Magazine Media In 2019: What’s Old Is “New”

Consumers want to be believe in who they do business with and what they decide to invest their money in, and let’s be honest, the things we see online can’t always be taken at face value. Any business with the right budget can pour money into boosting Facebook posts and/or sponsoring a Google listing, but that doesn’t make them a credible business…or the best.

That is why print media, specifically magazine publications like Strictly Business, continue to maintain a reputation for being a trusted source of information. We are very proud of the confidence we’ve earned from our readers in Lincoln and Omaha. After 25 years of publishing relevant, reliable, and original content. People know that they can open Strictly Business without having to question if the content is true or not. So, what will we see happen in 2019 as far as magazine media goes?

In a Folio: article written by Casey Welton, titled “3 Predictions for Magazine Media in 2019,” he notes that there are a couple essential mantras to keep in mind in 2019. One of his mantras is, “What’s ‘old’ is ‘new.’” According to Welton, the oldest of the “new” things is good storytelling. I want to bring attention to this because storytelling is one of the major pillars of Strictly Business’ Unique Selling Proposition (USP). It’s the purpose behind the editorial pieces you see in the magazine, like client spotlights, River City Sixes, and even all the press we include! “It’s fundamental to what we all do, whether you’re an editor or marketer. Let’s be frank; content is now a commodity, but good content is not.” writes Welton.

Welton admits to being optimistic on the subject, but he thinks that “in 2019, we will see publishers putting even more emphasis on content that differentiates theirs from a deep sea of click-bait.” He goes on to note that “even though scale is what advertisers ultimately seek, the ROI is considerably better when aligning a brand with a quality content product that reaches a quality audience.” Hallelujah!

Welton’s article continued to echo my own sentiments on the topic, especially when he divulged that “publishers were creating engaging content, but platforms like Facebook were perceived to be taking a larger cut than deserved when distributing it. Still, it’s undeniable that social channels were also offering increased scale for publishers. That is, before they kept tweaking their algorithms.”

Another old “new” thing that Welton addressed goes along with what I mentioned earlier. “A few years ago you heard a lot of buzz like ‘social media is the new SEO.’ Well, in 2019, SEO is the new SEO.” Welton states. Search traffic is booming for publishers and it accounts for around half of the traffic publishers are bringing in, which is nearly double what social media accounts for.

Like Welton, I don’t expect some sort of “mass exodus” away from social media this year or even next year, but I am still anticipating a decrease of enthusiasm from industry leaders across the board towards social media marketing/advertising. As many have found, it can be like pouring money into a black hole. The last thing businesses that are striving to increase their credibility what to get mixed up in is “fake news,” fake clicks, and questionable metrics.

That all being said, social media still plays an important role in reaching consumers and connecting with the local marketplace. That is why the Strictly Business team shares our editorial on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram as a way to further promote business news in Lincoln. The content published on our website also helps our clients rank higher on Google due to it being original and backlinked. This is how we stay Print Proud and Digital Smart! In fact, posts to our website are seen by over 1.2 million users every month in Google search results, and many of those are highly ranked. This is due to the fact that we produce organic, valuable content you cannot find anywhere else.

Ultimately, like I’ve said before, by getting in front of your target audience and developing a relationship on and off screen, there’s a deeper and more tangible connection that’s formed.

Let Strictly Business Magazine help you lock in your status as The Expert in your industry, utilizing print, the internet and social media. Find out how by contacting Paige at (402) 466-3330.