Category results for "Innovation"

About.com’s Data-driven Overhaul

September 4, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

About.com debuted a major redesign this week, which CRO Brian Colbert says was, “long overdue.” While the site holds the enviable number 15 spot on Comscore’s list of most trafficked websites, About.com had fallen behind on design, usability, social and the ability to effectively monetize its traffic. “And if you aren’t innovating,” says Colbert, “you are falling behind.”

One significant challenge in undertaking an overhaul is what has always been one of About.com’s strengths: its deep well of content. About.com boasts 3.5 million pieces of content covering about 1,000 topics. “We amassed so many assets over time and we couldn’t just flip the switch all at once, so we opted for a phased rollout.”

Starting with a redesigned homepage in July, then working through the most popular verticals, Colbert says they were able to evaluate what the users responded to and what was most effective from an advertising standpoint “We made tweaks and modifications based on our analysis as we went. So we feel pretty confident of our major release Tuesday, and we rolled out the final two channels Wednesday.”

User Experience and Relevant Content
What’s readily apparent is that the new site has a much more modern, visual sensibility. “The content was always good,” says Colbert, “but it wasn’t presented in the most elegant way. In fact, the user experience had become really dated.”

In terms of content, Colbart says About.com will continue to use “a lot of the strategy that has worked well for us in the past with our narrowly focused experts that run a wide gamut of topics.” However the new site reflects an increased emphasis on social sharing and on building topic-centric user destinations. Each vertical has its own dedicated general manager and a customized social strategy. In the near future, About.com’s GMs will be making a concerted effort to seek out “personalities in their verticals who will bring more credibility and panache.”

Though the vertical landing pages and article templates are very similar at launch, according to Colbert over time they will begin to look more distinct. “The Money section will include rate tables and stock tickers; each will feel like their endemic brethren,” he said. The objective is to become less reliant on search to drive the site’s traffic and to become a place that enthusiasts and information-seekers routinely rely on.

Data-driven Relevance
Another objective of this relaunch is increasing users’ time spent on About.com by serving its 85 million daily visitors relevant content once they’ve found their way to the site. “We are aggressively surfacing related content. Recirculation is a real focus for us.” This goal is underpinned by About.com’s increased emphasis on data analysis, which includes a three-person (and growing) data science team. Colbert says their efforts have yielded a new understanding of how users interact with About.com’s content. “We’ve developed a proprietary tool that helps us understand which articles are related to each other, even if they may not seem relevant at first.” For example, if you are “reading up on million dollar investments, you might also want to read an article on Cayman travel.”

This data focus will also help About.com better monetize its audience by offering advertisers a better context for their messages so that they can be included on areas of the site where one might not immediately think to look – essentially in-house behavioral targeting.

In addition, About.com is betting heavily on content marketing. “That term gets tossed around a lot these days, but to us it means enabling advertisers to surround their content with ours in a way that makes it all relevant. We are very well positioned to take advantage of native and do it right because the nature of our content lends itself to native.” Colbert cites a current native campaign on How to Train for a Long Hike by the Merrell shoe company that is running in the Hiking section. “They already have authenticity in the space so users feel the advertiser plays a positive role through content. Done right, native should feel additive to the user experience.”

And in 2015, look for a major video push from About.com. Colbert says they have a new studio and are actively producing a significant volume of “video that will enhance the user experience.” With the relaunch and future plans, Colbert says that user experience will not be measured by clicks alone. “We are judging the effectiveness and success of the redesign through engagement. We want people to visit more often, stick around longer and do more on the site.”

Innovation | Perspectives

Time is Money: Right-Sizing Content Strategy

August 21, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is the continual evolution and innovation that happens in the digital content business. An area of particular interest is engagement and how we must continuously adapt to how consumers use their precious time to interact with our content.

Given that time spent is one of the best engagement metrics, I have found it of particular interest that media companies are starting to annotate approximations of how many minutes a story will take to read, notably on Slate and Medium. This service allows me to quickly skim a headline and decide whether or not I have 4 minutes to devote to the recollections of those who’ve crashed in a plane, 2 minutes to assess the demands of Ferguson protesters, or if I want to dedicate a full 12 minutes to review a gentleman’s guide to rape culture.

