Articles by: "Dorinne Hoss, Head of Marketing – Arc XP"

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The year of now: an AI turning point for publishers

August 18, 2025 Dorinne Hoss, Head of Marketing – Arc XP

In the media industry, AI’s hype cycle has officially entered its hard reality era. As Arc XP’s Chief Technology Officer Joe Croney put it during our recent webinar Real Automation, Real Agents, Real Impact, 2023 was “the year of wow,” 2024 “the year of how,” and 2025 is “the year of now.”

AI in media has matured beyond experimental pilots and workflow quick wins. The question is no longer if you will use AI. It’s how you’ll use it to stand out in a marketplace where speed, volume, and even exclusivity are no longer differentiators.

Arc XP’s latest report with Digiday, surveying 108 publishers and broadcasters to understand how media organizations are incorporating AI into their newsrooms, confirms the stakes:

97% of publishers are investing in AI.
88% are prioritizing AI to elevate content quality, not just efficiency.
Yet only 1% have scaled AI across their organizations.

For the rest, the gap between AI experimentation and AI transformation is the opportunity and the risk.

Beyond automation: the rise of agentic workflows

The first wave of AI in the newsroom focused on automation by reducing labor time, accelerating production, and streamlining repetitive tasks. Those gains are real: 86% of publishers report reduced labor time and 85% report faster creation.

But the next wave, already underway, is about agentic workflows. Here, AI-powered assistants work in the background or are embedded in storytelling. They are designed to support journalists, not replace them.

Arc XP’s vision, as described by VP of Arc Intelligence Joey Marburger, is clear: “AI is like a junior reporter. Train it, guide it, but never expect it to replace your newsroom.”

In practice, this means agents that:

Check style guides automatically.
Suggest metadata and keywords in real time.
Surface relevant video, photo, and archival content instantly.
Summarize research while keeping humans in the editorial driver’s seat.

This “human-in-the-loop” approach is essential to maintaining trust, brand integrity, and editorial judgment, qualities AI cannot replicate.

Content has been commoditized. Insight has not.

Generative AI can repackage, summarize, and distribute stories faster than any newsroom. That means the old competitive advantages—speed, volume, and exclusivity—no longer guarantee audience loyalty.

What AI can’t replicate are journalistic instincts, mission, and audience. That’s why leading publishers are using AI to free up time for original reporting, local engagement, and audience-driven experimentation.

By pairing AI tools with secure, flexible, media-focused workflows, news organizations can focus on what machines can’t create: voice, context, originality, and trust.

Our State of AI in the newsroom report revealed AI is accelerating multimedia production—82% of publishers use it for video editing, 87% for image optimization. However, many remain dissatisfied with quality and consistency.

Arc XP’s AI roadmap tackles this head-on with a vector-based asset database, enabling instant retrieval of relevant photos, video clips, and audio. This makes it possible to reformat content across modalities, turning a text story into a video or podcast, or transforming audio interviews into publish-ready text, without sacrificing editorial quality.

This is critical for “Audience 3.0,” where engagement is immersive, adaptive, and co-created. In this environment, text-only strategies aren’t enough; audiences expect stories that move, speak, and adapt to their preferences.

An AI business imperative

AI isn’t just an editorial tool. It’s a business weapon. Our research shows forward-looking publishers are using AI to:

Personalize content delivery
Improve accessibility
Unlock new revenue streams by protecting and monetizing premium content from AI crawlers and bots

These capabilities are also part of a broader shift toward strengthening direct audience relationships. This is particularly important at a time when referrals are declining and chat-based AI platforms are changing how people discover content.

The clock is ticking

In 2025, the divide is clear: publishers who treat AI as a strategic advantage are redefining their markets. Those who don’t risk irrelevance.

The winning formula is already visible:

Treat AI as a platform, not a plug-in.
Align editorial, product, and engineering around shared goals.
Protect and monetize your intellectual property.
Prioritize originality, insight, and human voice over scale alone.

The transformation window is open now. But it will not stay open forever. The choice is stark: lead the market by building intelligent, human-centered AI systems that multiply your newsroom’s impact, or watch from the sidelines as competitors redefine the media business without you.

Audiences | Perspectives | Supporter Spotlight

2025: The year to reclaim audiences and build community

February 25, 2025 Dorinne Hoss, Head of Marketing – Arc XP

Understanding the difference between having an audience and building a community isn’t just semantics—it’s a strategic necessity. With social referral traffic declining, third-party cookies being (semi) deprecated, and generative AI reshaping search, media organizations must reclaim their communities from third-party platforms. By fostering deeper engagement and stronger loyalty, they can create sustainable revenue streams and drive long-term growth.

