As far as media offers are concerned, ‘digital’ does not automatically imply ‘successful’ – not by a long shot. In the interest of success, it can be helpful to take a look at online marketing.

‘The user’s attention is extremely limited and difficult to attract,’ ‘print media is experiencing a critical loss in significance and digital offers cannot compensate the revenue loss’, ‘content creators need to address their target groups on the appropriate channels’: these comments and others of a similar variety have been heard often enough by you and I and others involved in media digitalisation. And knowing they are true doesn’t make matters any easier.

Perhaps the situation in the media world can be summed up as follows: Digital offers are a question of good form. Publishers and enterprises test out various ideas hoping to monetise these, but there is a lack of long-term sustainable ideas to date. The users themselves – the reader, the listener, the viewer – have long been at home in the digital world; they readily consume the goods of the digital age, but their willingness to pay is limited. The media specialists feel the consequences on a practical level: the target groups are increasingly less interested in one publication with interesting themes, but prefer instead to research a specific theme via numerous, mostly digital, sources. This makes it difficult to sell subscriptions.

Online visibility is a work in progress

Most media specialists have long gone digital with a corresponding expansion of their print issue, e.g. a web portal or a magazine app for smartphone and tablet. A good, very important step. However it is difficult for individual offers to grab the user’s attention at the appropriate moment: a continuously available supply of more-than-abundant content on practically every theme can be daunting competition. With numerous advertisements and attention-grabbing actions, large publishing houses may manage to keep potential customers aware of their product. But for middle- size and small media specialists – including for instance enterprises whose customer magazine serves to maintain and strengthen customer relations, but is not part of their core business – this is barely feasible. With broad-target campaigns the scatter loss is very high – for a trade magazine with a clearly defined target group of limited interest and simply not affordable.

The media specialists are, in principle, faced with the same problem that all companies have been faced with since the Internet made it both possible and lucrative to do targeted searches for products and service providers (including the relevant internet evaluations). Gone are the days of word-of-mouth and long-term customer relationships – nowadays the cheaper competitor is a mere one-click away. What’s more, if a potential customer is looking for a suitable provider, then you need to rank accordingly in the search engine results in order to be relevant. Very few look beyond the first page of search results – time is short and attention is scarce. Companies have to continually work on maintaining or improving their online ranking with the help of SEO, AdWords campaigns, and social media storytelling.

Digital success: media specialists become online marketers

What does this mean for digital media offers? The answer is that it’s exactly what they need. A magazine app does not find readers per se just by virtue of its existence and digital access to the print version contents. On the one hand, content in a digital magazine can be presented in a much more user-friendly mode, with integrated audio files, for example, or short teasers to listen to. It makes the offer more attractive. On the other hand, however, it’s crucial that the offer be found by the targeted customer at the right moment.

Online marketing can achieve this. The recipe includes a customised mix of SEO, website optimisation with a view to the user experience (in other words: just a few clicks to the right offer), online promotion through advertising and AdWords, and target group analysis. The latter, in particular, has a special significance: there are numerous ways in which an online campaign can be streamlined; key point: avoid scatter loss. Is the aim to win over more print subscribers to an additional online offer or should completely new readers be gained? Is the target group more likely to be found on Facebook, or is Twitter their info source? How mobile-savvy are the target group and what are the competing digital offers? All typical questions that many media makers have certainly already asked themselves. If the answers can be translated into a flexible, adaptable online campaign that can reach the users where they are, digital revenue will grow.

An exciting topic, which deserves more detailed consideration. In my next blog post I will describe some key criteria of target-group analysis that have a direct impact on the online campaign.

About Jens Gützkow

Jens Gützkow is co-founder and Managing Director of PressMatrix. Founded in 2011, the company supports publishers in the development and implementation of digital monetization models. Jens Gützkow and the start-ups he co-founded contributed to this development from its infancy onwards; long before the first app stores, he was involved with mobile app development. He launched a video platform with an innovative sales concept and, among other projects, supported the EU research project “P2P Next”.

The audio trend and what it means for us.

It’s always interesting what stays with you after a journey. It’s been almost fours weeks now since the DMEXCO. I took away a lot of impressions. Some of them are fading, others are still very much present. What impressed me personally – and still does – is how strongly the trend towards audio is reflected in concrete products . Voice SEO, podcasts, voice assistants – such were the ubiquitous trends running through the trade fair halls.

In recent days too I can’t help noticing a crop of new studies that have sprung up on the topic. Splendid Research, for instance, have tracked the trend towards greater use of podcasts and discovered in its studyTrend Medium Podcast that 31 percent of Germans now regularly source on-demand content via podcast providers. The preference is for listening to the podcasts at home while engaging in other activities or tasks (48 percent).

Voice assistant accepted

A study by digital knowledge management platform provider Yext shows that the use of digital voice assistants continues to grow across the generations. 28 percent of Germans regularly use Alexa, Siri and Co. , to obtain information. 44 percent of 18-34 year olds use them frequently or at least occasionally to look for companies, directions, products or similar information; for 35-54 year olds it’s 26 percent and for the 55+ age group, 19 percent.

