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VIA Recap

May 18, 2012 By

Angus Robertson

On May 9 & 10, the SIIA Content Division hosted Content VIA Platforms – a conference dedicated to educating media, publishing and information professionals about the technology and business issues related to distributing content via mobile, social and other platforms. Guest blogger, Angus Robertson, Principal Robertson Advisors LLC, gives his write up on the Conference and the content covered. 

About Robertson Advisors:  For 10 years Robertson Advisors has been providing content creators and distributors with strategic and tactical consulting services. Angus can be reached at angusrob@mac.com.

A major theme emerging from SIIA’s Content VIA Platforms conference in San Francisco last week was the impact that mobile is having on the distribution of content.

One lesson from the success of iPad apps is that the simplicity dictated by the format can be a benefit that has relevance to other offerings as well.  The limitations of apps forces greater focus on what is truly important, a lesson that is increasingly being incorporated into web products.

Newstex President Larry Schwartz offered a useful walk through of the process and timeline of developing mobile apps. He stressed the importance of following the Lean Startup model of “Nail it and scale it.”

Dan Bennett, VP of Technology for Thomson Reuters, provided a handy comparison of the pros and cons of native apps versus HTML5 and sounded a note of caution about jumping on the app bandwagon.  Developing and supporting apps for Apple devices always adds to costs but not always to revenue, so it is important to understand what you are trying to do with apps, he said.  He likens apps to puppies: everyone loves them until they get big and tear apart the house.

Barry Graubart, VP Marketing, ReisReports, led an informative Executive Bootcamp on Platforms that included Teri Mendelsohn of Mendelsohn Consulting, Ann Michael of Delta Think, Robin Neidorf of Free Pint and Mark Strohlein of Agile Business Logic.

Some of the key pointers from this session were:

Mobile strategy needs to:

  • embrace the constraints; focus and simplify; and leverage mobile features such as geolocation, but only where they add value.
  • iPads are now outselling PCS, which represent less than 50% of the market.
  • About one in ten new products will be successful.

Security and authentication remains a significant hindrance to going fully mobile in the enterprise market, especially for businesses such as financial institutions. Still,  Free Pint surveys of enterprise users show that mobile is growing strongly in the corporate world. Two years ago Junior Analysts were asking “Why can’t I get this on my iPhone?” Now, senior executives are saying “Get this on my iPad, I don’t care how.”

Peter Marney, VP Content Group, Thomson Financial Research, gave an overview of how Thomson Reuters is handling the issue of fully leveraging the vast amounts of data across the company to support multiple platforms and markets.  His goal is to make news dynamic and interactive across the merged enterprise. “Knowing the value of the connections (between content) is more important than the content itself,” he said, citing the links between companies, people, patents and legal issues.

 

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VIA Recap: Syndicating Your Content and Working with B2B Aggregation Platforms

May 17, 2012 By

Angus Robertson

On May 9 & 10, the SIIA Content Division hosted Content VIA Platforms – a conference dedicated to educating media, publishing and information professionals about the technology and business issues related to distributing content via mobile, social and other platforms. Guest blogger, Angus Robertson, gives his write up on the session Syndicating Your Content and Working with B2B Aggregation Platforms.

 This panel at the SIIA Content VIA Platforms, moderated by NewsLook CEO Fred Silverman, provided a good representation of the spectrum of attitudes towards syndicating content. In the traditionalist’s corner was Eric Johnston, Publisher and President of the Modesto Bee and the Merced Sun-Star, owned by McClatchy Newspapers. Johnston was quick to draw the distinction that “We are journalists, not content creators or providers. We do our best to protect our copyright.” Johnston also took comfort in the advent of the iPad, which he said allows a return to the “serendipity” of newspapers. This led to a discussion among the panelists of the “lean back” movement that, for example, has people spending 2 continuous hours with the iPad version of The Economist in a quasi-print format.

Johnston says his papers syndicate broad interest stories, but keep hyperlocal news within their own system, believing that local news is not of much interest outside the community. (But what about those who have left the community who may still be interested in home town news?) Despite the challenges facing the industry, Johnston thinks it is an exciting time to be in the newspaper business: “We have strong digital assets and we’ll be prepared for future delivery.”

