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The CodeCo's colleagues from TheCodeCo advise that, regardless of whether your initial site served as the foundation for the person you are today but that doesn't mean it will always be suitable. This post is reproduced by permission. check out the original post here.
The trusted platform for publishing has gone through many things together. They're very close. It makes sense that you'd try everything possible to bring back nostalgia for the great old days.
Although just because the original website design helped you become an extremely successful webmaster currently, that does not mean that it will be around for long. Like all relationships that last for a long time ending, breakups can be difficult to manage. But, don't let the emotions keep you from taking your next step.
Are you ready to give away your website?
Sometimes, it's important to acknowledge the fact. You've changed. It's a new market. It's time to move on. It's obvious. But, you're feeling a more relaxed stumbling around in your old, creaking CMS in search of a workaround, button or miracle that will aid you in escaping the increasing mess.
Why? Because it's a tech project. The majority of people (even people who write digitally) have a negative view of technological advances. A study carried out at Chapman University revealed that technology is Americans the second most important reason for worry. That's right, technology scares more people than death (and only slightly less scary than the experience of being under the sway of the midst of an earthquake). If you're trying to be successful in the current era of media entrepreneurs, it is now the moment to confront your fears and look at the most vital connection you've made with your customers.
Signs your tech stack is hindering your progress
Are there any scenarios that seem similar to yours?
- The team that edits your site is overwhelmed with admin duties for your site and the processes
- It is expensive to spend a significant amount of money to do seemingly effortless jobs.
- Most of your money to invest in technology will be used in keeping the lighting on.
- The builders you've contracted have told you that a certain goal cannot be done "because of the method in which it's constructed"
- Your audience is growing but your profits are flat.
- Advertising agencies are asking for audience insights/data that you're not able to deliver
- It's time to replenish your advertising supplies or you are you concerned that you're not maximizing income opportunities
- Your model of business has evolved dramatically since the time you launched your business.
If you are in agreement with one or more of these assertions, you must seriously think about an upgrade to your technology. For any publisher that's overgrown their website Replatforming is the best way to bring about an impactful and long-lasting change. This is an effective way to see immediate results.
How do publishers avoid tech projects?
You can say it isn't just the tech-related fear that's holding you from advancing. It's the fear that technology could be not working as it should. For most digital publishers, their hesitation to experiment is due to one (or several) of the following "nightmare circumstances'
- The cost blow-out
- Endless projects
- The wrong agency
The fears you have are completely normal. Your company is already an organisation that's digital in one of the biggest period of disruption that the globe has ever experienced. So it's not surprising that you're uncomfortable about massive web reconstruction. The wait-and-see method is no route to success in the current McKinsey study on "Digital Strategies in the Age of Crisis' illustrates.
MCKINSEY, 'DIGITAL Strategies in the Age of CRISIS'
What technology should publishers to make investments in?
If now is indeed the right time to invest in the field of technology, it is important not to over-invest. Tech debt is very easy to accumulate, yet more difficult to get rid of. Publishers are increasingly overwhelmed by technological choices. That's why that we begin every new project with a extensive investigation process. To give the those who own media the opportunity to fully explore the options available, decide on the most important factors and avoid costly errors.
A key to success in the field of media is knowing the best technology to spend money on. As Steve Jobs famously acknowledged, technology is simply tools to aid the work of great individuals. It's the actions you take when using that tool it's the actions you take that make the distinction.
HTML0 The truth is that technology should never be confusing or overwhelming.
When introducing a new tool or technology, you should be sure to ask "how could this assist me improve my efficiency in my work? If it doesn't make sense, you're adding to the chaos. When working with owners of media the way we've always worked has been "anti-complexity". Our goal is to provide an impactful and profitable business outcome with minimal effort? In avoiding distractions like flashing lights and unnecessary devices, we make sure client budgets are only used for the areas actually necessary. This ensures that your project will end with no surprises and the most dreadful scenarios are avoided.
HTML0 The most efficient transformations are usually caused with simple adjustments, carefully executed and aligned perfectly with the business's core objectives.
Traditional publishing objectives are wrong
The first step to finding out your needs in technology is to determine your business' objectives. This is the kind of thing publishers typically declare as their primary goals
- More traffic
- Advertising more
- Time to get it done
In the past, these were considered to be things to be pursued. The digital revolution has transformed the world of publishing.
Make sure that your technology is aligned with your goals for publishing
Traffic isn't the route to scaling your digital publishing on your site. Advertisers don't really care the number of people who go to your site. They want to understand the audience that visits, how they engage in the material they are reading and the value they bring to the brand they represent.
In the ever-growing, data-driven consumer base, vanity metrics such as traffic don't even scratch the threshold. It's moment to put aside selling advertisements instead of focusing on how you can use technology to form positive relationships with companies. If you've got your plan right, you'll automatically be able to focus on your work.
These are the goals you should be:
Objective 1: Better understanding of your visitors The more information you have about your readers and their preferences, the better you are in a position to enhance and improve the content on your site. This can lead to greater involvement (see Goal 2.) This gives you the opportunity to develop thrilling opportunities for your customers (see Goal 3.)
Objective 2: Deeper participation by the audience A well-engaged audience is a valuable audience. That's why it's an ideal time to begin the process of becoming an independent editor. A small and active community is where the future opportunities for editors are.