This emerging trend suggests an understanding that time is a coveted metric that we should all be focused on. While it might be difficult to put a price tag on time spent consuming media as it relates to one’s overall self- or net-worth, the reality is that there are ever more demands on our attention. Because of this fact, content creators need to ensure that they are providing value to their audiences or risk being perceived a waste of time.

Some sites “optimize for mobile” by shortening headlines and even body copy. I understand the inclination, but have always wondered about the extra work on the content creation end as well as the myriad assumptions about consumer behavior required to implement this approach. Today’s consumer has the opportunity to consume a single piece of content across multiple devices or to consume multiple pieces of content simultaneously on more than one device. This makes optimizing for device, in itself, a nearly mind-boggling conundrum.

On the other hand, the time-transparency tactic, which estimates the proposed attention investment, has a wonderful side effect of indicating that the content provider understands that my time is valuable. I am not suggesting one is better than the other in terms of mobile content consumption (that would be a gross oversimplification). I am simply admiring the amount of effort and innovation that goes into digital content delivery.

Value is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Nor is an attention equation one easily formulated. Without a doubt, understanding your audience is the place to start. And certainly an investment in creating quality content that entertains, informs or provokes discussion is an essential piece of the puzzle. Other factors include optimal delivery medium, context and time; appropriate interactive and rich media enhancements; and social sharing and commenting features.

The constant evolution of media, marketing and technology is what makes it exciting to those of us in the trenches doing the work. Here at the OPA, we work with 60 of the most successful digital content companies in the world and I am lucky enough to have conversations with some of them a few times a week. Our members are at the forefront of digital content’s evolution, which is full of both uncertainty and excitement, And, with efforts like this blog—OPA InContext—and our new Content All Stars event (September 18^th in New York City), we have opportunities to share their experiences with all those in the business of content – media companies and those in the advertising, marketing and agency communities who are a vital part of the content ecosystem.

Here’s what I know for sure: The digital landscape continuously reshapes itself under our feet as we chart our path forward. Perhaps that’s why the time-to-read idea is so appealing to me. It puts the content consumer in the driver’s seat so that they can make informed decisions about what they want to spend their time on (and where). I look forward to exploring where we go next.

Want to participate in OPA InContext? Email Michelle.

Interested in attending Content All Stars to engage in a high level discussion with the leaders of the digital media and marketing ecosystem? Request an invitation.

Innovation | Revenue

Q&A: Samantha Minish, Director of Mobile Video Gannett Co., on Video Ad Innovation

August 14, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

Q: To drive success in video advertising, what is the most important thing to consider:

A: Put the users first. If you build a product – and an ad experience – that puts the needs and habits of consumers first, then you will be able to maximize the overall impact. A majority of app consumption happens at home, often while also watching TV. Users are coming to our apps to escape the same old TV commercials, so we need to provide them an innovative ad experience that compliments the mobile mindset. Before you run an ad, the first question you should ask yourself is, “would I sit through this ad?”

Q: Describe one of your video advertising campaigns that you think is particularly innovative:

A: USAToday partnered with Dodge on a unique campaign that paired-up with movie trailers. We presented an interactive pre-roll that featured stars from upcoming movies, which allowed users to answer trivia questions about the Dodge Durango. Often publishers will talk of gamification of content to drive engagement. We have taken that concept, combined it with the idea of native advertising and created an experience that will encourage interaction with both the content and the advertisement in a seamless and social manner.

Q: What is working in video advertising and what do we need more of in order to drive success in this area?

A: I think the biggest step forward in video advertising, particularly in the mobile space, has been the adoption of Vine and Instagram by brands. Finally we’re starting to think outside of the traditional 30-second pre-roll box, and focusing on the wide array of platforms users now consume media through. An overwhelming majority of people use their tablets and phones while watching TV, and most are doing so during commercials. We cannot expect them to engage in our video content if they are forced to sit through the exact same ad that they are trying to escape.

Samantha is currently the director of mobile video for Gannett and its properties, including USAToday and over 100 local broadcast stations and local newspapers. She oversees both product and content strategy for the company’s mobile apps and mobile website. Samantha has worked on both the editorial and product side of the video and content business, with time at both AOL and The Weather Channel.