Arc XP recently hosted a webinar featuring Mark Zohar, President and CEO of Viafoura, to explore how publishers can cultivate thriving communities. Below, we break down the key insights, strategies, and real-world examples that highlight why community-building is essential for long-term success.

Why community matters more than ever

Traditional approaches to audience acquisition, like relying on social media platforms for referral traffic, are no longer reliable. Social networks like Facebook and X are sending less traffic to publishers, and the rise of alternative content platforms like Substack and podcasts has further fragmented media consumption. Meanwhile, changes in Google’s search algorithms, which prioritizes user-generated content and community engagement, are shifting how audiences discover information.

Anthony DeRosa, former Head of Content and Product at ON_Discourse, expresses the urgency of this shift when he said, “Media companies should own their audiences. They’ve allowed tech companies to steal their content and monetize it by providing a platform for readers to discuss it. How absurd is that?”

The solution? Own your audience. Create spaces where audiences don’t just consume content—they engage with it, discuss it, and contribute to the discourse. As Mark Zohar put it, “An audience listens, while a community interacts, shares, and grows together.”

The benefits of community-building

An effective community strategy provides tangible benefits, including:

Higher Engagement & Retention – Community members spend 5.3x more time on-site and visit more frequently than anonymous users.
Increased Conversions – A strong community drives higher registration and subscription rates, with members being 31% more likely to pay for a subscription.
Reduced Churn – Engaged community members are 2.5x less likely to unsubscribe compared to passive readers.
Better First-Party Data – Communities provide valuable user insights, helping media organizations develop targeted advertising and personalized campaigns.
Stronger SEO – Google now prioritizes user-generated content, meaning active community engagement can significantly boost search rankings.

The Financial Times’ Next Gen News: Understanding the audiences of 2030 study found that younger, digitally native audiences are particularly drawn to participatory experiences. Many skip over full articles and head straight to the comments section to gauge the conversation. For them, community interaction isn’t just a feature, it’s the primary draw.

Building a community: the TRIBE framework

To successfully transition from an audience to a community, Zohar introduced the TRIBE framework, originally developed by Greg Isenberg, CEO of LateCheckout and former TikTok and Reddit Advisor. This framework serves as a guide for media organizations to evaluate how they are fostering community within their brand. TRIBE stands for:

Togetherness – Are we creating spaces where users can engage directly with our content and each other?
Rituals – What habits or recurring experiences keep our users coming back, such as weekly Q&As or interactive polls?
Identity – How are we fostering a sense of belonging through shared interests and values?
Belonging – Are we giving users a reason to feel invested in our community’s success?
Engagement – What opportunities are we providing for active participation, from commenting to user-generated content?

Leveraging the creator economy

A thriving community attracts creators, influencers, and contributors who can help expand reach and enrich discussions. To tap into this potential, media brands should actively collaborate with content creators, bringing fresh perspectives and loyal audiences into their ecosystems. This can be achieved through partnerships on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, as well as influencer collaborations within their own channels. By offering monetization opportunities and fostering engagement-driven spaces, media brands can encourage influencers to participate directly on their platforms rather than relying solely on external networks.

Examples of media brands successfully leveraging the creator economy include:

Yahoo for Creators – A platform that offers writers a community to share expertise and connect with engaged readers.
Forbes Contributor Network – A model where industry experts contribute content while benefiting from Forbes’ audience reach.

Community-building is a strategic priority

Community-building isn’t just about engagement. It is a direct driver of business growth. Organizations that invest in fostering vibrant communities see measurable benefits across key revenue and operational metrics:

Higher Revenue Per User – Community members generate 5x more revenue than general audiences.
Registration Growth – Implementing community features can double registration rates by offering a compelling value exchange.
Sustained Engagement – For some early adopters, community interactions now drive over 30% of total site registrations.

A well-designed community strategy transforms media brands from content distributors into engagement hubs, where audiences aren’t just passive consumers but active participants contributing to the brand’s success.

Foundations for a successful community strategy

For media brands looking to build a thriving community, success depends on three core pillars:

Intention – Community-building must be treated as a business strategy, not an afterthought. Define clear goals, KPIs, and secure executive buy-in to ensure long-term commitment.
Cultivation – A strong community is built on trust and inclusivity. Active moderation, clear user guidelines, and engagement incentives create a safe space where discussions flourish.
Operationalization – A community can’t sustain itself without consistent efforts. Media organizations must develop editorial playbooks, monetization models, and regular engagement cadences to ensure continued growth and participation.

The path forward: own your audience

Media companies can no longer afford to rely on third-party platforms to engage their audiences. Instead, they must take control by fostering direct relationships through community-driven experiences.

