Content Aware weekly update: July 14, 2022

Published: 18 July 2022

Henk van Ess webinar

Search engine ninjary, slow news made easy, and depressed readers - all in this week's Content Aware media highlights.

How to win at search engining
Think you know how to turn a search engine to your will? Have a look at Google-meister Henk van Ess's presentation targeted at investigative journalists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyqXS5lL-mc

Corbidge comments on... the dreaded Slow News Month
The rise of the Silly Season, sport on the front page, and dusting down the annual favourites.
https://www.gpp.io/news/facing-the-editorial-abyss-how-to-cope-with-the-no-news-day-aUBUh2P43b8N

Heather Burns endures the Online Safety Committees so you don't have to
The UK Department of Digital Culture et al are in the process of using a sledgehammer to try and finesse some very far-reaching regulatory proposals for online life. Amongst those whose entire online business landscape could be turned upside down are publishers: Heather Burns scrutinises the proposals and summarises progress on your behalf.
https://webdevlaw.uk/2022/07/13/heres-why-your-project-is-in-scope-of-the-online-safety-bill/

Instagram rolls out subscriptions
From selfies to self-publisher, Instagram starts to roll out subs tools for its creators.
https://techcrunch.com/2022/07/14/instagram-creator-subscriptions-expansion/

US readers get news fatigue
While readers of GPP Content Aware get a sustained diet of snappy mirth-making and puns, it seems news sites generally are feeling the effect of all those upside down smiles. Some engagement is down by 50% in a year.
https://www.axios.com/2022/07/12/news-media-readership-ratings-2022

Rolling Stone UK's audience growth insight
Rolling Stone US saw strong uptake from UK readers. What did they do? Bring the mountain to the (local) masses. Good interview and podcast with Rolling Stone's digital boss on creating a geo-edition.
https://whatsnewinpublishing.com/4-tips-to-supercharge-audience-growth-from-rolling-stone/

Google suggests spin-off to avoid forced sell-off
Spinning off the ad business but keeping it under the Alphabet umbrella seems a forlorn offer to appease US regulators and avoid being forced to fully sell the ad cashcow, say reports.
https://martech.org/google-offers-adtech-unit-changes-to-fend-off-antitrust-lawsuit/

Every Atlantic issue, online
More than 30,000 articles from the complete history of The Atlantic, from issue one in 1857 to the present day. The conclusion of a mighty archive digitisation project.
Back issues - The Atlantic

Reduce accidental cancellations
In a spin about what words might be asking for trouble or accidentally going to be hurtful? Language Please offers some help.
https://languageplease.org/editorial-tools/

Google answers its own question
Has there been a search engine algorithm update? Now you don't need to rely fully on the post-update research of various sites and investigators.
https://developers.google.com/search/updates/ranking

Thanks to all for the tips and recommendations!