Also in this series:

Q&A: Aaron Broder, CEO & Co-Founder Evolve Media, on Video Ad Innovation

Q&A: Beth Lawrence, EVP Digital Sales, Scripps Networks Interactive, on Video Ad Innovation

Innovation

AOL and Girls Who Code Partner to Make Cambio #BuiltByGirls

August 13, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code has made inspiration her day job at the nonprofit organization she founded to inspire, educate and equip girls with the computing skills to pursue 21^st century opportunities. And her work, and mission, is getting some “traditional” brands to take notice.

When Mattel wanted to create an entrepreneur Barbie with street cred, one of the women they turned to was Saujani. Susan Lyne, CEO of AOL’s Brand Group and Girls Who Code advisor also turned to Saujani when she wanted to create a site built by girls for girls.

The inspired connection between Lyne and Saujani led to AOL offering summer internships to five Girls Who Code alumnae. These young women are playing a fundamental role in the re-launch of AOL’s millennial-focused pop-culture site, Cambio (coming this Fall).

“Part of Reshma’s program is to build something you care about and present it. She focuses on what you can build if you learn to code, which is exactly the right focus.” During their internship, the girls will certainly do a lot of coding, but they are also helping to shape the Cambio brand’s editorial direction and building new mobile-first products.

Lyne been impressed with the impact the interns are making—including making the content “multifaceted like they are,” which includes an affinity for celebrity news (the current focus of Cambio’s content), but also “about issues that are really important them whether it’s a crush, weight, family relationships or world peace.”

The interns have also developed an inspirational meme generator and a contributor platform so that they—and many more girls like them—can participate in the site. “I love the idea of building because it can mean many different things,” says Lyne. “Just the idea of creating, not just serving or enabling. Doing the creating themselves is incredibly empowering.”Lyne was also pleased to see how the larger AOL team welcomed the Girls Who Code interns, “the minute we announced the program, I can’t tell you how many engineers raised their hands, but also people in sales, designers, editors…everyone wanted to find a way to help these girls have a fantastic summer.” They’ve been privy to sessions on advertising, analytics, privacy, computer security and more.

Given the fact that three of the five top positions at AOL are held by women, it isn’t surprising that this is an organization supportive of young women’s professional development. “I think it all starts with Tim,” says Lyne of the company’s CEO and Chairman. “He made it a goal to have three women on the board because there’s research that demonstrates that companies with three or more women on the board perform better. He was looking for whatever will give us an edge and having strong women is part of that.”

Building a structure that supports women internally is important. But perhaps even more so is spreading the #BuiltByGirls message through initiatives like these, where young women see that the products they use every day are actually built by girls, in the hope that it changes their perception of computer science.

And, as Lyne points out, “Media companies like ours reach many millions of people and we impact all kids of attitudes. It is important that we positively impact the way young women think about their possibilities going forward, and even impact the way technology and an industry evolves. This is an opportunity…and a responsibility.”

Innovation

History Looks Forward to Attracting Younger Audiences with Two New Apps

August 11, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

History may just be the most popular subject for 7-11 year olds this fall. A+E’s History brand– which works hard to infuse the subject with entertainment value to go along with informational substance —has just introduced two new apps targeted at kids: Empire Run and Frontier Heroes.

While there are many apps on the market that fall into the historical genre, Evan Silverman, SVP of Digital at A+E Networks said that the company “felt that there was an opportunity in the marketplace for historically-inspired apps that are fun for kids.” In analyzing the segment, Silverman says they found many of the apps lacked production value and “skewed to dry.” And History, which produces such popular programs as Vikings, Pawn Stars, and Ice Road Truckers, does not do dry.

In addition to seeing a market opportunity for fun historical apps, the cable network is “always looking for new ways to explore audiences and develop new brands within the larger History umbrella,” says Silverman. While the 7-11 year old set may not be its prime expansion demographic, the move will reinforce the brand among parents of young children who are likely to be happier approving the $2.99 app price tag given the reputation of the History brand. This certainly represents a growth opportunity, given that the network’s viewer profile is dominated by 55+ (42%) followed by the 25-54 age bracket (36%).

“We really focused on creating apps that parents would trust,” says Silverman.” The apps are part of a new “Planet H” brand, which will join H2 under the History umbrella. “We made a very conscious decision to charge up front and not include ads or in-app purchases. We also worked hard to create apps that parents would consider high quality and premium, and maybe even enjoy playing themselves.”

