For years, publishers could count on the open web to help audiences discover their content and drive revenue. That model is changing. Search is evolving, AI summaries are making referral traffic less predictable and audiences are consuming content across a growing mix of channels.

These challenges have created an opportunity for media companies to maximize the value of three of their most important assets: quality content, audience relationships and first-party data.

I discussed this shift with Lindsay Horrigan, consumer growth officer at Hearst Magazines, during a conversation at Beeler.tech’s Navigator NYC conference. In addition to holding positions at leading publishers, Lindsay has worked for brands including American Express and Wayfair, giving her a unique perspective on what media companies can learn from consumer brands.

Our conversation highlighted three ways media companies can apply a brand mindset to strengthen their audience strategy and demonstrate the value of their first-party data to advertisers.

Know your audience and its value

Publishers have always needed to know their audiences, but that understanding is becoming more complex as audiences consume content across a variety of channels and platforms.

Lindsay said brands start by asking fundamental questions about who they serve, what those customers value and why they choose their products. Publishers can apply the same thinking to understand who their audiences are and how they engage with their brands across channels.

A website visit, newsletter subscription or social follow may each represent a different point in the audience relationship. Looking across those interactions can help media companies understand where audiences are most engaged and which channels are building the strongest connections.

Reliable cross-channel audience data can bring those interactions together into a more complete audience story for advertisers. As publishers rely more on their own data to tell that story, independent validation can give buyers greater confidence in the audience information they use to make media decisions.

Build relationships, not transactions

Brands view individual purchases as the beginning of the consumer relationship. They continue to engage customers with new products, relevant offers and experiences that give them reasons to return. Publishers can apply the same thinking by creating opportunities to turn occasional visitors into more engaged, returning audiences.

Doing so requires a meaningful value exchange. As Lindsay noted, media companies first need to give someone a reason to share their email address. That might be access to an exclusive event, a niche newsletter or another experience that provides ongoing value.

The goal is to use each interaction to strengthen the audience relationship. Over time, those relationships will provide publishers with richer first-party insights that help them better understand their audiences and demonstrate their value to advertisers.

Create a unified audience experience across your organization

Consumers experience a company as one brand, not as separate departments. Media audiences are no different. Every interaction across editorial, product, subscriptions, marketing and advertising contributes to the overall audience relationship.

Lindsay put it simply: “Everyone owns the audience.” That means audience strategy can’t sit within a single department. Teams across the organization need a shared understanding of who their audience is, what they value and how they engage with the brand.

Lindsay compared this to her experience at American Express, where employees across functions gathered customer feedback to inform decisions across the entire business. Media companies can apply the same principle. When teams work from shared audience data and objectives, decisions about content, products, subscriptions and advertising can reinforce one another and create a more cohesive audience experience.

Thinking like a brand means giving people reasons to seek out and engage with your content. Using audience insights strengthens those relationships and increases their value to advertisers. Reach still matters, but having a deeper understanding of your audience supported by credible, independently validated data can provide media companies with a stronger audience story that increases advertiser confidence and trust.