[This is from July 2015, but it’s still relevant.] I read on my iPad every day, but the experience frequently reminds me how much better it can be to read a real book. Sooner or later, somebody is going to solve (at least some of) these issues on the digital side, and the experience will…
I’m sure you’ve played with ChatGPT, or something like it, and I’m sure you’ve come across situations where it demurs. It wants you to think it’s being objective, even though we all know that’s silly. It has the bias of its programmers, just like M5 did. It reminds me a little of the silly keyboard-clicking…
After reading a suggestion that audio content makes readers more loyal, I started thinking about alternatives to words on a page. Here’s a partial list. Try to incorporate these and other concepts into your content creation. Other ways to convey information – beyond text. Audio Infographics Surveys Video Outlines Podcasts Charts Checklists Micro-learning Graphs Forms…
Takeaway: It doesn’t matter what “audiences” want. It matters what your audience wants. Publishers should be wary of trend analysis that doesn’t take demographics into account because it can lead to a skewed understanding of the audience and their preferences. For example, Booktok might seem like a great way to get “crowdsourced” information about what…
Vilfredo Pareto tells us that 20 percent of causes account for 80 percent of effects. It’s eerie how often that ratio applies, but rather than worrying about the metaphysics of it, publishers should consider how to modify their strategies based on how this might play out in their businesses, like … 80% of revenue may…
It seems most of the world is experiencing some combination of astonishment, hope, and terror over the recent developments in artificial intelligence. One of the main concerns is whether AI will eliminate jobs. The smartest thing I’ve seen on that subject came from a meme on LinkedIn that said “AI won’t take your job. A…
Takeaways: The areas where publishers can add value are shrinking. Don’t look for diminishing niches. Think more broadly. There’s an old argument called “the God of the gaps” that says we used to need gods to explain thunder and famine and life, but as we advance in our knowledge of the world, God is required…
Premise: Publishers hastened their own demise when they put their content on the internet for free. Artificial intelligence is one more nail in the coffin. To follow along with the argument, think of the history of the internet in these broad stages. 1. The worldwide web. Independent websites were connected by an informal and disorganized…
A couple newspapers have. Noozhawk and Cap Times prove that for-profits can have strong membership programs. (Thanks to Bo Sacks for the link.) Most of Noozhawk’s revenue comes from advertising and sponsorships, but reader contributions have been a growing source of income since soon after the site’s launch. In 2008, after a handful of readers…
The latest edition of The Krehbiel Letter Podcast is available. Two New Year’s resolutions for publishers regarding customer data and micropayments. Thoughts on paywalls. Front-end vs. back-end CDPs, and why you should let your use cases drive your decisions about customer data. How to use AI to create additional content from your webinar. Print vs….
It’s easy to assume that everyone else knows what you know. In this article, I provide some examples of where this bias can crop up and how to deal with it. Read my latest over on the martech.org site.
A lot of people deride the idea of New Year’s resolutions because so many people make them and don’t keep them. Even if that’s true, it seems to me there is some virtue in trying. But in any event, I looked up some (allegedly) science-based ways to keep your resolutions. Make them … Specific and…
#1. Before I collect any data on my customers, I will write a customer-facing explanation of why it’s good for them for me to have that info. Consumer privacy concerns include the sentiment that they and their data are not a product for you to sell. There are also issues of trust and consent. I.e.,…
Publishers erred when they relied on ad revenue and put their content on the internet for free. That revenue model isn’t stable, and (worse) it created an assumption that digital content should be free. Now that ads aren’t providing enough revenue, publishers have to push back against consumer expectations of being entitled to free content….
How deeply should you micro-manage people? Do you treat them like competent professionals, or do you get into their business and check their work? I’m not sure there’s a one-size-fits-all answer. What do you think? If you want to understand contemporary issues, read old books. You have to get your mind outside the trap of…