History developed its new Empire Run and Frontier Heroes apps in partnership with RED Games, a division of RED Interactive Agency. A&E Networks and RED Games teamed up previously to produce the popular Battle of the Beards game for A+E’s Duck Dynasty.

The choice to approach this audience through games also made sense given the low-cost to test the market (relative to developing a pilot or digital series). Silverman also points out that “with apps, you get a very fast read on whether something resonates with an audience: Do they like these characters, enjoy these particular historical eras?” This year, History plans to introduce one more game under the Planet H brand which Silverman will only say is an “exploration game.” However, if the games gain traction, we can expect much more.

“We don’t want this to be a one or two-off. We are making a commitment to launching a series of apps.” Silverman says that his team looked closely at the Toca Boca studio when formulating their plan for approaching this new audience mobile-first. Like Toca Boca, if they find an audience that embraces the fun in History, the Planet H brand will expand into other channels and content types including the possibility of merchandise sales and original digital programming.

“The History brand has really broadened over the years and now we speak to so many different audiences.” Silverman credits now-A+E CEO Nancy Dubuc with “genius, when she was running History, at viewing history through a contemporary lens instead of always looking backwards.” Planet H, he says, is just another step in that evolution.

Innovation | Revenue

Q&A: Aaron Broder, CEO & Co-Founder Evolve Media, on Video Ad Innovation

August 7, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

Q: To drive success in video advertising, what is the most important thing to consider?

A: Distribution. Content will always remain king, but without a clear distribution strategy, you can spend weeks producing the perfect piece of video content that no one can find. You have to take the video straight to the most relevant audience by syndicating the content through editorials anchored on premium sites, written by key influencers and social platforms, and supported by custom in-banner executions. By taking this approach, your soon-to-be award-winning video will now stand a chance to reach viral success.

It is also essential to deliver the right ad in the right context. It is all about respecting the audience that is watching the video ad. By taking the video ad straight to the most relevant audience, the client will see a much higher general brand lift vs. a shotgun approach across thousands of random sites.

Q: Describe one of your recent video advertising campaigns that you think is particularly innovative:

A: Momtastic.com, a TotallyHer Media property, partnered with major automotive brand to launch ‘Talk Tech’. The custom section, promoting the brands new tech in-vehicle system, centered around a branded video series shot and produced by TotallyHer Media. The series featured a former TV Producer and Momtastic’s “tech mom,” Rita Mauceri, as she offered quick tips on how to improve daily routines by using the cars product. In addition to the custom section housing this content, these videos were distributed across the Momtastic network targeting mom blogs and content sites.

While most advertisers try to evoke an emotional response to drive virality, the TotallyHer Media team took a different approach with the auto brand. They produced content that is relevant, practical and informative, successfully positioning the brand in commonplace situations that moms face. In addition, the team focused on distribution, syndicating the content not only on Momtastic.com but also across relevant mom blogs. The result? Our audience was eager to not only watch the content, but to also share it within their social circles. That is ultimately the goal of every successful campaign.

Q: What do you think is working well in video advertising?

A: One of the most fascinating trends over the past year is the rise of online video. Agencies are starting to focus on developing video strategies, separate from their offline TV Spots, allowing brands to connect with a wider audience online. From Dove Real Beauty Sketches to Volvo Trucks “Live Test”, clients and agencies alike have really embraced this creative process resulting in advertising being organically consumed as content.

As a result of this shift, publishers play a larger role in producing the content for agencies/clients and launching social seeding. The key with any campaign is connecting with the right audience and this is what publishers bring to the table. While the web is moving towards an impersonal programmatic buying model, video-based advertising, especially long-form digital video, requires partnerships with publishers to ignite the conversation by placing the right content in front of their users, something no automated system can ever reproduce.

Aaron Broder is currently CEO of Evolve Media, LLC., which he co-founded with Brian Fitzgerald (originally as Gorilla Nation Media, LLC) in 2000. In 2004, Aaron and Brian developed a Web publishing business that specializes in vertical publishing for men and women with its two flagship publishers, CraveOnline Media and TotallyHer Media.

Note: This interview is part of our “Three on Three” series in which we ask three executives the same three questions to uncover actionable insights.