In his Conversational Commerce study, Capgemini explores why consumers use voice assistants. The consulting firm even ventures a prediction that in three years time consumers will prefer to shop via voice assistants (increasing from today’s 21 percent to 40 percent) than via a mobile website or going to the shop in person. Information on the weather, recipes, etc. are already being searched by 82% of users via voice assistant, while 62% are streaming music and videos. But purchasing? That’s where the fun stops for most – so the 40 percent forecast in the next three years seems extraordinarily high.

We know that the competitive pressure is always particularly high in the retail trade. Innovations and technical developments frequently show up here first before moving into other areas. Going by the current trends, it is safe to assume that voice assistants will be increasingly adopted in other sectors too, including digital publishing.

For some time now, we at PressMatrix have been experimenting with voice assistant systems and testing how text-based content can be played back in audio form and how the listeners respond. Specifically, we wanted to find out if readers had any interest in listening to the content they otherwise know from the magazines. And we wanted to know if our customers were interested in offering their content in audio format. That was the motivation for our AudioXperiment.

Through an app which we developed, we provided content from various publishers and magazines for a limited period of time in audio form. We also wanted to know if the content had to be read by a person or whether computer voices or even voices from voice assistants would be accepted. In addition to human speakers, we also tested Amazon’s Polly and Amazon’s Alexa..

What did we learn?

The quality of the voice is important to listeners, but the acceptance of computer voices is on the increase. We ourselves were surprised at how well Polly read our customers’ texts. Although some listeners found the voice disturbing, they still managed to follow the content and would recommend the app. Although Polly did not do well in a direct comparison with Alexa, we know that computer voices are constantly being developed and improved. So perhaps she’ll learn quickly and convince us in the near future.

It was very apparent that an intelligible pronunciation and a normal emphasis is crucial for listening to content read by voice assistants or computer voices. The results of the AudioXperiment will guide our future work and we are currently in the process of incorporating the findings into our product development. I’ll keep you updated. You’ll be hearing from me…

Read more about future publishing trends in our What’s next blog.

As far as communication goes, clubs and associations often find themselves in a zone of diverging interests. The communication tasks range from representing member interests, through advertising for new members, to providing important information for decision makers in politics, business and society. Last but not least, there must also be attractive ad space to attract partners and pay tribute to sponsors. This balancing act must be overcome at the content level and in the format. A task that poses problems for many clubs. Why so?

Solving association communication digitally

DThe large part of association publications consists of association regulations, programs, charters, press releases, information leaflets as well as news and reactions to current events. Much of this has to be published on a regular basis for reasons of transparency.
The material can be published on ones own website or even in an app which the Bundesverband Deutscher Vereine (the umbrella association of German associations) wishes to see more frequently incorporated into association work as part of their digital transformation project.

>> “So too the bdvv. where transformation projects are currently underway. It’s now possible to simply apply for and acquire association membership online. A further step is the development of an internal community management in the direction of legally compliant and powerful applications that bypass social media and their messenger systems as well as the countless download options of association charters, forms, etc.“ <<

In order to reach decision-makers from politics and business as well as to build up a community, cross-media publication and the use of social media is advisable.
Why the Bundesverband does not want to use social media for community management remains unclear.

Association communication bypassing social media?

This requirement is confusing – especially when it comes to advertising for new members, stimulating interest in ones own work, and promoting the exchange of ideas with those outside the association including opponents. Where else but on Facebook, Twitter and Co. can countless people access new content, process it mentally, and exchange views?

In order to successfully use the relevant channels for communication, it is first necessary to understand which addressees can be reached where, and how they interact on the specific channels.

Open for new formats

A spider-web tactic works well to create multi-faceted and targeted association communication. Different threads of content, which are connected but not identical, are scattered in different channels – according to the addressee profile – and ultimately lead centrally to ones own website, where more in-depth information and services are offered.

On social media, one can gain a sense of current topics and moods: What are the current concerns of my target group? What are they discussing, and what content and information can I give them to help them out and create more clarity? Background information in short, crisp formats is required and insights into the associations’ daily work. Using various targeting settings, posts can also be sent to specific target groups and interested parties.

With video, moving images, photos and live streams, a broad facet of the association’s work can be displayed very well. Here transparency – but also the ability to attract and hold attention – is primary. Suitable channels are YouTube and Instagram – which also appeal to a younger membership.

Messenger and forums invite you to talk about problems and questions and to establish a direct connection to the members in the form of a consultation. To keep the task manageable, such messenger services can also be restricted to members.

And then there is audio. A channel that is again on everyone’s lips and in terms of language assistants and increasingly hands-free usage certainly has bright prospects for the future.
This may sound costly and time-consuming, but many things can be tested and optimized gradually to find the right mix for your own association.

