#97 — Designing a platform for indie writers who want to monetise their content
Welcome to our new subscribers this week - thanks for joining the community. Hope you enjoy this weeks curation of the most important stories in independent publishing.
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💯 Top picks
Designing a platform for indie writers who want to monetise their content
Our very own CEO—John O'Nolan—was recently interviewed by Simon Owens on The Business Of Content podcast. Read the edited transcript, listen to the podcast on your favourite podcast player or skip straight to the YouTube version.
💸 Business models
5 guiding principles for your newsletter strategy
Publishers are using email to retain existing subscribers and convert new subscribers. Here’s 5 tips for success during these times.
The Dipp, a subscription-only entertainment news startup, is springing to life despite the pandemic
Former colleagues of Bustle have decided to take the plunge and start their own company called The Dipp — describing itself as a “personalised subscription website for TV’s biggest fans.”
Netflix has biggest quarter with nearly 16 million new subscribers signing on
“Netflix Inc. revealed Tuesday that it added more than double the new subscribers it expected amid the spread of COVID-19 for record growth.”
Amazon slashes affiliate commissions: What’s next for publishers?
“Earlier this week, Amazon announced it will be cutting commission rates for members of Amazon Associates; its affiliate programme which a large number of publishers are a member of.
✍️ Modern journalism
Aligning the user data that websites and apps collect with what consumers expect
“Consumers are relatively comfortable with their data being collected to offer a safer, more customised experience. But selling that data or reusing it for targeting on other sites? Not so much.”
A wake-up call to close the digital divide
“Congress should invest up to $2 billion for emergency broadband service to ensure low-income families have connectivity.”
The #CoronaVirusFacts Alliance
“Led by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the Poynter Institute, the #CoronaVirusFacts / #DatosCoronaVirus Alliance unites more than 100 fact-checkers around the world in publishing, sharing and translating facts surrounding the new coronavirus.”
👩💻 Technology
Google offers fee relief to support news partners
While Amazon are slashing affiliate revenues for publishers — Google are waiving ad serving fees for news organisations globally to support their business during COVID-19.
No commuting, no problem: Podcasting ad revenue continues to grow
“With commuting on hold and everybody Zooming all the time, podcast consumption has taken a bit of a hit as listeners look for new ways to fit shows into their daily routines.”
500 free courses from the world’s top computer science universities
If you’ve already binge-watched your favourite TV and movies and are looking for other ways to spend your time during quarantine, check out this huge list of completely free computer science courses.
From Skype interviews to wire-service video: How NowThis has adapted to remote production
“Video-first publisher NowThis was built around a partially remote team and content curated from other sources rounding out original reporting, so the move to remote operations was not the end of the world.”
🤷 WTF?
A 72-hour live stream brings Earth Day online
“Environmental groups originally planned a massive climate strike to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd, 2020. The novel coronavirus forced their activism online.”