Also in this series:

Q&A: Beth Lawrence, EVP Digital Sales, Scripps Networks Interactive, on Video Ad Innovation

Innovation

Embedding Technology in All Aspects of Your Content Strategy

August 4, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

It could be my bias, but I’m hard pressed to picture a content strategy that isn’t a digital content strategy. Even organizations that deliver via multiple channels (yes, even print-centric ones) must weave tech into their business plans and way of working. Yet there are still far too many organizations limping along on cumbersome content management systems or kluging together a patchwork of fixes to address emerging distribution channels and evolving marketer expectations.

As a long-time tech journalist, I admit that I look with envy at some of the pure-play digital media companies and their emphasis on smartly integrating technology across all aspects of their business. Consider Vox Media, which takes an approach to technology that is journalism-centric. Wait, no, digital journalism-centric. As Ezra Klein said when leaving the venerable Washington Post to join Vox, today’s journalists are “held back” by systems created to deliver print products. And I’m sure there are many who would echo the sentiment with regards to other systems designed for analog channels that have been adapted to accommodate digital.

Given that many organizations are still reliant on the bulk of their revenue coming from non-digital content, it isn’t surprising that their tech strategy follows suit. Yet the increasing emphasis on digital-first-strategy isn’t limited to journalists longing for tools that will allow them to quickly deliver data-driven stories optimized across multiple channels. Marketers are seeking data-driven solutions optimized across multiple channels as well. Clearly, developing tech strategies that align with these expectations is a must-have. Easier said than done.

But there are those who see technological disruption as an opportunity for innovation. At our new Content All Stars event, Jason Silva–who may be best known as host of National Geographic’s Brain Games (though he is gaining international notoriety as a futurist and digital philosopher)–is looking forward to exploring the technological forces that have blown up the media and marketing landscape and created an infinite opportunity for new ideas to be built up from the rubble.

The Weather Company is certainly no stranger to new ideas either. The company leverages data to drive content and marketing experiences in ways few others have yet envisioned, much less delivered. At Content All Stars, Vikram Somaya, GM of WeatherFX, will take the stage with Bob Ivins of Mindshare, who has the distinction of being the first-ever Chief Data Officer at a media agency. These two will discuss their partnership in exploring the frontier of how data can deliver real-time insights that create bottom-line value.

We’ll also hear from three of the disruptive thinkers on the Vox Media team–co-founder Melissa Bell, Chairman and CEO Jim Bankoff, and VP of Editorial Lockhart Steel (who joined the company after Vox Media acquired his Curbed LLC). They will discuss the company’s distinct approach to integrating technology into every aspect of its business, starting at the core with the creation of content through content management, delivery and monetization.

Join us at Content All Stars to gain insight into how technology can transform your media and marketing efforts and how you can transform the way you think about, develop and implement technology to power-up your content strategy.

Innovation | Perspectives

Content All Stars: Making the Most of the Media/Marketer Partnership

July 17, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

The most successful brands and media companies have one big thing in common: They know their customers and treasure the on-going relationship they have with them. They also both understand the power of content to connect with customers and offer them genuine value by engaging their passions, interests and concerns. Without doubt, the best content experiences arise when media and marketing teams work together to share knowledge about their audiences, insights about what’s worked and what hasn’t and are clear about goals and what’s achievable.

Recognizing the power of media and marketing teams is what we’re doing at our first ever Content All Stars event, which will be held in NYC’s Conrad Hotel September 18th. We are bringing together the best and the brightest from brands such as Red Bull, IBM and Goldman Sachs who will join media brands that include ESPN, Comedy Central, Vox Meda and The New York Times to explore this dynamic relationship by highlighting campaigns and partnerships that have pushed creativity and technologies, showcase novel perspectives from people outside our industry and tackle some current issues around trust and transparency that our industry is grappling with. Some of what we’ll cover:

Content and Customer Conversations

One-way messaging is so last-century. Today, content is a conversation with consumers and has the power to create meaningful and lasting connections. At Content All Stars, you’ll hear from Ann Rubin, VP of Branded Content and Global Creative, about how IBM transformed its ad campaigns into a collaboration with customers and truly transformed its marketing.

Data Drives Insights and Action

Data: Everybody’s doing it. But there are few who can elegantly illustrate how first-party data can actually move product off the shelves. Content All Stars features two of the smartest people in data—Vikram Somaya, GM of Weather FX and Bib Ivins, Chief Data officer of Mindshare—who will discuss their collaboration on turning customer insights into tangible marketing success.