The future of media isn’t just about publishing content. It is about facilitating conversations, connections, and shared experiences. By embracing community-building as a core strategy, publishers can create deeper loyalty, drive sustainable revenue, and future-proof their businesses in an era of increasing digital fragmentation.

AI | Audiences | Innovation | Supporter Spotlight

How AI is helping media companies attract and engage audiences

November 11, 2024 Dorinne Hoss, Head of Marketing – Arc XP

In today’s rapidly evolving media landscape, publishers and broadcasters are increasingly looking to AI to reach new audiences and build loyalty. At Arc XP’s recent Connect London event, a panel of industry experts—Lisa Anzinger, Enterprise Lead at Echobox; Aliya Itzkowitz, Strategy Manager at FT Strategies; and Madeleine White, VP of Marketing at Poool—shared their insights on how AI is reshaping engagement strategies for media companies.

How AI can help reach new audiences

One of the biggest challenges for media companies is breaking through the noise to reach new audiences. AI offers a way to do this by understanding and targeting specific audience needs. As Anzinger from Echobox explained, “AI can help you counteract [algorithm changes] and actually still reach those audiences, maybe even reach them through wider channels… whether that’s social media, newsletters, or even others.” AI’s adaptability is crucial in an environment where third-party platforms frequently adjust their algorithms.

Itzkowitz from FT Strategies highlighted the importance of multi-format engagement: “One of the most exciting things for me is there’s so many new ways that we can engage with readers, especially thanks to the generative AI boom.” For example, she shared that the Financial Times (FT) has been experimenting with a feature called “definitions,” which helps younger readers understand financial terms by offering definitions that pop up on hover. This is one way AI makes news content more accessible and appealing to younger audiences, who may find certain jargon intimidating.

Personalization and community building

AI’s ability to personalize experiences was another focus of the discussion. Anzinger explained that Echobox has seen significant engagement improvements through AI-driven personalization in newsletters, saying, “We have the ability to personalize each newsletter to the individual reader… [our client] Group Sud Ouest managed to increase open rates by 53% and click rates by 42%.” This tailored approach ensures that readers receive content that matters to them at just the right time.

Beyond personalization, White from Poool highlighted the growing importance of community building, emphasizing that AI’s real value lies in connecting people. “With AI, content can be created so easily that anyone can create content… community is what’s going to set you apart.” AI can help facilitate these communities, for example, by using AI-driven chatbots to engage users in conversations and provide a space where people with shared interests can connect and interact. White mentioned that some Norwegian publishers have even used AI chatbots that act as virtual community members, creating a more dynamic and interactive environment.

Ethical considerations and transparency in AI

Implementing AI responsibly is a priority, and transparency is essential in building trust. White believes in the value of being open with audiences: “Always be transparent…if a reader believes they can trust you and they know when you are being honest about whether AI’s being used, I think that really helps.” On the other hand, Itzkowitz offered a nuanced perspective, suggesting that over time, labeling every AI-driven feature may become unnecessary as AI becomes more integral to everyday processes.

However, when AI is directly engaging with audiences, clear communication is critical. Itzkowitz shared an example from a project involving synthetic voices: “If you’re using the voice of a journalist or cloning a voice…then you need to disclaim that.” AI’s role in generating content is likely to be acceptable for readers as long as they feel informed about when it’s being used.

Legacy media vs. new brands: Who has the AI advantage?

An interesting debate arose around whether legacy media brands have an advantage in AI-driven engagement due to their extensive archives and resources. While Itzkowitz acknowledged that larger companies have more data and resources, she pointed out that smaller publishers can often innovate faster due to less bureaucratic red tape. “Smaller publishers…may just say, let’s try full automation. Let’s see how it goes,” said Anzinger, highlighting the experimental edge smaller companies can bring to the table.

For smaller teams, adopting hybrid models that combine ready-made AI solutions with limited internal development is a viable approach. As Itzkowitz noted, “AI has somewhat changed this…you no longer need huge development teams to build something.”

Overcoming fear of failure with AI

The panelists acknowledged that trying new technologies like AI can be intimidating, especially with the risk of projects not meeting expectations. However, Anzinger advised companies to take a “trial and error” approach, iterating based on results. “Just keep trying… you can’t be afraid of something going wrong, just need to keep trying,” she said.

White underscored the importance of resilience and learning from failure, recalling the New York Times’ bold decision to implement a paywall in 2011 despite criticism. “Trying and failing means you are potentially going to succeed and be ahead of anyone else,” she said, stressing that bold moves can often be the most rewarding in the long term.

What’s next for AI in audience engagement?

