The research reveals how publishers are optimizing revenue streams in 2024, following a challenging 2023. Digiday spoke with executives at Condé Nast, Forbes, The Atlantic, The Guardian, and The Independent about their current revenue strategies. The key revenue trends in the industry include affiliate commerce, diversification of revenue streams, and global business expansion.
Affiliate commerce saw a significant drop in share of publishers' revenue between 2023 and 2024, according to a Digiday+ Research survey. Publishers' views on the importance of affiliate commerce marketing vary, with some heavily invested in the tactic and others not investing at all.
Diversification of revenue streams is a major focus for publishers in 2024. This is due to the rise of AI, the lack of subscription growth, and a challenging ad market in 2023. Many traditional media and publishing companies are adding e-commerce channels to their revenue streams, while others are turning to syndication and external product partnerships that target niche audiences.
Global business expansion is another revenue strategy. Two of the publications, The Independent and The Guardian, are headquartered in London, while Condé Nast is a global mass media company based in New York City. These organizations are crossing international borders to expand their revenue streams. The Guardian and The Independent are looking to increase their overall U.S. presence, while Condé Nast sees an opportunity to market local editorial events to a mass audience.
