Thank you to Helen Gazeley for taking the time to leave a comment on yesterday's post: Gardening magazine readership figures.
I thought that it was better to respond in a new post so that the subject stays fresh - I feel it is important to open this debate up further.
I have expanded my response to take in a little more on the topic too.
The horticulture print industry is in denial in my opinion and they would rather keep the debate from public gaze while they all scurry around looking for a solution before it is too late.
As far as the future of on-line advertising is concerned; just look at the success of Google. As iI write this my click through rate for today (since midnight) is 2.55% and by the end of today I expect that to be between 2.8-3.2%. I do enjoy some day at 5 or 6%.
This is evidence that my readership is engaging with the advertising but they are here because of the content and not here to buy. This is in stark contrast to a lot of sites that are built to sell.
I expect failures from established names within the horticulture trades magazines and it will be no surprise to me. Horticulture publication owners and their editors are not being honest with themselves or the industry in my view and it is too late for some of them to turn things around. Quite frankly there is no strategy and certainly not enough time to start one.
Every day, newspapers and magazines are shifting further away from physical printing and moving to digital.
Look at this article from yesterdays Guardian - Express unveils plan for sub-free future.
In another Guardian piece, Nicholas Sarkozy is holding talks that will see a shake up of French newspapers.
In the newspaper article, the Guardian states that French newspaper revenue has plummeted from €1.145bn in 2000 to €848m in 2007.
Closer to home Trinity Mirror's CEO Sly Bailey says "Publishers must put digital media 'at the centre' of their businesses to survive the current economic downturn."
The article continues:"By 2011 digital revenues will represent a 'substantial part' of Trinity Mirror's business, Bailey said, adding that she was not concerned about digital profits replacing print revenues."
Hort Week is was the benchmark for the UK horticulture industry but they are very top heavy on personnel to deliver its content; If you times my input by all of their editorial staff I would beat the Times, Guardian, Sun and the Daily Mail combined.
Landscape Juice is a revolution in the sense that it is an unconventional medium. Editors didn't dare take the route that I have and have lost out because of it. Only now is there a realisation that a magazine or newspaper (including websites) should be a two way conversation. That is why there is a comment box at the bottom of each post.
Would The Landscaper Magazine ever thought about questioning the role of the Association of professional Landscapers within the landscaping industry? No, they would not have done but like it or not, what I have said has brought about change; whether that change will come fast enough to help the APL I do not know.
What I do know that I have highlighted that publicly, the APL does not represent the landscaper. There is a Gold Medal mentality amongst the the APL committee.
There is too much attention paid to attending high profile garden shows and not enough attention to formulating a charge rate structure or training program for young people coming into landscaping.
Gardening editors need to start pushing for the real story and not what public relations want them to print.
Recent Comments