Engaging Audiences: Essential, but not Easy

Attracting audiences is a challenge that media companies have faced since the Gutenberg press. Now that the digital media world is moving past a pure numbers game and wants not only audiences at scale, but truly-engaged audiences, it has never been more important. At Content All Stars, Bloomberg, ESPN and Refinery29 will reveal how they are not only attracting audiences, but interacting with them to create valuable audience-engagement.

Social Strategies that Deliver

Social Media has just got to be more than a mad scramble for friends and followers. At Content All Stars we’ll hear from Allison Kingsley, the VP of Digital Development at Comedy Central about how she takes a strategically social approach. And Channel Flip Media’s Managing Director Clare Tavernier will discuss how she factors social into her engagement strategy to drive quantifiable results.

… And we aren’t done lining up speakers yet. If you have a suggestion, email Michelle Manafy. Learn more about our keynotes or request an invitation. Check back for program updates.

We look forward to seeing you at Content All Stars!

Innovation | Perspectives

Meet the OPA Content All Stars Keynotes: Soledad O’Brien, Jason Silva & Sarah Lewis

July 10, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

It is an exciting time here at the Online Publishers Association. Under the leadership of our new CEO, Jason Kint, we’re feeling renewed energy and enthusiasm for the digital media industry and the power of compelling content experiences. We are so happy to have an opportunity to celebrate the powerful collaboration between savvy marketers and trusted media brands at our new Content All Stars event September 18th at the Conrad Hotel in NYC.

We’ll deliver an all-star lineup of speakers to energize and engage attendees with their stories about the power of content to create trusted relationships with audiences, drive consumers to action and communicate what’s personal about brands. Read on to hear about three keynote speakers who are guaranteed to deliver insight and inspiration:

Soledad O’Brien was recently described as “a one-woman media storm,” O’Brien is an award-winning journalist, documentarian, news anchor, and producer. In June 2013 she launched Starfish Media Group, a multiplatform media production and distribution company dedicated to uncovering and producing empowering stories that take a challenging look at the often divisive issues of race, class, wealth, poverty and opportunity, through personal stories. O’Brien’s critically-acclaimed documentary series, Black in America and its follow-up, Latino in America, are among CNN’s most successful domestic and international franchises and she continues to produce Black in America for CNN. In addition, O’Brien is a correspondent for HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, and a Special Correspondent for Al Jazeera America Tonight. She is co-founder of the O’Brien Raymond Starfish Foundation, which focuses on providing disadvantaged women with a higher education.

Watch Soledad O’Brien on the Daily Show with John Stewart

Jason Silva has been called an “Idea DJ” and a poet—“a revitalizer and remixer of optimism, and above all, a curator: of ideas, of inspiration, and of awe.” His non-commercial series of short videos, aptly named ‘shots of philosophical espresso,’ explore the co-evolution of humans and technology and have gone viral with more than nine million views and “play like movie trailers for ideas,” according to The Atlantic. Silva is the Emmy-nominated host of National Geographic Channel’s #1 rated series, Brain Games and the creator of the web series “Shots of Awe,” micro-documentaries exploring creativity, innovation, technology, futurism, metaphysics, existentialism and the human condition.

Watch Jason Silva’s TEDGlobal talk on Radical Openness

Sarah Lewis is being hailed as a rising intellectual star and her book, The Rise: Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery, has been widely praised by a who’s who of creative thinkers. Lewis appeared on Oprah’s “Power List,” served on President Obama’s Arts Policy Committee, was profiled as a “Brainiac Rising” in Vogue, was recently featured in Elle on “How to Fail Artfully” and is a faculty member at Yale’s School of Art. She has held positions at the Tate Modern and the Museum of Modern Art, in New York, and her essays have been published in Artforum and The Smithsonian. According to Lewis: “The creative process is actually how we fashion our lives and follow other pursuits. Failure is not something that might be helpful; it actually is the process.”

Watch Sarah Lewis’ TED talk on Embracing the Near Win

If you’ve participated in an OPA event before, you know what to expect: A room filled with the brightest and most creative minds in digital media and marketing enjoying a day filled with conversations, presentations and debate about the tools and tactics that will drive the continued growth and success of the digital content industry. If this is your first opportunity to join an OPA event, request an invite now. Space is limited.

