Revenue Generators: An Ideas Session
Looking for a few extra dollars?
We all are. Jon Kimball, vice president of marketing for NAA, wrapped up Tuesday afternoon's sessions with one focused on helping newspaper companies increase revenue. The ideas run across areas - circulation, online, advertising.
Audit Bureau of Circulation Programs
- The Audit Bureau's Insert Verification Service, which validates the reach of newspaper inserts, enables newspapers to give accurate numbers to advertisers.
- The Preprint Projection Center, where newspapers can project their insert volume going forward in an ABC database, also gives advertisers valuable information about when newspapers think there may be additional distribution days.
- Audience-FAX, a collaborative effort of ABC, NAA and Scarborough Research, shows verified combined reach for newspapers in print and online.
AMCEA
In addition, NAA is working with the Advertising Media credit Executives Association on new initiatives like standard credit applications and other tools that will make newspapers... well... "easier to do business with."
Rapid Easy Buy
The Rapid Easy Buy program is a series of initiatives that make it easy for newspaper advertisers to get standardized information about newspaper advertising purchasing information. SRDS has compiled much of this information, making it easy for regional companies to make purchases across multiple newspapers.
AdScapes
Advertisers can take advantage of the creativity in newspapers and do more than just standard ads through AdScapes, such as Bookends, U-Shape Single Page, Stairsteps and more. More than 200 newspapers participate in these creative ad units.
Although some of the very creative ad formats are controversial, such as watermarks (not part of AdScapes), there's money to be made. "I have as much respect as anyone in America for the quality and credibility of the journalism we produce; I don't think this compromises that," Kimball said, while showing various examples of creative - and sometimes jarring - ad formats.
Sponsorships
Logos on the top of the business sections, sponsored news briefs and ads in section-level print mastheads are a new way to tap revenue through the core product. Even the TV book can start being profitable by selling a sponsorship - a Philadelphia newspaper accomplished this by selling the sponsorship of their TV book to the cable company Comcast.
Online Ideas
- Niche sites (Moms and pets, as the obvious example)
- Localized business guides such as Bakersfield's Inside Guide
- Databases, which can be heavy online traffic generators
- Blogs and social networking elements that make the newspaper site more engaging - and increases page views
- Sponsored widgets, sections and more can translate from print to the Web.