Conclusion: Learning by doing

The bdvv speaks of a central solution for several associations – this support can provide backing and momentum. But clubs can also do a lot for themselves. Our tip: simply try out a few things! Sort out your content. How do your addressees access their information and where are they to be found? Are there any influencers you can team up with? Such information coupled with your own experience opens up new digital communication opportunites.

Best practice example from the associations Info-day.

The SoVD association’s communication is a good example of creativity and the courage to try out something new.

Pressmatrix speaks with Veronica Sina from SoVD about the digital communication in associations. Find out more:

When: 25. September | 15:30 Uhr Where: Berlin, Humboldt Carré

The demands and needs for content, information and the formats we daily consume are continually changing with our mood and the situation or time. While we’re on the go, it isn’t unusual to while away time in social media or to search for the solution to a problem before examining it in more depth at home or work. These moments should be used – with snackable content for example.

What content is needed when?

The following scenario: You want to upskill for your job and gain some knowledge in a specific area. Nowadays you have recourse to long-distance universities offering a fixed curriculum, or you can acquire the knowledge yourself with a textbook or tutorial videos on YouTube, presentations on slideshares, contributions to Wikis and so on. There are an incredible number of opportunities for content providers and enterprises to showcase their content and ultimately attract customers and strengthen the brand.

Content can include e.g. tutorials, how-to videos, navigation aids, definitions and product ratings. The wide variety of content should be reflected in the format: videos, short texts, audio, graphics and analysis as pictures, presentations or even stories on social channels – everywhere the customer seeks it, they should find your content in suitable formats for the various devices that access it.

The format can determine whether the content is accessed

The classic magazine concept with content compiled according to topic is often inadequate and not ideal for everyday use, because it doesn’t offer content in formats that match a flexible range of usage contexts. A newspaper is unwieldy in a rush hour train journey; long title reports deserve more attention than they get under time pressure; long text explanations are not helpful when you are looking for quick advice on what step to take next. And articles that are always blocked by advertising banners are simply annoying.

Instead you should prepare content in a variety of versions and lengths, such as introductions, theories, a topic overview in a series of individual videos or a comprehensive report or documentary. Users like having the option to check out short formats and overviews. If they like the content, they will investigate the more detailed variants when the time is right.

Snackable content in the app …

Many magazine customers offer their readers individual articles to attract new subscribers and keep existing ones. The readers profit from the magazine’s high quality info compiled by the editors and all found within one single app, but they are also frequently supplied with new sources of inspiration.

Examples of magazines with their own news apps are Tanzschritt magazine, Fit for Fun magazine or magazines from the service sector such as Blaulicht, , a fire department magazine, or the magazine of the Landesbank Baden-Württemberg. All offer short reports in text and video formats, often with a maximum reading time of five minutes.
Reference is also made to further content to be found on the company’s own website, increasing the reach of this and drawing attention to attractive content space for advertisers.

The strategy is often simple, but effective. The content is offered free of charge to arouse interest and create a basis of trust, whether it be for one’s own content or for the company itself.

… and social media

Instant Articles have been an integral part of publisher and corporate content-strategies for a while now. Immediately available content, in part displayed randomly and in part according to the consumer’s usage habits, offers users a little variety in everyday life and is fun. Here, too, content is welcome that does not exceed a reading or consuming time of five minutes. The point is to arouse the customer’s intial interest in a topic or to position a brand name.

Corresponding content works well to interact with the community. Comments, likes and shares reflect the interests of the readers and are thus good indicators when developing new topics.

Serving new consumption habits

Snackable content, ie content prepared in an entertaining, situation-dependent form, corresponds to the consumer habits of today’s readers, who want to use short time windows effectively in order to make progress with something or just to relax and discover something new.
Keep these formats in mind when planning your future content, because content can often double over as a snack.

This could also be interesting: Mirco moments – efficiently using the moment of decision.

We took our first look at the subject of voice assistants and their features a year ago. At that time, Amazon’s Echo was the only product available on the German market. Google’s Home was about to launch, and Apple’s HomePod had been announced but was still a long way off.

Now these competitors have rolled out their voice assistants and speaker systems — and slowly but more or less surely, they seem to be taking over living rooms and offices. So it’s time to talk about why these smart assistants will gain more and more acceptance.

Voice assistants – a brief overview

Smart assistants can be found in all of the newer smartphone models. There is Alexa from Amazon, Siri in the iPhone, Google’s Assistant and Bixby in Android smartphones, and Microsoft’s Cortana in the newer Windows laptops and tablets. In addition to having the assistants on their smartphones, consumers are increasingly acquiring speakers that are specially designed to work with the voice assistants: the Echo for Amazon’s Alexa, the HomePod for Siri and the Google Home.

All of the models provide more or less similar features: control of numerous household items — such as thermostat adjustment via time switches or features to monitor your home — as well as services like online banking and the ability to place orders, or even consult your own personal fashion advisor.