Innovation

Collab/Space New York Tackles Real World Challenges to Foster Industry-wide Collaboration

July 10, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

Collaboration is the key to the future of digital media and it is essential for survival, according to Mark Glaser, Executive Editor of PBS MediaShift and host of the brand’s new series of Collab/Space events. This week, PBS and the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute held Collab/Space New York at the Ford Foundation. While the day featured a few traditional presentations, the majority of the format took an innovative problem-solving approach that focused on building actual collaboration within the media industry rather than simply highlighting examples of innovation.

Collab/Space New York kicked off with some ice breaking exercises to set an off-beat and interactive tone for the day, followed by a talk by Atlantic Media VP and GM Kimberly Lau who offered candid insights into how she is trying to increase the pace innovation. While she pointed to Quartz as “a great example of building something from scratch and giving the team the resources they need…without a legacy business to reinvent,” her focus has been on increasing innovation from within that “legacy business.” Though she said that priorities come from the top, Lau emphasized the effectiveness of fostering greater collaboration between editorial and development sides of the business.

This set the tone nicely for a series of five minute presentations from a range of organizations who had an innovative product, development or initiative underway that they wanted to take to the next level. Among the many mini-presentations:

NPR Producer, blogs and social media, Wright Bryan discussed the challenges expanding the functionality and adoption of its analytics dashboard.
New York Times Data Scientist Mike Dewar showcased the work it the R&D Labs team is doing with its Streamtools toolkit for dealing with live streaming data that isn’t yet capturing the imagination of a wide range of staff so that it can be fully leveraged..
Quartz reporter David Yanofsky showed off his Open Source Chartbuilder tool, which he would like to see broader market adoption and mobile-centric development. .
Newsroom Development Editor David Biderman from The Wall Street Journal (which was celebrating its 125th anniversary) discussed its progress in creating a fast and easy-to-use Web CMS interface that it hopes will find adoption among the multitude of parent News Corp.’s sites..
Daily News’ Managing Director Cyna Alderman looked at the challenges faced as her organization launches an ambitious project to support media startups—not just financially, but by bringing them into the newsroom to closely collaborate on innovation. .
Vox Media Designer Scott Kellum looked at the company’s Cardstacks, which underpin its explanatory journalism efforts and expressed the need to improve their discoverability, shareability and scope.

While it included an excellent presentation from News Corp.’s VP of Product Kareem Amin on how he “questioned everything” (and circumvented a fair amount as well) to kick start innovation, the afternoon was primarily devoted to breakout groups that worked on honing their collaboration skills before setting to work tackling the challenges and objectives of the morning’s presenters. As Daily News’ Alderman tweeted, the biggest takeaway was “strengthen your projects through collaboration.” That theme was not only apparent in the enthusiasm the breakout groups exhibited in helping solve the presented problems, but also in the over-arching goal of the day: to strengthen the digital media industry through collaboration among organizations and the passionate people working in them.

Photo credit: Anika Anand

Innovation

Healthy Insights: WebMD Healthy Target App Combines Content and Data for Popular Fitness Wearables

June 23, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

WebMD is bringing insights to wearables with the launch of WebMD Healthy Target. Available within WebMD’s flagship mobile app for iPhone, Healthy Target is designed translate step, sleep, weight and blood glucose data from multiple well-known device manufacturers—including Entra, Fitbit, UP by Jawbone and Withings—into actionable insights.

WebMD director of mobile product development David Ziegler cites the increasing popularity of wearables as one factor in the decision to target this market. However he emphasizes that the move originated from a desire to better serve WebMD’s core audience “with a health improvement and behavior-change program.” While wearables are adept at tracking a range of user activities and behaviors, interpreting the data had been left to the users. With Healthy Target, WebMD helps users set achievable goals and pairs them with content-based insights the help them achieve those goals.

“We went into this knowing that a lot of activity trackers end up in users’ sock drawers. To date the devices only deliver the numbers; we believe that by providing contextual WebMD information and insights we can help users understand the data and learn new habits that will improve their health” says Ziegler. “And we are finding that device makers are also excited about this tool because it will keep people using their devices longer.”

The app starts off by letting users set one of six goals: 1) lose weight 2) eat healthier 3) be more active 4) control blood sugar 5) sleep better 6) feel better. Once goals are selected, Healthy Target recommends three habits that can help users reach them.