Anthony Capon, Vice President for Content at Dow Jones oversees Factiva, which has  more than 36,000 content providers. Capon noted that anyone can aggregate and webcrawl: “We make it legal and present people with something they haven’t seen before.” Curation becomes more important as the playing field levels, with data mining and visualization emerging as key differentiators: “People want to discover things they don’t know, rather than just searching,” he said. While it is more complicated and expensive to syndicate through multiple platforms, “We have to be on all platforms our users use or we don’t get paid.”

Jeffrey Massa, President and CEO of syndicator YellowBrix, wants to make sure the content gets to the customer and that each of the 3,000 publishers gets credit. Massa noted a trend recently for publishers, especially newspapers, to try to pull back content that they previously syndicated through aggregators.  Agreeing with Capon, Massa noted that syndicators have to add more value: “deduping content is not enough.’  Over time he expects to be syndicating less licensed content and more unlicensed content.  YellowBrix is putting its money where its mouth is through its new iSyndicate product. Rather than the traditional usage-based model, iSyndicate buys in bulk: for example, 10 million page views for a set fee. Clients are charged a flat monthly fee regardless of the amount of usage.

NewsCred CEO Shafqat Islam, emphasized the importance of paying attention to packaging and making sure the display of content is optimized for different platforms, including billboards.  He said NewsCred aims for an “immersive content experiences” using a combination of algorithms and an editorial team. NewsCred was able to sign up the Financial Times, which is known for keeping fairly tight control of its content, by “showing how we can take them beyond where they are. It has to be more than just revenue in some cases.”  As an example of how curation of syndicated content can serve niche markets, NewsCred also has worked with the Daily News to create an online section aimed at the South Asian community in New York.

Many publishers still expect higher fees for content appearing on display screens, such as Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters terminals, but NewsCred charges clients the same amount, regardless of the platform they receive it on. Noting that “Advertisers want to control the relationship with the customer,” Islam said brands such as Pepsi are the fastest growing customer segment of NewsCred’s business.

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Post written by Angus Robertson, Principal Robertson Advisors llc.

For 10 years Robertson Advisors has been providing content creators and distributors with strategic and tactical consulting services. Angus can be reached at angusrob@mac.com.

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VIA Recap: Audience Engagement 3.0

May 15, 2012 By
 On May 9 & 10, the SIIA Content Division hosted Content VIA Platforms – a conference dedicated to educating media, publishing and information professionals about the technology and business issues related to distributing content via mobile, social and other platforms. Guest blogger, Angus Robertson, gives his write up on the session Audience Engagement 3.0
 

Burt Herman, Co-founder, Storify

Go away helicopter before I take out my giant swatter :-/

Shoiab Athar posted this tweet on May 1, 2011, unaware at the time that he was witnessing the assault that led to the killing of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan.

Speaking at the SIIA Content VIA Platforms conference in San Francisco, Storify Co-Founder Burt Herman used this as a compelling example of how storytelling is becoming social. Of course his business is predicated on building stories out of social media, but he made a good case, arguing that the web is inherently social media. Examples include how social media can add context and meaning to photos and how pulling together tweets from Apple employees after the death of Steve Jobs provide a touching “story” that would likely not be available through traditional reporting.

Herman also argued that content “curation is incredibly suited to touch,” and showed how easy it is to use Storify to “swipe” social media and other web content into a “story” that can be easily shared as an embedded object:  “YouTube videos are embeddable anywhere on the web, so why not stories?”

As somebody who, like Herman, was once a wire service reporter, I was taken with the way in which constantly updating a Storify “story” with new information is similar to a constantly updated AP story. Storify is also stretching the definition of what a story is. Herman gave the example of the White House using Storify with a headline #DontDoubleMyRate to bring attention to its position on the issue of student loan rates.

Storify is a venture-backed free service that envisages including social ads in its stories as a way of generating revenue.

This post was written by Angus Robertson, Robertson Advisors LLC.