Because of its early launch, Amazon’s Echo (with voice assistant Alexa) is the leader among the smart speakers, and many electronics and appliance makers have therefore created an interface in their products for Alexa voice recognition. The aim here is primarily to leverage automated processes to make everyday life easier for users and to enable multitasking.

Users (in Germany at least) had to wait a long time for the HomePod. According to Apple’s marketing, the HomePod smart speaker focused mainly on good sound for playing music and movies. The HomeKit series now provides just as many control options for your home as Amazon does. With the help of what are called“scenes”, users can have multiple accessories perform some action automatically — heat up the bath water, turn on the coffee machine, raise the window blinds and play get-out-of-bed music, for example.

Google Home is in no way inferior to the Apple and Amazon products. On the contrary, users can also access all the features of Google search for all the questions that come up in everyday life.

Customers in Germany are also eagerly awaiting Bixby, the assistant available in Samsung devices of the eighth generation and later. Bixby offers an automatic ID assistant that will be particularly welcomed by shoppers and product manufacturers. With this feature, a device can use the camera to identify an object. The assistant will then show who stocks the item and where it can be ordered.

What all of the assistants have in common is their ability to make customers’ everyday lives easier, smoother and less stressful by allowing them to use voice commands to carry out a variety of tasks simultaneously and without further input by automating actions and linking up multiple appliances or accessories.
But do users see things the same way?

Talking with a loudspeaker

It would be a mistake to think that the interaction between the user and voice assistant consists of monosyllables, or that it’s one-sided. These voice-enabled helpers now offer many modes of interaction; they can even tell jokes or throw their own parties .

What users like most about their assistants, though, is the fast, easy availability of information, news, weather reports, music and services, such as the ability to order a meal. Moreover, according to the Conversational Commerce study of Capgemini, most consumers are not using HomePods or Echos but instead the assistants in their smartphones. Twenty-four percent of those surveyed even said that they prefer to use the voice assistant over apps or websites. As many as 35 percent of them already order a variety of products by conversing with the pleasant voice on their smartphones. It’s no surprise, then, that the study predicts manufacturers may be able to increase sales through the use of voice assistants.

Convenience and the hands-free mode of operation appear to favour the use of voice assistants. In a study of the German market conducted by “EARS and EYES” , 58 percent of the respondents reported having used a voice assistant on a smartphone, and 17 percent used it on a smart speaker. The authors of the Capgemini study cautiously suggest that interactions with a voice assistant may break down barriers and encourage people to make a decision and a purchase — we will see.

Google’s micro-moments

One vendor is currently drumming up interest in Germany: Google. In the campaign “Mach mal, Google“ (Make Google Do It), the company is promoting its voice assistant by showing many little everyday situations where it can help out or come to the rescue. Amazon ran advertisements a year ago with a similar message.

The principle at work here is what Google calls “micro-moments.” Content and features are presented via click or voice input at just the moment when a user needs them — and in the right format, of course. And this is where companies and content providers come into play. They can offer useful content, information, knowledge, facts, instructions and services as text, graphics, audio or video. And they can do so either directly via Google search or through their own skills and features for voice assistants. There appears to be a demand for snack-sized portions of everyday help that can be consumed quickly.

Conclusion: voice assistants will gain greater acceptance in the future

It isn’t just the big shipping providers and Internet companies who are pouncing on this technology. Automakers, manufacturers of electronic goods, furniture companies and construction businesses have all been expanding their product ranges with functional, intelligent systems and devices that can read what customers want right from their lips, as it were. An intelligent environment that is on the same page with its owner, whether at home or in a pants pocket, creates enormous added value for the user: efficiency, time-savings and multi-tasking ability. It is hard to imagine who would turn that down — though some would make greater use of it than others, of course.

In Germany, for example, the hype seems relatively muted compared to the United States. The reason for that is primarily data-privacy concerns and the need for meaningful rules to prevent unrestricted collection and analysis of data. Appropriate arrangements will be arrived at in this regard.

Still, it’s worth keeping an eye on this trend and maybe even getting into the act yourself, with content and products that are only a word away from the customer.

How to use audio content for your business and content is shown here.

Titelfoto by Bence ▲ Boros on Unsplash

Google’s model of Micro Moments has been buzzing around in corporate marketing for a few years now. It is considered a trend-setter in the marketing of brands and products due to its focus on a very specific moment in the customer’s digital usage – the moment of decision.

Micro Moments explained briefly

In practice, these are moments when the user urgently needs information to move forward. For example, when the user is hungry, they search for a nearby restaurant; when reading, if they encounter an unknown word, they seek out its meaning. They wants to assemble a shelf and don’t know which screws are suitable or wish to buy exactly those new sneakers that their friend is wearing. At such moments, users whip out their smartphones and quickly google for the solution to the problem.

These precise moments offer enormous potential to reach users and readers with appropriate content in the right format. This in turn can lead to the purchase of a product or magazine or the conclusion of a subscription.

