The Atlantic’s Native Ad Success, Instant Article Video Ads, The Economist’s Platform Strategy, Metropolitan Home Relaunch, InDesign CC Tip: Save As to Default Location

Welcome to Technology for Publishing’s roundup of news and tips for media industry pros! This week, we’re sharing stories about how The Atlantic is kicking it with sponsored content, more updates to Facebook Instant Articles advertising policies, how The Economist is approaching platforms, the revival of Metropolitan Home, and more.

Atlantic cover

  • The Atlantic is having phenomenal success with its native advertising efforts, according to Digiday, with the publisher estimating sponsored content will account for some 75% of its ad revenue this year. Atlantic Re:Think, the group set up to produce the content, now includes 32 staffers, a 25% increase over 2015, the article said, noting more growth is expected in the coming year. Using an “audience first” approach, all content—including editorial pieces, video, and infographics—is reviewed to make sure it’s in keeping with The Atlantic brand and, most important, engaging for the reader. The idea is to evolve beyond standard advertising, said senior VP and publisher Hayley Romer: “Everything we do is audience first. With that in mind, we are able to create compelling content that captures readers’ attention and automatically has an impact for brands.”
  • The Wall Street Journal reported Facebook has again updated its Instant Articles advertising guidelines, now allowing publishers to insert video ads into their content and include an additional ad unit at the bottom of every article—changes that stand to increase ad impressions by over 20%. The move follows other changes made in December after publishers said advertising restrictions made it too hard for them to make money. “We care about user experience first and foremost, but we know this doesn’t work if publishers can’t monetize their content successfully,” said Instant Articles product manager Josh Roberts in the report. Other potential features on the horizon include the ability to collect users’ email addresses from within Instant Articles and the ability to post sponsored content as Instant Articles. Also check out “The Rise of the Platform Specialist,” another recent WSJ post related to platform publishing.
  • Folio offered a look at how The Economist is adapting to the platform world with a post from Lydia Kaldas, senior VP of strategy and channel relationships at the magazine. “We want the audience to consume our content in whichever manner they want to and to grow our reach naturally,” Kaldas said. To cover all its bases, The Economist developed a “read, watch, and listen” strategy, offering content that “makes sense” for its audience members, whether they want to read, watch, or listen to it. Under the “read” category is print, digital apps, and its website, while “listen” covers products such as podcasts. Kaldas noted the publication most recently has been putting a lot of attention on the “watch” category, with new opportunities opening up in terms of streaming, syndication, and broadcasting—and even virtual reality. “Experts predict that it will take about four years for the VR market to really take off,” she said. “In the meantime, we’ll be ready.”
  • Meanwhile, Metropolitan Home, shut down by publisher Hachette in 2009, will be back on newsstands this month under Hearst ownership, according to Adweek. Hearst, which bought Hachette’s U.S. publications in 2011, said it’s bringing back the title because the Gen X children of its original baby boomer readers are now purchasing homes and there aren’t many modern, high-end design magazines aimed at the demographic. A Spring/Summer issue will be out April 11 and depending on response, more issues could follow—potentially quarterly. Though Metropolitan Home doesn’t have a website, the article said the publication is building a following on several social platforms and offering 360-degree views of spaces highlighted in articles via a Shazam app.

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Image: The Atlantic

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Posted by: Monica Sambataro

Monica Sambataro
Monica Sambataro is a contributing editor and copyeditor for Technology for Publishing. Her publishing background includes work for leading technology- and business-related magazines and websites.
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