their jobs because of COVID-19, so all of a sudden regional blog sites and social media accounts started popping up.

“And part of the reason for launching a magazine rather than going straight online was about standing ourselves outside of the crowd. I’m a journalist with extensive experience. I didn’t just one day decide to do a food blog. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But I wanted Coasties to be seen as a leader, from the start.” 

So, if you are looking to start a magazine, what are Amy’s tips for a successful launch? 

“If you want to do it, stop thinking about it and just do it. Know your audience. Spend time to really know them and then jump in. Because if you hesitate, someone else will beat you to it.”  

“And most of all, keep it hyper-focused, and be confident in your messaging. I’m super confident with the Coasties brand in six months, and it pays dividends.” 

The post Coasties: launching a hyper-focused, community-first magazine appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.

In any industry or profession, without new birth, products, ideas, or people, there is no growth. If you’re not growing, if you’re not introducing new blood to the mix of what you have, you’re dying incrementally. And the lifecycle and growth of magazines aren’t any different than any other lifecycle. Yes, magazines come and magazines go, but just because one magazine folds it doesn’t mean the entire print medium is dying. 

And while in the last 20 years the number of consumer magazines in the US aimed at the general public has remained steady, averaging at around 7,000 titles, it should be noted that in those same 20 years we had at least 4,730 new magazines coming into the marketplace. And the reason I say at least, is because those were the ones that I was actually able to buy and collect ink on paper copies from.  My definition was and still is, “if it is not ink on paper, it is not a magazine.” And if I don’t have a physical copy of the magazine, it does not get added to the data on new magazines. There has always been an influx of new print hitting mailboxes and newsstands nationwide, ranging from a yearly high of 450+ to a low of 60 due to the onset of the pandemic in 2020. 

Those new titles are the life’s blood of the magazine industry. And even if 70 per cent of those magazines have died, which is the survival average of new magazines after four years of publishing, the remaining provide a good chuck of the magazines in the marketplace. 

Why am I talking about new magazines and the need to launch new titles aimed at different audiences?

Mainly because people have been asking me about it, many have called and interviewed me about whether there is still room today for new magazines? My answer is there’s always room. To me, magazine publishing is like the digital sphere. There is no end for digital and there is no end for ideas and launching new magazines.

What does it take to launch a new magazine and what are some of the steps to make sure it’s successful? 

The most important aspect, based on my research, is that you have to find an audience. That’s number one. An audience who is willing and capable to pay the price of the magazine and the advertised goods in the magazine. The average cover price of a new magazine is inching toward the US$10.00 figure.

You have to be in the business of selling relevant, engaging content to an audience who:

1. can afford the price of your magazine and
2. can benefit from what’s inside that magazine. 

The old business model of selling the audience to an advertiser to make money is slowly but surely heading to the history books. You must be in the business of selling content and creating experiences with the audience.

Nobody needs a magazine. Magazines are like chocolate. Nobody needs chocolate but once you start eating it you get addicted to it and you want more. Same thing with magazines. You have to create this relationship.

You have to provide me with something different. Something unique. If I can Google a question and find its answer, it doesn’t belong in your magazine.

So the process of starting a new magazine begins with an idea.

The very first thing you need to do if an idea comes to your mind is put it in writing. Ideas come by the dozen and are worth a dime. It’s the execution of the idea that sets it apart. So once you get the idea, once you boil it down to a very specific one sentence “this is what the magazine is going to be all about,” find the means and ways to reach that audience. Because the best ideas in the world, if they don’t have an audience, they are never going to go anywhere.

And believe in yourself.

The sky is not the limit. No, you are the limit! Believe in yourself because everyone is going to tell you “this will never work”.  And all the successful magazines in history were published based on ideas that folks were told their ideas would never work or no one would ever buy them.

For the last 20 years, new magazines have continued coming into the world just like their predecessors before them. For a glimpse at how the numbers fell in any given year, here is a chart that myself and my team put together of new launches that have frequency from 2001 until 2020.

As you can see, the numbers have been strong (stronger in some years), but even in 2020 with a pandemic raging, we had 60 new magazines to hit newsstands in the US. Nothing short of amazing.

And many of these from the last 20 years are still going strong as you can see from the different titles scattered in my blog. 

And these are just some of the titles still engaging the audiences with excellent experience making and good content providing. The longevity of these magazines prove they still have viable, relevant, necessary, and sufficient content that audiences want.

So what are you waiting for? 

Start putting your ideas on paper and let the fun begin. Magazine publishing, as one friend from The Netherlands once told me, “is believing.” And I do believe.  

Do I hear an amen or two…

The post New magazines: the lifeblood of the magazine industry appeared first on Targeted Media Services Network.