>>Creating Micro Moments: Reaching the user at the moment of decision
with matching content.<<

Product content is the product itself

First of all, these micro-moments require content that delivers fast answers to the potential customer’s questions. This can be information on a product, such as test reports, or examples of its application to provide insight into everyday experiences with the product.

Consider this content for Micro Moments as a product itself – media makers will probably find this easy. Approach the content as you approach product development: Provide the user with real added value, solve a problem from their everyday lives with the help of your content. Because there is a lot of potential in such content to gain the customers’ trust and convince them in a micro moment – with subsequent product purchase.

>>The right content solves a user problem.<<

Provide good content with added value

For the right content, it helps to know the intentions and real interests of the users. These can be determined based on qualitative data, for example from interviews. Talk to your magazine readers or product users and find out why exactly a particular product is used and how it is used.
Instead of interviews, groups and chats on social channels are also suitable for reaching young users and readers. This is usually more informal and also has a positive effect on the ‘follower’ statistics.

After an interview or a social media survey, it is useful to understand your customer’s journey. Find the micro-moments that led to the decision for your product.
Question the reasons and motives for the purchase and also ask about subsequent use. This will give you clues as to what content or product features are well received by readers and what you should expand. Indeed, you may realize that certain content is not interesting or additional products are being produced on the market.

>>Pick up the phone or hit the keys.
The main thing is simply to talk to your customers and readers. You will be surprised what you can learn from them. <<

The right content in the right form

Often this not only tells you the kind of content that is popular, but also how and where it is used. These answers provide interesting input for the most suitable content format – and for perfect micro moments. Prepare your content accordingly in different variants: text, videos, graphics or in audio format – you have a wide range of options.

No matter which format you choose, be sure to develop short, original, creative – including entertaining and easily digestible – content that can also be consumed within the Micro Moments.

Finally: Pay attention to micro moments in your own everyday life. What content and tools do you use to make a decision? What formats or content might help advance the procedure even faster? Such considerations can raise awareness of your customers mental processes – and lead to new ideas.

How to get your content heard with an Alexa-skill and Co.

Audio is a fast-growing trend that offers a wide range of opportunities for companies and publishers – which is just one more reason to look at monetisation and advertising prospects in the audio field along with the relevant user requirements. Those who get an early start will find out sooner what really appeals to their customers and readers.
Here we present some applications and opportunities for a successful start in the new audio world.

It all starts with a story and you already have one

Audio is an additional channel to reach listeners with the content that is already available in a text version. Articles, announcements, and reports can be conveniently deliveredin text form and played back via software as an audio file. Be it a sports news bulletin, stock market announcements, or in-depth features, anything goes.

In addition to recycling existing content, audio offers numerous opportunities to retell your story in new ways – and this is where it gets interesting for publishers and businesses. Product-, brand-, or even enterprise-based themes can be converted into a multi-faceted radio play. Underscore interviews or press releases with original sound, music, or recordings to create variety and attract more attention.

The potential for creativity is endless. Imagine for instance a tour of your own factory as an audio feature. This kind of varied content is especially attractive to the listener.
Cooperations between (audiobook) publishers and enterprises facilitate such productions.

Special audio material is not a must in the beginning.
– Simply use existing articles

The voice – the sound of a brand

A uniform public image is enormously important for an enterprise, be it through corporate identity, fixed slogans, or brand ambassadors – real or as the hero of a promotional story. So you should give your message a distinctive, representative voice with a high brand-recognition-value. Professional speakers are of course ideal, because they convey the content perfectly and captivate the listener. However, professional voice-over-artists are rarely exclusive and therefore not free from listener associations. The slogan “20 percent off everything except pet food” in the German voice of Bruce Willis comes to mind.

To create a brand voice, even on a budget, simply rely on your employees, board members and CEOs, who represent your company with their voice – it could not be more authentic.

Or you give the role to a computer voice. Speech recognition in smartphones or the voice assistants of intelligent speaker systems such as Alexa have long since become part of the daily reality of most users and are gaining widespread acceptance.

Computer voices like the Alexa-skill voice offer a cheap alternative to professional voice-over artists and are increasingly accepted by the listeners.

Platforms and streaming portals

The content is ready and you have found a suitable voice? Then it’s time to make your content heard. You already have the platforms: your website, your blog and maybe even your own app. In all channels, audio files can be integrated, uploaded or text can be read aloud. In addition, there are numerous other providers and platforms to upload your podcast to for the first time, for example Sound Cloud or YouTube. Also Spotify and other streaming services are suitable platforms.

Another solution is a dedicated Alexa-skill for smart speakers. There are various formats in which content can be accommodated effectively and with added value for the user. For example, in the so-called daily summary skills, which give your users an overview of the latest news of the day. Other skill formats, such as purchase orders, booking queries and services, are of particular interest to companies who want to provide an additional service, FAQs, and bookings, or to offer their own products as a smart home application.

RSS, a podcast, MP3 or Alexa? Audio content can be distributed through many channels.