It then supports the formation of these new health habits not only by tracking and reporting on users’ progress, but also by suggesting content that helps them succeed. For example, if your goal is to sleep better, but your tracker finds you didn’t sleep well last night, the system will offer physician-reviewed suggestions to help and motivate you, or an article on what causes fatigue or a list of the effects of poor sleep.

One of Ziegler’s favorite features of WebMD Healthy Target is the way in which it provides weekly reviews that not only provide insights into users’ progress, but provides encouraging insights to help them improve and stay motivated. “For example, if you didn’t do your habit, we ask why: Were you stressed? Did you forget? Then Healthy Target generates a reading list to help you overcome those obstacles.”

For medical concerns such as diabetes, the tracker not only provides ongoing informational support, but calls-to-action if necessary. “Everything we do is physician- reviewed and for Healthy Target, we worked closely with doctors who are experts in diabetes to develop intelligence on the back end. If your levels are high or low, the tracker interrupts with a big alert on things you should do immediately.”

While the first wave of biometrics stores data in silos, WebMD wants to unify that information in one place so that users can easily gain usable insights from the behaviors they may be tracking on various devices including fitness trackers, wireless glucometers and scales. Now that the devices are beginning to mature and the data automatically updates, Ziegler believes that the time is right to combine personal, tracked data with trusted health content to help users live a healthier life.

“We want to be the central location for your personal data. People will have multiple biometric data points, but they trust WebMD to bring it to one central location.” This data, combined with physician-reviewed, contextually-relevant content and motivational tips, will support WebMD’s goal of supporting users’ in developing healthy habits that last.

Innovation

For World Cup 2014, ESPN’s Goal is to Give Fans a Winning Multiplatform Experience

June 13, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

The buzz around the 2014 World Cup is palpable. And this year, more people can watch it more places than ever before thanks, at least in part, to ESPN’s massive multiplatform push. According to Patrick Stiegman, VP and Editorial Director of ESPN Digital and Print Media, “Strategically, we don’t separate digital from print and broadcast. All parts must be moving together nicely as we produce this incredible event.”

ESPN has a team of 15 people on the ground in Brazil providing coverage that is being leveraged across all of its platforms. The work they do will be used for breaking news, analysis, digital features and shorts, and stories for broadcast and print. “All of our reporters are thinking multiplatform at all times,” says Stiegman. “At the World Cup, they are ESPN reporters, not specific to a delivery platform.” For example, Michael Davies and Roger Bennett, who are well known for their popular Men in Blazers podcasts on Grantland, are contributing daily blog posts to ESPN FC. In turn, segments of broadcast video commentary are available on the website and in ESPN’s apps.

To flesh out this multiplatform approach, ESPN has made significant investments in its digital delivery that will enable viewers to watch all 64 matches live online via an embedded WatchESPN video player on its responsive ESPN FC website, which it relaunched along with the ESPN FC app, earlier this month. Stiegman says that the updated ESPN FC app will be a “game changing service for fans. It will be a mobile home for anyone who wants to follow the ins and outs of the World Cup.”

A “huge step in ESPN’s digital strategy is personalization,” according to Stiegman. “Increasingly, we see the drive toward personalization. In more than a third of our visits, fans spend time in clubhouses and take a team-specific approach. They want the higher level stuff, but also want to follow their teams in depth.” To that end, the ESPN FC app starts with IP-based geolocation, and then prompts users to set which edition they want. Options include regional or specific team-centric coverage as well as language options that include Spanish and Portuguese. All matches will be available online in Portuguese via ESPN Deportes as well.

Another significant piece of the company’s strategy that has allowed ESPN to provide such extensive digital availability of this year’s World Cup is the company’s work over the past several years to improve authentication, particularly ease of use. “With WatchESPN, we’ve been working hard for some time to make it as easy as possible for fans to authenticate as cable subscribers.” ESPN currently has digital authentication deals with Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Dish.

“We really are focused on allowing viewers to access ESPN on the best screen available at any given moment. Maybe that’s mobile on a plane. Or maybe, like it is at my house, you’ll be watching on a tablet while your daughter watches Disney on your 60-inch TV.” While the goal with authentication has been to make signing in as easy as possible, increasing the breadth and depth of offerings via as wide a range of platforms as possible “is all about giving viewers a clear return on investment for taking the time to do so.”