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VIA Recap: Facebook and Google+: Is the Reach Worth the Risk?

May 15, 2012 By

Rachael Monroe

On May 9 & 10, the SIIA Content Division hosted Content VIA Platforms – a conference dedicated to educating media, publishing and information professionals about the technology and business issues related to distributing content via mobile, social and other platforms. Guest blogger, Rich Kreisman, gives his write up on the session Facebook and Google+:  Is the Reach Worth the Risk? 

 

This session, moderated by Rachael Monroe, Vice President, Client Services, BBN Networks, brought two experts on social media, Jim Brady, Editor-in-Chief, Digital First Media, and Christopher Carfi, Vice President – Social Business Strategy, Ant’s Eye View, before the VIA attendees to share war stories of the learning years in social media  (since Facebook’s launch in 2004)– and the future, which both Brady and Carfi see as bright for publishers who innovate and experiment with social media.  Publishers are still finding their own formula to leverage social media platforms – for traffic, customer acquisition or to create new hybrid products combining their own content and user insights, both Brady and Carfi acknowledge.

Jim Brady

Carfi, whose consulting firm advises large companies like Cisco and Starbucks on social business strategies, says most companies (including publishers) view social media platforms as a broadcasting megaphone. “Social media is not just another ‘channel’.” Companies who look at it as a one-way communication tool are not succeeding, he says.  “Rather, my clients who really learn how to listen and engage in the conversations are getting the most benefits.”  Listening involves active monitor of all social media channels and engaging in two-way conversations with users – even if the news is  negative. Talking about his experiences at WashingtonPost.com and at Digital First Media (a venture of Journal Register Publishing and MediaNews Group), Brady notes, “Social media has to be in the DNA of everyone in the organization to make it work…and, in most newspaper newsrooms, it is not.”  To coach editors and writers through their initial forays into social media, Digital First Media offers training and support sessions.  

Christopher Carfi

But unless writers see a direct benefit for their reporting, they are unlikely to take the risk associated with the two-way conversations of social media.  “I always tell people to be patient,” Brady says. “It takes a while to build the conversation up.”   Brady finds when social media does take root in a newsroom, it becomes an important arrow in a publisher’s quiver and can deliver unique insights to readers.  Both men definitely seem to believe the reach of the large social media players is worth the risk.  However, they advise the audience that an 18-24 month learning curve should be expected for the average publisher. Experimentation and learning are key, says Carfi, as well as finding the champions of social media throughout the organization to prove its value to others.

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 Post written by Rich Kreisman, Principal Partner, Kreisman Information Consulting

Rich Kreisman is Principal Partner of Kreisman Information Consulting, LLC, a San Francisco-based consultancy advising publishers, content creators, websites and mobile providers on content licensing, syndication and distribution partnerships to meet their strategic business needs.  Rich can be reached at rkreisman@kreismaninfoconsult.com


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VIA Recap: The Gang of Four: Why Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook Dominate the Market

May 15, 2012 By
On May 9 & 10, the SIIA Content Division hosted Content VIA Platforms – a conference dedicated to educating media, publishing and information professionals about the technology and business issues related to distributing content via mobile, social and other platforms. Guest blogger, Rich Kreisman, gives his write up on the Keynote by Kara Swisher, Co-Producer, D: All Things Digital; Co-Executive Editor, AllThingsD.com.
 
Kara Swisher’s keynote reminded me why humor is an outstanding trait to maintain in a complicated and turbulent business landscape. Speaking to a roomful of top publishers, Swisher – with a wave of a hand – says, “You’re endangered – or really just irrelevant,” as she put up a slide of two dinosaurs chomping on each other, inspired by her 7-year-old son’s interest in All Things D – all things dinosaur, that is.
Swisher, who is the co-executive editor of the other AllThingsD (www.AllThingsD.com) and a noted Silicon Valley observer, delivers her dry one-liners like a techno-Fran Lebowitz.  But Swisher’s message was clear:  Publishers in the room need to pay careful attention to each move by the Gang of Four (GOF) – Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook.   While acknowledging Microsoft, Swisher believes the software giant is too late to today’s platform game and purposely leaves them off her GOF list.