New advert formats

Whether your audio reaches the user through a podcast, as individual contributions in social media, or through skills, in many cases the offer can be financed through advertising. Suitable ads of your own products or those of your advertising partners can be conveniently embedded before and after a contribution.
Some platforms also offer pre-set adverts which can be additionally booked.

Various monetization options are already available in the USA for the Alexa skills. Content can be offered behind paywalls or linked to existing subscriptions. Other advertising ideas are reminiscent of the Google experiments last spring. Without their preconsent, users were informed of the launch of a new Disney film via Google Home. Controversial discussion ensued, but it shows where the journey can go. After all, corporate advertising is important for financing editorial work and expanding the company’s presence.

Other rumours suggest that Amazon is collaborating with companies such as Procter & Gamble to develop smart ad formats. The format here is to be less subtle with the advertised product being smoothly integrated into Alexa’s responses. For example, “Alexa, order a new shampoo” – “Would you like to order Head & Shoulders?” It is possible that the responses will be similar to the Google AdWords ranking in the search engine. The suggested brands would then be the ones which have reached the top. Developments of this kind should be kept in mind by marketers and distributors.

Service and information

It does not always have to be direct advertising. Guides, glossaries, product notes, or instructions can also be prepared as a smart speaker applications. For example, a trade magazine can offer a comprehensive lexicon on technical terms, while a sports magazine might keep the user updated on the progress of their favourite game. For companies too, there are content-related skills that supply information on the products’ background and the company’s activities. Consider what services and information you want to provide your customers with: the latest insurance rates? Electricity, water and heating consumption? Status info on orders, responses to typical customer service questions? Shopping deals? The range of options is wide.

Advertising, FAQs, service offers, or the latest news – with the help of audio and Alexa skills these can be easily integrated into the daily lives of users.

Focussing on the user

Or you simply ask your customers what they want in terms of contributions and service offers. After all, many customers have developed high tolerance levels to advertising and it is no secret that companies win over customers with a clever message and corresponding values along with good service, rather than pure advertising.
The same principle applies to audio. Contributions tailored to the user or a user group attract reliable listeners and customers. For this, you should know the target audience that you are trying to reach with audio or take the opportunity to get to know them.

To give users an individual and versatile audio experience, offer your audio contributions in various lengths and on diverse platforms. Depending on the platform or target group, stylistic variants of the same content can be presented, for example a more entertaining version or a more factual one. Comments, likes, downloads, and feedback will help to optimize your service. With flexible presentation formats your users have more freedom in their own media consumption and you can offer the right format for a wide spectrum of situations and consumption habits.

Get started

Don’t think of audio as just another channel, but rather as a way to accompany your customers through their day with entertaining, well-crafted content.
Whether it be print, e-paper, posting or audio, each format has its own characteristics, which should be considered and used for more diversity in your communication. Start with a simple audio project and you’ll find new perspectives.

With unfailing regularity, studies confirm what all of us can actually already see from our own behaviour: media users are spending more and more time consuming media of all kinds. Every day, in fact, we consume more than ten hours of media content, according to the Media Activity Guide of advertising agency SevenOne Media GmbH (link). That refers to private usage, mind you – it doesn’t even include our daily work at the computer with the internet and smartphone.

Ten hours – that’s only possible, of course, if we consume multiple types of media simultaneously. For example, we might sit in front of the television and browse the internet for additional information on a tablet while a chat is taking place on the smartphone. That’s completely normal and doesn’t yet pose a problem. For the content creators, however, that is precisely the challenge: a vast amount of content is searching for an audience on an incredibly large number of fast-paced channels. And quite often, it is failing to find one.

Brain-friendly, situation-dependent and snackable

Content creators have been pursuing digital approaches for quite some time already. They’ve been testing the waters and venturing into new channels – and all too often, they’ve been trying to carry their analogue business model of subscriptions and proven formats over into the digital world. I am firmly convinced that this won’t be adequate.

The reason is that although the audience that is reached with those new channels consumes the content digitally, it does not behave in an analogue fashion when doing so. While the user is always-on and always accessible, he is searching for interesting content through a search engine and not in a subject-specific medium; sometimes he prefers to listen rather than read; he enjoys entertaining videos, and at the same time, he is preparing to watch his favourite streaming series without interruption. It’s a difficult puzzle – when does he want something, and how do you reach him?

High intent micro-moment

I believe that we media pros should change our perspective once again – instead of taking the point of view of the purely digitized business model, we should adopt the viewpoint of the digital user. The reason is that the content that this user consumes and the media through which he consumes it depend to a great extent on the stage of life and situation he finds himself in at the moment. That has concrete effects on the provision of content: we need a greater variety of formats, and more flexible formats, that turn the content into an easily consumed and at the same time high-quality snack.

