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Q5’s Media team highlights key challenges in the evolving media landscape. With AI leading the charge, we focus on diversifying revenue streams, optimising digital products, sharpening content strategy, and preparing for future disruptions. Our experience across the UK, US, and Australia positions us to help media businesses thrive in this dynamic environment.
Reading time: 4 minutes
As the Media landscape continues to evolve at pace, our Media team at Q5 has been actively engaged with clients and partners across the UK, US, and Australia to identify and address the most pressing challenges facing the industry. With artificial intelligence (AI) taking centre stage, it’s tempting to view it as the silver bullet for all business problems. However, what we’ve discovered is that while AI is a critical component of the future, it is not necessarily the immediate problem that needs solving for most media companies.
I asked our Media team what the ‘hot topics’ are with our clients and friends across the industry, read more below:
It has been around 15 years since media companies were able to diversify digital revenues from advertising towards paywall subscriptions, ecommerce and affiliate revenues. In addition, the universal accessibility of digital products has opened new markets with strategies ranging from basic localised marketing to grow customers to establishing sister newsrooms in strategic territories (largely UK brands into the US).
However, the on-going print decline, shift of digital ad growth to big tech/social, decline in cable revenues and competition from new entrants (particularly SVOD) have kept the commercial picture highly dynamic. Put another way few media companies have not yet found a consistent and resilient revenue model. Whether it is creating new revenue streams, optimising and growing existing revenue streams or opening new markets we are consistently being asked to support change in this area.
Across the digital development landscape: streaming platforms, web / apps, smart acquisition user journeys, marketing messages, novel features or personalisation there is a marked decline in the rate of innovation and a reduction in differentiation across brands platforms.
While digital teams are being repurposed to see what advantages can be found from Automation, AI and GenAI there is still a growing realisation that the high-cost in-house engineering and products teams are likely to reduce in size and focus in the future. Adding in the fact that CRM and account management technologies are now largely integrated, the heavy lifting for the current business model is done. The question is what does a lean and effective digital operating model look like for the next 3-5 years?
Increased cost pressures, improved digital insight and digital native editors are creating an environment where what content is created is being viewed with a much sharper focus. Are articles and features bringing anything new or distinctive to the audience? Are they driving engagement? Are they being read/viewed by loyal or drive-by audience? Are they likely to support the editorial or commercial strategy?
There is a movement across editorial teams to create a crisper content strategy and related commercial value proposition ensuring limited resources are targeted at the right areas and brands are more distinctive.
First publishers had to learn how to work with Google/FB to drive traffic, then their related revenues became so significant that Google/FB became critical suppliers, then they understood that changes in Google/FB strategy or policy could have material impacts on revenues with minimal notice.
Today the increase in voice and AI is leading to a new wave of disintermediation between original content creators and consumers – creating a future black hole in many media companies’ accounts. How to respond to this change is the issue of the day – for the industry, not just individual companies. For sure, the link between social media/search and building an audience and page views is weakening daily and in terminal decline.
In the UK, US, and Australia we are busy working with our clients and partners on engagements related to these themes.
If you’re interested in learning more about how we can help your media business thrive in this dynamic environment, we’d be delighted to share our insights and strategies with you.
Let’s work together to build a more resilient and successful future for your organisation.
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