Swisher discussed the 4 key trends she sees among the GOF – along with new players vying to nab market share through platforms:

  1.  SoMoLo - social mobile local are keywords for all of the large players, looking to combine their users’ passion for social media on mobile devices, often to identify local information.  “But no one is succeeding in local yet, “ says Swisher. 
  2. Ubiquitous  - “Really more like promiscuous,” quips Swisher.   All GOF companies seek to be interwoven in all aspects of their users’ lives, she believes.   Poking fun at Google’s augmented reality glasses (dubbed Project Glass at Google), Swisher says she understands why Google is experimenting with them:  “Their business is search – they want to be with you at all times.” Of Apple, which carefully controls all elements of its hardware and software, Swisher hilariously likens the company to “an elegant fascist universe… like living in Monaco or Switzerland.  It’s lovely, but it isn’t going to change for your benefit.” 
  3. Geolocated  - “You are never alone,” says Swisher, thanks to the geolocation abilities of mobile devices, allowing companies to highly target their data offerings to users.   Swisher speculates we are in the early stages of companies’ leverage of geolocation in their products.  Again, no clear winners yet.
  4. Data Flood – We are all drowning in the flood of information generated by the Web and social media.  Companies who address this issue – through better search, content curation and other data management tools – are going to be winners for the new consumer, Swisher asserts.   Many startups are trying to address data flood and some of them will be gobbled up by the GOF.

Swisher says the “always on” aspect of technology platforms – and consumers’ seemingly unquenchable thirst for more access to more data through new platforms — has led to a phenomenon she calls  “continuous partial attention”.  Users are interacting with information all the time, but in smaller chunks.  “This is probably most important trend for content providers to watch,” says Swisher.

Publishers either need to be “analytic, funny or obnoxious” to gain user attention in this intense, distracted environment.  “You must have some sort of take that adds value for the GOF” to be part of their future as a business partner, Swisher says —  or risk joining the universe of Protoceratops, Velociraptors and their long-lost friends.

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Post written by Rich Kreisman,Principal Partner, Kreisman Information Consulting

 Rich Kreisman is Principal Partner of Kreisman Information Consulting, LLC, a San Francisco-based consultancy  advising publishers, content creators, websites and mobile providers on content licensing, syndication and distribution partnerships to meet their strategic business needs.  Rich can be reached at rkreisman@kreismaninfoconsult.com

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Creating Energized Enterprises: A New SIIA Member Interview with Marc Strohlein of Agile Business Logic

March 29, 2012 By

I had a chance to talk with  new SIIA Member Marc Strohlein of Agile Business Logic and learn how Agile Business Logic is helping create energized enterprises. Marc is on also on the Steering Committee for Content VIA Platforms May 9-10 in San Francisco.

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Marc Strohlein, Agile Business Logic

Kathy: Tell me about your company, what you do.

Marc: At Agile Business Logic we create energized enterprises by helping organizations to optimize strategies, people, processes, and technologies and their interactions. I apply my experience gained as COO, CTO, CIO, and SVP of Operations at companies including Outsell Inc., Classroom Connect/Harcourt, Gartner Group, and Dataquest, to ensure that my clients have the right strategies, talent, organization, and technologies to succeed.

My passion and focus over my career has been in unlocking energy, focus, innovation, and growth in individuals, teams, and organizations—creating energized enterprises that outperform their peers. Now at Agile Business Logic , I work with technology and help with positioning, messaging, and go-to-market strategies. Technology marketing is growing increasingly difficult with crowded and noisy markets—it takes highly relevant and well-timed content to get potential buyers attention. I help vendors implement a “buyers journey” approach to content marketing.

 

Kathy: That’s great Marc, and what types of organizations do you typically work with?

Marc: I work with organizations of all types, but especially like working with publishers and information providers. I have been in the information industry much of my career and I have a deep appreciation for the power and value of getting the right information to the right person at the right time to help businesses cope with challenging and volatile business environments. I also like working with associations as I bring ideas and expertise from the for-profit world that are often new to non-profits. And, as I noted, I work with technology vendors, especially those that sell content software technology solutions.