The concept of the “high intent micro-moment,” propagated above all by the Danish media analyst Thomas Baekdal, attempts to delineate this approach. Content is consumed and perceived as worth paying for when it is wanted by the user, is present in an appropriate format and has the necessary quality with respect to its subject matter. What streaming services are now achieving with lavishly produced series – strong user loyalty and a fan base that pays money for the content – should be taken on board by content creators and adapted to their own types of content. Naturally, publishers won’t be interested in producing hours’ worth of film sequences. But they will be interested in the concept of high-quality content designed with the user’s needs in mind.

I’d like to add a few words regarding a peripheral phenomenon that can be seen in the context of media digitization: the publication of online advertisements at all costs is counterproductive. Since online subscription models are rarely sufficient to cover costs, but money must still be earned, some publishers are inclined to stick advertisements over their content. But users who constantly have to click away ads or who fall for clickbait by accident will tend to be less willing to pay for content. Respect for the user’s time seems to me to be a valuable customer loyalty tool in this connection too.

More on this topic at the Media Convention in Berlin

From 2–4 May, 2018, the re:publica gathering will take place in Berlin alongside the Media Convention. The Media Convention is the largest of its kind in Europe dedicated to digitization and society and aims to serve as a festival for digital culture. I will speak at the convention and give a detailed presentation of the topic outlined here.

Presentation: “Von Digital Moments und dem Respekt vor der Zeit der Mediennutzer”

When: 3 May, 11:15 AM

Where: Media Cube

Facebook is causing a sensation: this year, the focus is again on the user while the companies’ content is moved backstage. We get to the bottom of it here and show why this step was necessary. And we also take a look at how publishers and companies can take advantage of the new settings.

Facebook is turning the wheel of time

Mark Zuckerberg’s mid-January post prompted an outcry: Facebook was planning to do more to provide users with ‘well-spent time’ and changing the newsfeed settings accordingly. In plain language this means that more postings from friends, family and acquaintances will now be displayed. In turn, corporate contributions and news will take a back seat, unless prioritized directly by individual users.

The step was further justified by a study commissioned by Facebook, according to which an active, interactive use of the network is psychologically healthier than a passive scroll through a news feed filled with current events and advertising.
With the newsfeed changes, Facebook is reacting to the increasingly passive use of the network by users and a dearth of new registrations from the younger generation. In effect the network is going back to its roots and those of the Web, creating a platform for active exchange where content and knowledge are shared.

Interaction instead of ads

Many companies now fear that they will have to invest increasing sums in advertising in order to reach their users at all. Facebook’s new advertising manager tools seem to support the suspicion. But there are other ways to reach customers.
One way is to follow Facebook’s example and trust in the dialogue with your customers. Encourage interaction with inspiring questions, listen to your customers, and respond to comments.

For some companies, this may be a difficult task because they do not (no longer) speak the same language as their clients. Numerous advertising slogans and marketing measures, despite their entertainment value, have little in common with everyday, human communication. Here it is important to find a middle ground between strategic corporate identity and natural communication.

Facebook isn’t the only one that knows what users want

Promoting dialogue and interaction can also be achieved with good content. Content marketing is an important part of the customer experience: the more convincing the content, the more memorable the experience.Adobe’s recent Consumer Content Survey puts figures on what the customer wants.

LAccording to the report, users respond to and interact with content that is informative (82% of respondents), correct (74%), easy to consume (53%), entertaining (37%), and interactive or beautifully designed (24%). Such content has an impact on brand perception and affects buying behavior immensely. 67% of consumers break off the buying process if they don’t like the branded content. By contrast, 50% bought something just because the content was appealing.
This means that brain-teasing, snackable content is in demand, content that can be consumed at any time and is offered on all platforms where users are to be found.

Solution-oriented thinking: what do my customers really need?

What exactly your customers view as relevant or useful content can be learned from conversations with customers as well as through analysis and reporting. It’s all part of getting to know the customer better. However, this is not a complete strategy, but rather a continuous learning process that allows you to become part of your own community.

Ask what content your customers like. If they don’t share your content, what are they interested in? And do these customer interests also resonate with your company? Get to the bottom of your products: Do you already offer the solution to customer problems or should you change something?

Outlook for the future

It remains to be seen how users of Facebook will react to their desired role as active participant. After all, for Facebook it’s also a question of securing its own status as the social network. In the course of achieving that status a variety of innovations and measures were tried and tested in collaboration with companies and the media, and such close contact is not likely to simply stop.
Nevertheless, at the same time it makes sense for media and businesses to find more opportunities and platforms to stay in touch with users and customers.

If the Adobe survey is to be believed, users are increasingly interested in streaming devices and smart speakers – two new interaction options to be tested. Furthermore, websites, blogs, and stores are popular meeting points for customers to learn more about companies and products. It is certainly worth maintaining these channels You should avoid breaks in communication which might occur if there’s a very human contact on social networks, but a strong advertising focus on your website.

Instead of music, more and more podcasts, news articles and curated radio broadcasts are reaching the listeners’ ears. To give you an idea of where the audio journey is taking us, we introduce you to current trends and upcoming developments and deal with the whys and wherefores of audio consumption.