Looking to the future, the panelists shared their excitement about the new ways AI can enhance engagement. Anzinger is optimistic about using AI to produce dynamic content, such as automated videos from articles, which will help media companies engage younger audiences on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Meanwhile, Itzkowitz is eager to see AI-driven creativity blossom: “What’s that killer app for generative AI, or how are we really going to change the news experience so that young people and audiences in general really want to engage with news again?”

White emphasized the potential to create individualized experiences: “Instead of creating this one-size-fits-all model… [AI means] giving them a unique experience that the reader next to them isn’t going to get.” This hyper-personalized approach has the potential to make each reader feel valued and understood, a key to building loyalty.

Finally,the panelists concurred that AI is not here to replace journalists but to augment their capacity to connect with readers in increasingly meaningful ways. As AI tools evolve, media companies that embrace experimentation, prioritize transparency, and stay committed to creating genuine connections will be best positioned to thrive.

Audiences | Industry-Research | Supporter Spotlight

Survey reveals 2024 referral traffic trends for publishers

May 28, 2024 Dorinne Hoss, Head of Marketing – Arc XP

Over the past few years, publishers have seen formerly reliable sources of traffic like Google and Facebook dry up, with no new platforms on the horizon to make up for that loss. Shifts in user behavior and changes in algorithms have left publishers scrambling to respond across both search and referral channels. And with the rise of generative AI-enabled search, the ability to find new sources of referral traffic and build a loyal audience has become even more critical for publishers.

To gain a better understanding of how traffic declines are affecting them and the steps they’re taking to address challenges, Arc XP partnered with Digiday to survey 115 publishers for the report The state of publisher traffic: Framing the evolution and impact of search and referral in 2024. We asked about the referral traffic trends they’re seeing, how those trends have impacted their revenue, and the steps they’re taking to either rebuild their traffic or find other ways to reach and grow their audience.

In this article, we’ll focus specifically on what we heard from publishers about their referral traffic from social media platforms (like Facebook and TikTok), news aggregators (like Apple News), and other third-party platforms (like Reddit).

Publisher referral traffic trends in 2023

Referral traffic is an important revenue driver for publishers, with 98% of survey respondents saying that referral traffic has a moderate or very significant impact on their annual revenue. But 2023 proved to be a challenging year for publisher referral traffic, with most survey respondents saying they experienced a 1% to 20% decline.

The publishers in our survey experienced traffic declines across the major social media channels. Respondents named Facebook as a channel where they expect continued declines (82%), followed by YouTube (67%) and TikTok (57%). Given Meta’s announcement that it will de-prioritize news content on its platforms, the decline in referral traffic from Facebook is not surprising. And across all social platforms, opaque changes to algorithms have made it difficult for publisher content to stand out among the vast array of options presented to users.

According to survey respondents, the primary ways referral traffic decline impacts their revenue are decreased advertising ROI (63%) and changes in collaborations with brands, influencers, or other publications (54%). They also cited a change in competitive positioning, change in quality of audience, and a decline in social media engagement (each named by 43% of respondents).

How publishers are responding to referral declines

When asked what challenges they face around responding to the trend of declines in referral traffic, 54% of respondents named building/maintaining strong relationships with external platforms as a challenge. This was followed by adapting to social media trends (52% of respondents). Accurately pinpointing referral sources (49%) and constantly changing algorithms and updates (46%) were also top challenges.

Despite these challenges, the publishers we surveyed are forging ahead with tactics to combat referral traffic decline, including experimenting with new forms of video content and increasing their presence across social channels. 81% of respondents said they are experimenting with live streams and long-form video content, and 70% said they are focusing on short-form original vertical video for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram.

Long-form video content will ultimately offer publishers more control over monetization options than short-form videos created specifically for social channels. With long-form videos, publishers can incorporate in-depth reporting that sets them apart from other content sources and encourages deeper reader engagement and return visits.

The “pivot to video” isn’t new for publishers. Unfortunately, they’ve been burned before by making big bets on video content that didn’t pan out. This time around, publishers need to think carefully about what they want to accomplish with their video strategy: is it about getting advertising revenue from the videos? Driving readers from other channels to their website? Or creating longer-term audience relationships?

Surprisingly, only 56% of respondents said they are increasing direct-traffic efforts (newsletters, owned podcasts, etc.). Given the inherent unpredictability of social platforms, all publishers would benefit from thinking about how they can build more direct connections with their readers.

Publisher referral traffic expectations for 2024

When publishers look ahead to 2024, they are optimistic that referral traffic will rebound. Most of the publishers we surveyed expect referral traffic to increase by 1% to 20% this year, a trend that will likely driven by newsworthy events like the summer Olympics and the U.S. presidential election.