 

Kathy: What is unique about your approach?

Marc:  I focus a lot of attention on the components of an organization and how they interact; in other words, I take a holistic systems view of organizations and create recommendations and solutions based on that viewpoint. I also pay a lot of attention to people, culture, and management styles, even when the problem at hand is purportedly technology related. Most technology-driven initiatives, whether product or enterprise, either succeed or fail based on how well peoples’ needs and behaviors are considered and integrated into solutions.

That also applies to the vendor side of my practice—the challenge for vendors is to get inside the heads of their prospects and I use my years of experience as a CIO and CTO buying and managing technology, as COO and business executive leveraging technology, and as an industry analyst studying and writing about technology to help them solve that challenge.

 

Kathy: Thanks Marc, is there any new or recent news you would like to share?

Marc: I’m three chapters into writing a book on Energized Enterprises for publication later this year.

 

Kathy: Very exciting!  Tell me more about what the book will cover.

Marc: Sure–the book is about tapping hidden or latent energy in organizations. It’s for managers and executives that have made investments in talent, technology, and consulting and training, but still find their teams or organizations unable to perform effectively. The book contains frameworks and tools to help tap the latent energy and create “energized enterprises.”

 

Kathy: We’ll keep our eye out for updates on the book. What do you see as the biggest trends in the industry the next 12-18 months?

Marc: Tablets, HTML5, cloud computing, mobile and big data are the most obvious technology trends, but I like to study disruptive forces and their interactions and have found that the most potent disruptive forces come from the confluence of multiple trends. For example, while the rise of cloud computing, big data, localized computing, semantic technology, and social media are all important trends on their own, collectively they are going to enable massively scalable hyper-personalized content and advertising—that is beyond the 18 month horizon, but the early strands are starting to become visible. This is a classic “skate to where the puck is going” opportunity for publishers.

 

Kathy: So what is the best way for people contact you?

Marc: Email me at mstrohlein@agilebusinesslogic.com or call me: 650.766.1067

 

Kathy: Thanks Marc, we’ll also make sure to look for book and business updates via twitter @mstrohlein!

Kathy Greenler Sexton is Vice President and General Manager for the SIIA Content Division.

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SIIA Education Division Calls for Participants in 2012 Vision K-20 Survey

February 9, 2012 By

The fifth annual Vision K-20 Survey is open today! The survey, sponsored by the SIIA Education Division, gives educators, administrators, and faculty members from K-12 and postsecondary educational institutions the opportunity to evaluate their current technology use. This year, a new addition to the survey asks respondents to identify what they judge to be the “ideal” scenario for technology use.

Focusing on goals outlined in our K-20 Vision roadmap—21st Century tools, accessibility, differentiated learning, assessment tools, and enterprise support—schools, districts, two-year colleges, four-year colleges, and universities will be able to use the Vision’s benchmarks to document their progress. Survey takers can return to the survey periodically to evaluate their progress toward the Vision for K-20 education.

Our member organizations worked together to develop the Vision K-20 initiative as a guide for educational institutions to implement technology district-wide and campus-wide. This survey aims to collect additional data that will broadly assist educators in taking this important project to the next level of knowledge and success.

We’ve developed a vision for K-20 education to ensure all students have access to a learning environment that prepares them to compete globally and lead the world in innovation. This year, in addition to reporting progress over the last 5 years, for the first time we will add the dimension of what educators across the country think of as the ‘ideal’ scenario.

The survey closes May 24, 2012. Initial aggregated results will be released at ISTE 2012 in San Diego, with a final report available late summer 2012.

We value the support of our partners and their commitment to improving students’ preparedness for an innovative and global economy. Partners committed to supporting the Vision K-20 initiative and survey include: 1105 Media, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), edWeb.net, and eSchool Media. The project’s lead partner was MMS Education. MMS Education provides market research, marketing, sales, and technology solutions for a wide range of education technology companies.

Karen BillingsKaren Billings is Vice President for the Education Division at SIIA.

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