For the last decade we have been bombarded with analytics for online advertising with Google probably being our foremost instructor. For a host of reasons online editorial content has received less attention from this quarter, perhaps in part because editorial content conveys a richness and complexity that is not always easy to measure. Of course, as a long-time editor, I realize this explanation represents something of a legacy view and is not always supported by research.
A few days ago Outsell Inc. visited MPA and I was particularly interested in their research in the content space: “Analytics-Wired Content.” I asked Chuck Richard, Outsell’s Vice President & Lead Analyst to shed a little light on the subject. His answers follow:
1. What does “analytics-wired content” mean?
Outsell created the phrase “analytics-wired content” to describe content that is developed and distributed based on data harvested from online analytics—what the readers say they want to read, and the tracking statistics that say what they actually do read. This short cycle feedback loop is a new trend in online publishing.
2. How does this relate to reader engagement?
Analytics-wired content drives closer engagement with readers that in turn raises the readers’ value to advertisers. All the analytics-wired content companies we spoke with employ some measure of engagement. The various methods of engagement metrics—we cite 14, including time per visit and number of comments—we used to (a) drive the selection of future content that will also reinforce or increase engagement, and (b) support higher advertising rates from advertisers based on the value of an engaged audience to advertisers or higher subscription fees from users.
3. I understand with this approach the judgment of editors is balanced with the use of analytics?
One of the publishers we talked to called editorial judgment The Golden Gut, contrasting that with using analytics in a feedback loop that steers content to whatever generates the most UV’s and engagement. One axiom that emerges is that some content is essential and not subject to analytics, what one called “Service Journalism” but the remaining largest portion of on line inventory available is discretionary and should be dictated by analytics.
4. I assume some editors might be sensitive to this. How do you bring them on board?
Publishers gave us examples of how this works, including these quotes:
“If you’re going to be measured, it’s freeing to know where people are coming up with their conclusions regarding your work.”
“I think it’s motivating too, to be the most well-read writer on the site.”
“The team looked for popular sports topics that drove traffic and ‘mixed martial arts’ ranked highly. No one on the team knew much about it, but they tried covering it and it worked.”
5. I read in your research that just installing a good content management system is not always the best solution because it can automate inferior content practices. Could you explain?
That was a quote from Jonathan Mendez at RAMP Digital. We cited it to drive home the point that CMS can make the editorial and production workflows much more efficient and flexible, but by themselves they do not introduce the analytics and metrics feedback that tracks what online content is preferred by your readers. That makes a CMS necessary, but not sufficient.
6. Does this focus on analytics work best on a certain kind of content? You mentioned service journalism before?
Service journalism and some forms of training and educational publishing just don’t have the discretionary online inventory common to analytics-wired editorial. But that’s not a large portion of all publishing. More common is a blend: some ‘mandated’ topics and many more discretionary ones. Another publisher quote helps here: “We balance what the audience wants and what the audience doesn’t know it wants. The top story will be what we journalistically judge is important—e.g. healthcare reform will run even if it’s not hot (as measured by metrics).”
7. Could content metrics be used in editorial staff evaluations?
They are components of hiring, evaluations and/or training in all the heavy followers of analytics-wired content we spoke with. But analytics are never the only criteria, as stated this way by a publisher: “If someone is struggling or is a junior reporter and their average hits per story are low daily and monthly, it could be growing pains. I won’t use that information to mete out punishment if his hits don’t rise quickly. More often I use the info to help me see who needs to sharpen their news judgment.”
8. Have you developed editorial Best Practices around analytics-wired content?
The Essential Actions wrap-up to our study contains four best practices. To increase their engagement with readers, improve the experience they offer readers and, as a result, drive additional revenue, our key recommendations are:
A. Populate Discretionary Content with Analytics-Wired ContentB. Develop Tiers of User Profiles and Match Content to ThemC. Commit to Ongoing, Analytics-Driven Testing and ExperimentationD. Integrate Analytics into Hiring, Training and Evaluations
9. Does this emphasis on content analytics render useless the traditional surveys about content consumption?
It certainly adds a powerful, real-time new monitor of reader usage and preferences. One publisher said: “We think of our Real Time and User Tracking data as a real time focus group. And some publishers use analytics “on the fly” to dynamically determine which content a reader sees based on the profile they fit. An after-the-fact study can’t do that.
10. Any companies doing a particularly good job at this?
Companies actively employing analytics-wired content processes include Hearst, CNNMoney.com, United Business Media Everything Channel and Light Reading, Yahoo! News, Federated Media, FT.com and Tribune Media. We also cite Demand Media’s freelance article process as a pushing the envelope case that few publishers would likely adopt wholesale.”
As it so happens Demand Media EVP Steven Kydd will be featured at MPA’s Meet the Innovators lunch Monday February 1, 2010 at the Harmonie Club (4 East 60th, off Fifth Avenue). He will address these and other issues we are wrestling with in what is being called the ‘Year of Content” It should be a good conversation. Please join us.
This lunch is free to MPA members. Please go to www.magazine.org/innovators for more details or email me.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Charles McCullaghcmccullagh@magazine.org