Publishers’ cautious optimism about 2024 might also reflect confidence in the tactics they’re implementing to combat referral traffic declines. But with platform changes and user behavior shifts it’s likely that referral traffic will never fully rebound to previous levels. Publishers will need to continue exploring ways to boost traffic across all channels, including owned channels that enable direct connections with readers.

Perspectives | Supporter Spotlight

Media execs share strategies for navigating a challenging market in 2024

December 12, 2023 Dorinne Hoss, Head of Marketing – Arc XP

The media industry continued its remarkable transformation in 2023, with shifts in audience behavior and the emergence of AI as a potential threat to newsrooms. As we head into an uncertain 2024, we spoke with four content industry leaders to understand the strategies that are helping media companies and content creators successfully navigate these challenges.

1. Focus on the lifetime value of your audience

During the COVID pandemic, media companies focused on acquiring subscribers. And then in the immediate aftermath, they focused on retaining those subscribers. Now their focus must shift to lifetime value, which doesn’t start when someone subscribes, but from the moment they arrive on your site—even if they’re not yet ready to subscribe. This means providing the right content at the right time with the right paywall, pricing and messaging.

“FT has gone through that journey of being acquisition-focused to then engagement-focused, retention focused and now lifetime-value focused,” said Daisy Donald, Principal Consultant and Head of Americas at FT Strategies. “There are interesting opportunities that FT has started experimenting with to create different levels of subscription products. What do you get as a registered user that’s free?” For example, one of these new subscription products is FT Edit, which is app-based and has a specific persona in mind of someone who has news fatigue and wants to pay a smaller amount of money to still get quality content.

2. Dive deep into audience segmentation

Maximizing lifetime value is difficult without understanding your audience at a more granular level. “It’s all about actually putting your audience first and thinking about their needs from day one. What are their interests as individuals rather than as a whole audience? And how can you really serve those needs?” said Madeleine White, Head of International at Poool and Editor-in-Chief at the Audiencers.

White recommends that audience teams invest in user needs analysis, with every piece of content that is created focused on meeting a specific user need and furthering a related revenue strategy. For example, one user need might be valuable for converting users into subscribers, while another is valuable for advertising revenue.

Adley Bowden, Head of Individual Investor & Editor-in-Chief at Morningstar Wealth concurs on the importance of understanding audience members as individuals: “Yes, there is an audience. But within it there are unique individuals. They segment in different ways and you can see which content drives engagement from these different profiles. We’ve done a lot of work to better understand these groupings within our audience and then better design content.”

3. Elevate human expertise in the age of AI

No discussion of content industry challenges in 2024 would be complete without addressing the elephant in the room: AI. Instead of fearing AI, media companies should recognize the important role that human expertise plays in making an AI-enhanced content strategy successful.

“I’ve seen a lot of publishers who are starting to use AI-personalized homepages based on what you’ve read previously,” said Poool’s White. “And every single one that is doing it has a maximum of maybe 70 percent of their homepage that’s personalized through AI. The rest is still in the control of their editorial team to really push the stories that matter because a machine can’t know what’s going on in the local community right now, what everyone’s talking about in offline conversations.”

Morningstar’s Bowden said that the company has found value in using AI for content translation, which leans into the strength of large language models. But maintaining the trust and authority of Morningstar’s content is critical, so “we can’t just do Google Translate, and off we go.” Instead, the company’s AI-assisted translation process includes humans in the process to perform some manual translation and ensure the quality of everything that’s published.

4. Remember that quality content is at the core of everything

New trends, tools and technologies shouldn’t obscure the fact that quality content that engages audiences is at the core of a successful media company. “I was speaking to a client of ours in Denmark, and one of the worries that they’ve been having is that they are overinvesting in their ability to perform well on SEO. So, they’re worried that their articles are written in a way that is not journalistically valuable,” said Birger Soiland, VP of Sales at Norkon. “When your focus is too much on serving up content on SEO, then you might fall into a trap of your content not being engaging enough.”

The definition of high-quality, engaging content will vary based on audience needs. Norkon’s Soiland has seen many of the company’s publishing clients successfully emphasize short-form content that is easily consumable, whether text, audio or video. For Morningstar, Bowden says that emphasizing data content gives its audience something more than just written or video content to come back to and re-engage with.

FT Strategies’ Donald aptly summed up media companies’ ability to navigate the challenges of 2024 and beyond by saying, “The media industry is the most resilient industry in the whole world. That’s why we love working in it… we are just so resilient. We adapt so well. I believe we will continue to adapt and survive.”