Subscribe
for just...
plus
2020 has been a really exciting year for independent journalists, and it's a topic that I have covered extensively here on Baekdal Plus.
Back in September, I wrote about the business models and the overall strategies that you should think about, in: "What business model should independent journalists and creators use?"
Then in October, we took a much deeper look at how to actually do this, by focusing on the tactics, in: "What tactics should independent journalists know before starting something new?"
But today, in this 25-page article, we are going to talk about analytics. Because, as an independent journalist, the analytics that you need to focus on are going to be very different from what you are used to.
So, let's talk about this in detail.
Note: Before we start, this guide is not a how-to instruction for how to implement a specific analytics platform. I will not tell you how to use Google Tag Manager or Adobe Analytics, nor how to add scripts to your site. There are thousands of articles about this on the internet. This article instead focuses on what to measure, and how to think of the metrics you need.
One of the biggest differences between the type of analytics we do as independent publishers and the type used by big publishers is that their analytics are often defined around scale and a mass-market focus. Meaning that, as a publisher, you use metrics that measure your audience as a mass, rather than as individuals.
What I'm talking about here are metrics like pageviews, bounce rates, avg. time on site, referrals, and all the other 'normal metrics' that you see everywhere. These are all mass-market metrics that only really make sense when you have a lot of volume. As a small independent publisher, you have a different focus.
I talked about this in my first article, where I outlined how much traffic you need to make $60,000 per year.
Register to try out Baekdal Plus completely for free for one week.
Baekdal Plus is your premium destination for trends and analysis for the media industry. Every year you get 25 reports about the future media trends, business and editorial strategies, monetization analysis and insights about how to use analytics specifically for publishers.
As a subscriber, you also get full access to all the Plus reports (more than 200) published over the past 8 years, as well as the ability to share what you read.
Yes, of course, please write to plus@baekdal.com and I will send you a regular invoice that you can pay via your bank. I will need your company name, address and VAT number (if within the EU). Also, please note that due to this process being manual, this will be for an annual subscription only.
Yes, please write to plus@baekdal.com for details. But for 25-99 users: the price is 20% off the subscription price ($79/year per user), 100+ users is a fixed price at $5,000 (for all combined).
Yes, please head over to Baekdal Media to read about consulting where I can help you with strategy reviews, trend and strategy reports, and strategic guidance for you media company or a specific publication.
Creating a propensity model is one of the most important tools publishers can have.
Free for subscribers
...or full access for $12
Free for subscribers
...or full access for $12
Several publishers have found that reducing volume leads to an increase in revenue
Free for subscribers
...or full access for $12
Free for subscribers
...or full access for $12
Time is such a critical metric for publishers, but it's also a very complicated one.
Free for subscribers
...or full access for $12
Free for subscribers
...or full access for $12
Free for subscribers
...or full access for $12
Free for subscribers
...or full access for $12
Publishers who start their own data studios need to take extra steps to identify real people.
Free for subscribers
...or full access for $12
How subscriber analytics is moving from looking at metrics to identifying patterns.
Free for subscribers
...or full access for $12
Founder, media analyst, author, and publisher. Follow on Twitter
"Thomas Baekdal is one of Scandinavia's most sought-after experts in the digitization of media companies. He has made himself known for his analysis of how digitization has changed the way we consume media."
Swedish business magazine, Resumé
plus
free
plus
plus
plus
free