Simon Owens's Media Newsletter $10 / month

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter explores the mechanisms behind digital content creation, distribution, and monetization, highlighting the challenges and opportunities within the media and Creator Economy. It covers the impact of technology, audience engagement strategies, the dynamics of publishing, and the evolving landscape of digital media.

Digital Content Strategies Creator Economy Media Consumption Analytics Social Media Platforms Subscription Models Audience Engagement Content Monetization AI and Digital Disruption Publishing Industry Challenges Journalism Trends

Top posts of the year

And their main takeaways

How publishers should respond to declining Google traffic

1097 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
💼 Business Media industry Content Strategy Revenue Generation Subscription Models Digital Publishing
  1. Google traffic may not be as valuable as perceived, as it often results in low engagement and conversion rates.
  2. High-quality publishers can leverage brand recognition as a powerful tool to compete in search results dominated by AI-generated content.
  3. Building a strong personal brand in the Creator Economy can lead to burnout and lack of exit options, prompting some creators to launch companies separate from their personal brands.

The valley of churn

873 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
💼 Business Media Subscription Networking Content Strategy
  1. In the media industry, success stories often overshadow struggles and failures
  2. Content creators face challenges like subscription churn and need to diversify revenue streams
  3. Connecting with other media operators and constantly evolving subscription strategies are crucial for business growth
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AI-generated slop is already clogging the arteries of the web

823 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Tech Platforms Content creation Digital Media Media industry
  1. Many worry about AI-generated content replicating and stealing audiences, but the impact on publishers is still largely hypothetical.
  2. AI is already degrading the user experience of the web, causing harm and making content resources useless.
  3. Platforms like Amazon, Google News, and ad tech are flooded with AI-generated content, harming users and eroding trust in the information served.

One of the biggest mistakes newsletter writers make

798 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
💼 Business Marketing Monetization Entrepreneurship Sponsorship Advertising
  1. Newsletter writers should reintroduce themselves at the beginning of each newsletter to provide context for new subscribers.
  2. Content monetization is easier than ever, but building an audience is becoming more challenging for creators.
  3. To increase sponsorship revenue, consider strategies like recruiting sponsors from your own audience, joining ad exchanges, and hiring sales staff.

Why newsletter signups should always be your north star

723 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
💼 Business Media Entrepreneurship Finance Marketing Content creation
  1. Focus on growing newsletter signups as a key metric for success, as platforms can impact content creators' reach and livelihood unpredictably.
  2. Media entrepreneurs should be cautious of relying solely on tech platforms for distribution, as policies and algorithms can mistakenly impact their work.
  3. Entrepreneurs in media should consider covering niche news sites, video channels, podcasts, newsletters, and affiliate/ecommerce to succeed independently.

Why hasn’t the mainstream media embraced paid podcasts?

573 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
💼 Business Media Subscription Publishing Marketing Startups
  1. Paid podcasts have seen success with small networks and creators, but traditional media outlets have been hesitant to embrace them.
  2. Platforms like Patreon and tools from Apple and Spotify have made subscribing to paid podcasts easier, yet major publishers are still not fully exploring this opportunity.
  3. Some media companies like Slate and The Economist are finding success with paid podcasts and hard paywalls, showing potential for revenue growth in these areas.

Meta's just not that into you

499 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
💼 Business Media Publishing Social media Monetization Legislation
  1. Facebook is shifting away from news content, with recent actions including shutting down its news tab and restricting news links on its platforms like Instagram and Threads.
  2. Publishers have seen a decline in Facebook traffic over the years, as the platform has deprioritized news pages since the aftermath of the 2016 election.
  3. Many publishers blame Meta for not compensating them adequately, leading to lobbying efforts by publishers globally to force Meta to the bargaining table.

It wasn’t Vice’s business model that sank it

449 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
💼 Business Media industry Advertising Venture Capital Revenue streams Startups
  1. High overhead costs and failure to control expenses can lead to the downfall of media companies, not just their business models.
  2. Diversifying revenue streams beyond advertising can be beneficial for media companies to sustain themselves.
  3. Establishing reasonable burn rates and controlling expenses are crucial for the long-term success of media companies.

How to drive paid memberships without a paywall

424 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Media Marketing News Monetization
  1. Emphasize the local impact: Clearly communicate how local news is shrinking in your area to show readers what they may lose without support.
  2. Specify donation purposes: Avoid vague requests and explain how donations contribute to specific journalism projects or coverage areas.
  3. Implement pledge drives: Utilize public-radio-style pledge drives to create urgency and engage readers, ensuring they are consistently reminded of membership opportunities.

Traditional media outlets are under-monetizing their YouTube channels

274 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
💼 Business Marketing Monetization Advertising Media Entrepreneurship
  1. Traditional media outlets are not fully utilizing the monetization potential of their YouTube channels, missing out on significant revenue opportunities.
  2. Newsletter advertising has experienced growth despite challenges faced by the larger advertising industry, with brands noting higher engagement and return on investment.
  3. John Oliver's YouTube channel for Last Week Tonight showcases high engagement with fewer videos compared to other late night shows, yet HBO is not directly monetizing it, highlighting a missed opportunity for revenue.

The media isn't getting its election bump

224 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
💼 Business Media Entrepreneurship Content creation Publishing Podcasting
  1. The media did not experience the usual election year audience boost due to low competition in the primaries, potentially affecting their revenue opportunities.
  2. Entrepreneurs in niche media areas like news sites, podcasts, and newsletters are being sought for coverage and interviews by the newsletter author.
  3. Empowering Cloud, a media company focused on Microsoft cloud products, was founded by Tom Arbuthnot to educate audiences and provide content within a community platform.

Advertisers won’t be guilted into funding news

224 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
💼 Business Advertising Media News Activism Monetization
  1. Advertisers won't easily fund news due to activist campaigns pressuring them to choose where ads appear.
  2. The use of keyword blocklists by advertising agencies has made it difficult to monetize hard news through advertising alone.
  3. Organizations are urging brands to support trusted news sites to ensure journalism is adequately funded, but the path forward is challenging.

More local news outlets should lean into crowdsourcing

224 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
  1. Local news outlets should focus on crowdsourcing news from their communities to stay relevant and engage their audience
  2. Small local news startups are emerging to fill the gaps left by traditional media outlets, focusing on hyper-local coverage and lean operations
  3. Successful local news outlets are often locally owned, hyper-focused on community news, and operate with lean resources

Ask me a question!

24 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🚌 Education Media
  1. The author is inviting people to ask questions for a video and podcast episode.
  2. Questions should be appealing to a broad audience of people who work in traditional media.
  3. Readers can access the full post archives with a 7-day free trial.

Ask me a question!

0 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Media
  1. The author is inviting paying subscribers to ask questions for a video and podcast episode.
  2. The questions should appeal to a broad audience of people who work in traditional media.
  3. This particular post is exclusive for paid subscribers.