Connected Audio

In order to create a long-lasting listening experience, it is crucial that the individual devices are networked with one another. Affordable smart home systems already provide connectivity between smart speakers, sound systems and vendors, such as Spotify, iTunes or Amazon. And multi-room speakers make it possible to play content throughout your home.

To date, the smartphone has served as a central control organ through which the connections are made. But the trend towards an extended spacial and flexible sound experience means it won’t be long before playing becomes automatic, functioning without the active control of the speakers. Using GPS or other systems, locating the listener’s position in the flat or house shouldn’t be a problem, and the listener can be followed by the music as they move through their home.

It would also be conceivable to transfer audio content across locations via several devices. Imagine listening to the broadcast of a football game in the car, then through your headphones on the way to the house, and then directly via the home system in the living room – all in one seamless transition. The connectivity of individual devices and systems will play a key role in the audio sector in the future.

Listening is social

Speakers are very popular since they not only allow freedom of movement while listening, but also provide a shared listening experience. A good podcast for instance can connect two flatmates in an apartment, while they busy themselves with completely different activities. Such a bond does not have to be limited to two people in one another’s immediate vicinity. For listeners of traditional radio stations, the presenter’s voice is part of the daily routine in the morning and connects many listeners within a region.

With the Web, shared listening and an exchange of opinions on the content has already become easier. But opportunities for interaction often leave much to be desired. For example it should be possible to leave comments and likes while listening to a podcast or to see who’s listening from the fan base. Spotify and Deezer do offer rudimentary functions along these lines. It remains to be seen how this will develop. Perhaps a kind of Instagram for music, with the individual soundtrack of ones own life?

The prospects for live audio events – on similar lines to public viewing – are promising. This could be either on location or live-stream, a live broadcast of a concert or a collection of fans listening to the new album of their favourite band together.
Thus, publishers and editors should not simply view audio as an additional mode. It is also a way to interact with readers and listeners. Inspiration and orientation can be taken from classic radio formats such as live broadcasts with recorded calls or voice messages.

Immersive Audio

Audiobooks and radio plays are well-known and effective forms of immersive audio content. Voices, music and sounds alone can create an event in the mind of the listener and let them sink into another world. The sense of ‘being there’, however, is strongly dependent on the voice of the speaker or the quality of the sound effects. But even here there is movement. At the latest, when computer voices, such as Alexa or Siri, are established in a broad user field and – thanks to the numerous available data – speaking better and more naturally, the audio contributions will become much easier and more cost-effective to produce. It is certainly in the interest of editors and companies to be open to such developments.

A more convincing form of immersion, however, is offered by the game world. Thanks to VR goggles and AR technology, players are not only mentally but, with the help of motion sensors, also, so to speak, physically transferred to another world. New recording techniques for 360-degree audio sound and the corresponding sound systems can complement this experience with the perfect sound world.
Immersive audio goes far beyond the gaming world. Certain sounds or music can actively influence the mood of the user. Such concepts are already standard especially in the advertising industry.

Mobile Audio

Basically, this trend began with the Walkman. Consuming audio content on the go is not new. Independence of location, network, and WLAN will make listening much easier in the future – along with the transition from car radio to home systems etc.
New headphone technologies are required here, which not only compensate for external noise and provide very good sound quality, but also allow voice interactions and integrate functions of other wearables. What about headphones that make statements about fitness or eating habits? Music could be automatically adjusted to suit the sports activity. Or useful tips could be given when relevant, for instance to let you know when your running pace is uneven.

Individual Audio

Algorithms that create news feeds according to the user’s interests are already being used in online shops, on Facebook and in streaming services at Netflix and Spotify. Providing users with suggestions for songs and other audio material, however, is only the first level of individualization. Custom audio content, for example, could go so far as to enable voices, background music and sounds to be interchanged as desired.
Still, it can’t hurt to give individual audio lists a breath of fresh air and occasionally break through the filter bubble phenomenon. GPS localization can help here. If the user is at a particular location, they will be offered regional podcasts or individual audio features on the area and current local events. Additionally, such models provide space for advertising and product placement, which can also finance the audio features.

User-generated content has long been a standard in blog, social media and video platforms. On the audio front, on the other hand, it’s still pretty quiet. Taking a cue from free radio stations, more platforms could be created in the future to offer ones own podcasts and audio contributions privately or publicly. The recording and sound quality of the new smartphones already provide good technical prerequisites. And suitable apps are also available that allow you to cut and edit your own contributions and add sound effects.

Outlook for the future

Audio is a fast-growing trend that will continue to inspire technical and content innovations in the coming years. Whether in the form of intelligent headphones, location-based playlists or customizable contributions, companies, content providers and marketers would do well to keep an eye on these developments and be brave enough to risk an experiment or two in the field. In the next post, we’ll take a closer look at opportunities in the audio sector.