We’ve just returned from exhibiting at the Key Executives Mega-Conference in Austin, Texas and would like to share some thoughts about the newspaper industry, the challenges publishers face and how you can help solve those challenges.

This annual show brings together three associations—Inland Press, Local Media Association and the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association. The conference hosts about 500 newspaper owner/publishers and editors—many representing local and suburban newspaper groups. This segment is actually right in our sweet spot—typically, under 50,000 circulation but collectively, representing millions and millions of readers.

The conference featured a number of seminars and several dozen exhibitors—providing insight, strategies and tools to facilitate online revenue generation and enable cost-efficiencies in design/production. Solutions involving web platforms, inexpensive or better yet, free content solutions, SEO and online sales training seemed to resonate with most publishers.

Clearly, newspapers are faced with a continuing challenge to evolve from their previous print centric-only model to one that is a blend of print, online, social and event-oriented business models. Compounding that challenge is that there are a variety of mediums—including a host of traditional, broadcast, digital, mobile and social competitors that are dividing the revenue pie.

But local newspapers also enjoy an advantage over many of their competitors...superior brand recognition. The publications, owners and editors are recognized and trusted in their communities. They have longevity and their publications connect on a very personal level. Think about how important school board proceedings, high school sports, crime blotters and local events are to readers. Newspapers (and their web sites) are perfect vehicles to deliver that kind of information to their audiences.

That said, newspapers and local magazines must continue their ongoing transformation in design, staffing and technology to allow them to drive revenue in different platforms. And to do that, they must continue to deliver appealing content to their readers—cost effectively.

If you have a solutions-oriented product or service, editors need that kind of content—we hear it every day from our 10,000+ editor network. Whether it’s an informative article, a tip-oriented listicle, a visual (e.g. infographic), video or any other format, it has value—particularly if it translates well into an online format. According to industry media analyst Gordon Borrell, by 2016, digital media will account for half of all local advertising. Borrell feels newspaper digital marketing will be an $84 billion business this year and will provide an opportunity for papers to reinforce their relationships with small and medium-sized businesses.

So, don’t just think of newspapers as print vehicles—although that is their legacy and will always have a certain value and permanence. These publishers get it...and they’re moving to an online business model faster than you may realize. Working directly with them or with a network syndicate like ours, provides you with an opportunity to gain widespread exposure with well-crafted, sponsored content at a price (free) that any media outlet can afford.

Brian Agnes

A former award-winning magazine publisher and president of Family Features, Brian has worked on over 30 publications, and with hundreds of editorial outlets, advertising and PR firms.