Goal 3 Goal #3: More effective marketing opportunities for clients: If you've succeeded in achieving Goals 1 and 2, Goal 3 will likely happen naturally. If you can provide innovative, personalized marketing services for clients, then you're an appealing target.
The technology for publishing can be a game changer.
Once you've set your goals now is the time to look at your technology system. If you're working in partnership with digital publishers looking to grow this is one of the first challenges we focus on:
Content Management System
The business is based on content, so it shouldn't require an expert to understand the significance of the CMS. (CMS). An excellent CMS is at the heart of any digital publisher that is successful. It's (or should be) the primary source of data, and is expected to adapt to every needs for advertising and editorial.
If you're a developing media operator, you shouldn't ignore WordPress. Well you could, but you'll likely regret it quite soon. Many different platforms have attempted take on WordPress however none have actually been able to rival the versatility in its reliability, dependability, and capacity to connect.
Learn More: Drupal vs. WordPress: What's best for digital publisher?
If you're an enormous publishing firm, there's no reason to not develop an own system. The CMS's that are proprietary are inflexible cost prohibitive and could be a threat to completely eliminate you (or most likely in the event that) technology evolves at the speed of today.
One thing many people aren't aware of is that WordPress can be customized to handle intricate workflows. We are doing it all the time. It's just that the publishing platforms are incredibly complex, and it's not common to find developers with sufficient capability (or enough time) to completely answer your particular request. After numerous attempts to solve the issue, the outcome is an extremely complex structure to publish.
What are your opinions on SaaS publishing platforms such as Substack and Medium?
If you're a blogger, or making an attempt at the business of publication, SaaS services are fantastic. But, technology stacks that plug and play are a major warning for publishers who are serious. Are you willing to allow your entire operation to be dependent on a plugin that cost $50? A majority of what we do at The Code Company involves 'rescue operations' with publishers that have come to this conclusion through trials and trial and.
Read More: Three most common mistakes made by webmasters when building or replatforming their websites
Hosting Platforms
Slow websites are the fastest way to lose viewers and advertisers. This is the reason why picking the best hosting service is crucial. In selecting a server you basically have two options:
- Self-managed Hosting
- Host management platforms
In the past, due to the enormous complexity of their needs most enterprise publishers chose to develop their own hosting system. However, managed platforms have been developed in such a way that virtually all the essential needs of publishers growing can be fulfilled.
Learn More: What is the most reliable web hosting solution for digital publishers? Managed hosting options are particularly straightforward when you're using WordPress. With regards to stability, security backups, the ability to cache backups, caching and updates choices of the platforms such as WordPress Engine and WordPress VIP surpass all others. And you'll most likely save money. The benefits of hosting services when we worked with a brand new client in publishing. Just by switching them over to a managed platform, we saved them over $200k annually!
AdTech
The team of ours recently had a meeting with a publisher on a smaller scale that has created an extremely engaging audience, that brands are pounding their doors in order to advertise. A publishing dream come true? You'd think. There was an issue. They were out of inventory. It was impossible to find enough advertising units available on their website for client requests. The company's profit margin was decreasing, yet the company refused customers.
Our first step to rectify the issue was the hiring of our AdOps team. They were able to efficiently install Google Ad Manager and build a smart WordPress link. This gave editorial and advertising teams complete control over the management of campaigns and the way they target. And crucially, it led to an immediate return on investment and an opportunity for a substantial increase in revenues.
Publishing's focus is rapidly moving away from targeted traffic. Therefore, it is inevitable that consumers will need more sophisticated advertising solutions. To maximize the future revenue opportunities, now is the perfect time to design your AdTech for success.
Data Collection Tools
Do you have a treasure trove of data? Probably. Many digital publishers are however, few realize it. They are also less aware of what they can do with the data to boost their revenue. The WPP AUNZ Chief Executive Officer Jens Monsees made this point at the 2020 Mumbrella 360 when he likened data from digital sources to high-school sexual activity.
"Everybody talks about it," however, only a handful of persons actually do the thing, and none is doing it correctly. Beyond that, you need to know the issue. Where is this data sitting? What could I do to bring the data to me, and comprehend the data at a moment's notice? What proportion of customers are using a well-defined data strategy, and an IT infrastructure in place to extract and understand out of their data?"
When you've got the right technology, you'll be able to gain comprehensive behavioural insights that show users what they're doing for a long period of time. The most effective place to start is by adjusting your ESP (email service provider) to understand what content categories an person is clicking. It allows you to customize the experience of your users as well as provide highly pertinent information and opportunities for marketing to customers.
"Behaviorally targeted ads are two times as useful and as efficient as non-targeted advertisements on the web"
Google Tag Manager (GTM) should be also considered. It's like the name suggests. GTM can be used to control tags for your website. GTM has revolutionized the way webmasters operate since it offers you more control over the types of tags you use on your site as well as ensuring that it's not necessary to contact programmers to get minor changes. It's the GTM event Tracking tool could be an effective tool to monitor interactions between your users as well as certain elements of your website..
Read More Tags for Server Side with Google Ad Manager: What it means for Publishers
Some parting thoughts
If you're a digital publication firm, you're already in a long-term relationship with the latest technology. But is your current website offering everything you require for success? Are you holding yourself back from making changes because it's familiar and comforting? Take note that not all of the most impressive achievements has been accomplished from a comfortable area.
But, it doesn't have to be to be stressful. If you have the right technology partner and a simple mindset, both you and your publishing system will be able to live happily ever after.
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