Who Wants a Bigger Slice of Revenue Pie?

Publishing is packed with growth opportunities — targeted channels, content marketing, lead generation, marketing services, live events, and more. So how do you determine the right revenue strategies for your own unique niche brand?

Sharon Houghton (Managing Director, Active Interest Media) shares some of her insights on the advantages of being niche. She believes you can turn your niche qualities into big opportunities.

 

What is one thing niche publishers can do to cut through all the media “noise” distracting their readers?

Sharon: “B2B – Provide a higher level of service from start to finish. It’s more than a transactional buy of an ad in the niche publishing world. Make yourself indispensable to your partners. B2C – The relationship with the reader is stronger than any other in the niche space. The reader is passionate about what you have and is willing to invest good time and money in what you’re delivering. Make sure you have a two-way dialogue with your reader. Understand what readers want, then over-deliver so they come to you first in a very noisy environment.”

Can you share some good guidelines for publishers wanting to explore the new tech tools out there?

Sharon: “Know what your audience needs & wants before you deploy new technology on them. It might be all the rage, but is it something that delivers better value or a greater experience for your reader? If not, don’t waste the time and money. Take the time to find the right tools that enhance your product and user experience. Don’t be afraid to test and learn.”

What trends do you see coming as new audience revenue opportunities in the new year?

Sharon: “Marketing Services. Niche media publishers have audiences that are highly engaged and responsive. We are also tapped into our industries in a unique way, which is a key opportunity to position ourselves as strategic partners alongside our “advertisers” to deliver greater solutions than just an ad. Can you help them with their creative, content, video, research? You may be doing all these things internally already. And that means you have the expertise and manpower to make it a service your partners will pay for.”

 

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More about Sharon: Sharon Houghton is VP, General Manager at Active Interest Media, leading six nationally recognized Outdoor Group brands and a team of 100+ employees. She is a driven revenue builder and fluent collaborator among an array of personalities, competing demands, and expectations, with a career built on integrity, accountability, and results. Sharon has nearly 15 years of experience in outdoor, media, technology, and innovation, with a focus on making sustainable and values-based decisions.

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Niche Media has the best events, education, and training in media! Our super niched-out events & content give target-audience publishers in the B2C, hobbyist, B2B, city & regional, and association markets the tools they need to build revenue, audience, and more.

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