In 2021 the news publishing industry is more important than ever in keeping the public informed and educated on the news of the day. However, newspapers and institutions that have stood for decades, even centuries in some cases are subject to random dips in their revenue, based on opaque decisions taken in Cupertino or Palo Alto which aim to give tech giants like Google and Apple an ever increasing slice of the ad revenue pie.
Below are some of the largest challenges facing the industry today.
Google’s Ever Changing Algorithm.
All websites online rely on search traffic to bring readers to their doors, and as Google is by far the most used search engine in the world, they tailor their SEO to its algorithm. As the search engine is Google’s secret sauce responsible for its entire tech empire, it keeps the secrets of what makes it tick very closely guarded. What this means is that any minor tweak in the search engine could lead to publishers experiencing a drop in traffic, without really being able to explain why or how it happened. Changes in google’s algorithm have caused up to 40 percent drops in traffic at times, often taking weeks to recover and causing millions in lost ad traffic revenue.
Bot Censorship.
Another problem caused by one of Google’s infamous algorithms. Google relies in large part on bots to moderate content featured on its search engine, Google News, and most importantly, Youtube. These bots have been programmed with the best intentions, to remove harmful content from Google’s platforms, however they are only bots. Many publishers and creators find themselves or their work removed or demonetized due to a mistake that will often go days or weeks without being addressed, and once again costing valuable ad revenue.
Facebook and Google VS Regulators and Publishers
News publishers have contested for a really long time that they should be compensated when their articles appear on search results or are shared on social networks. After all this time governments are finally listening, and in Australia, new regulations were passed that required the likes of Facebook and Google to compensate their news organizations. This led to a protracted battle where the tech giants threatened to pull their services or disable news sharing in Australia, before a deal was reached to pay the largest Australian publishers. This was a minor victory for the industry, but with European and American regulators looking to make similar moves, Facebook and Google shouldn’t be expected to capitulate so quickly.
Adblock
Adblock has been the bogeyman in the online news publishing industry’s closet since 2005. In 2021 we’re reaching a point where Adblock’s growth rate is rapidly increasing, and most dangerously spreading to mobile where ad revenue is already lower than PC. As Adblock’s hold on web users tightens, it’s more important than ever to find a way to circumvent it.
An easy solution to Adblock.
Adcovery presents an easy solution to the problem Adblock creates for publishers. With our easy to install plugin, you can finally advertise to Adblock users. Adcovery ads use patented technology to circumvent Adblock and allow you to monetize Adblock users with high performing ads!
