{"id":4955,"date":"2021-12-06T17:59:55","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T17:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.britopian.com\/?p=4955"},"modified":"2023-11-02T23:09:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T23:09:00","slug":"what-is-a-media-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.britopian.com\/content\/what-is-a-media-company\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Media Company & Why Your Brand Should Be One"},"content":{"rendered":"
Content is the lifeline in today\u2019s social ecosystem, so it makes sense. But content is much more than being creative or launching a marketing campaign. It\u2019s more than what you write on a blog, tweet, update on Facebook, or record on a video. A fundamental challenge for brands today is to create good content and strategically feed the content engine<\/a> daily. And sadly, there aren\u2019t enough resources within most marketing teams to do this well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brand as a media company has been discussed among the marketing community for years. I even wrote a book about it in 2013 called Your Brand: The Next Media Company<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A media company is a multifaceted entity that specializes in the ideation, creation, packaging, and distribution of content across a diverse range of platforms, encompassing social media, video, web, long-form, and short-form content, as well as audio. These companies are not merely content creators; they are storytellers, designers, copywriters, and analysts, possessing a profound understanding of the intricacies involved in ensuring content not only travels but also resonates with the audience on the vast expanse of the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Much like a traditional newsroom, a media company operates urgently and precisely, producing relevant content that aligns with the audience’s interests. Their teams are agile, mirroring the fast-paced nature of the digital world, ensuring that content is not just timely but also of the highest quality. This agility is not just limited to the speed of content production; it also extends to the adaptability of content across various platforms, ensuring a seamless transition from one medium to another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In essence, a media company is a modern-day newsroom equipped with the tools and expertise necessary to navigate the digital landscape. Their role is not just to inform or entertain but to engage the audience in a conversation, fostering a sense of community<\/a> and connection. Through their content, they not only reflect the zeitgeist of the times but also shape it, playing a pivotal role in the way information is consumed and shared in today’s interconnected world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below is a model showing the internal and external initiatives needed to transform into a media company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legacy media companies face immense pressure to adapt their organizational structures and team workflows to succeed in the fast-moving digital landscape. Rather than siloed departments divided by function, modern media firms must embrace agile, cross-functional teams that can ideate, produce, and distribute content seamlessly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legacy media companies face immense pressure to adapt their organizational structures and team workflows to succeed in the fast-moving digital landscape. Rather than siloed departments divided by function, modern media firms must embrace agile, cross-functional teams that can ideate, produce, and distribute content seamlessly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An agile, cross-disciplinary team is at the core of any successful modern media company. Leadership must clearly define roles across content, product, technology, data, and design. Collaboration is key\u2014team members should have the autonomy and tools to work fluidly across specialties. Fostering a DevOps culture allows ideas to progress rapidly from conception to execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Media firms are also integrating external agency talent and leveraging content creation<\/a> platforms to augment in-house skills. Partners like Contently provide on-demand access to writers, optimization experts, and data analysts. Building these blended teams is crucial for matching talent to dynamic needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Transitioning from rigid publishing cycles to real-time operations requires overhauling internal workflows. Modern teams must respond nimbly to audience data<\/a>, test new formats frequently, and collaborate across specialties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Workstreams may be divided into four high-level buckets\u2014ideation, production, distribution, and optimization. However, the lines separating these four phases are permeable. Insights gained in distribution and optimization inform upstream ideation and production choices in real-time. Content should flow through an agile workflow optimized for speed and flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By breaking down silos and embracing agile collaboration, media companies can unlock their full potential in the digital age. The future demands integrated teams, adaptable operations, and a relentless focus on audience needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an increasingly crowded media landscape<\/a>, developing a distinctive brand narrative is essential for resonating with target audiences and driving business growth. Legacy broadcast strategies must make way for nuanced narratives that evolve with consumers across platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The foundation for an impactful brand narrative is comprehensive audience insights. Media companies should invest in primary research through surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Third-party partners can probe psychographics and behaviors. Internal discovery sessions ensure positional alignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rich insights into audience values, interests, pain points, and aspirations inform narrative development. Personas bring target segments to life and reveal content opportunities. Quantitative data provides supporting evidence. Ongoing research future-proofs the narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Media firms must analyze competitors, outlets, and active influencers alongside audience studies. Mapping brand perceptions and attributes identifies strategic white space. Where are consumers underserved? What niche is currently unfilled?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Assessing the content landscape also reveals partnerships that could extend reach. Co-creating with influencers allows brands to connect authentically with their followers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With research insights gathered, media companies can develop narratives that resonate. Narratives should have a strong point of view and clear audience-centric goals. Messaging and tone must embody brand values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet narratives cannot remain static. As campaigns unfold, performance data and audience feedback inform updates. Brands must continuously listen and evolve their narratives across paid, owned, and earned channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Distilling research into a compelling narrative framework is fundamental to media success today. By speaking uniquely to target audiences, brands build deep engagement and loyalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legacy newsrooms evolved to support scheduled print cycles and broadcast slots. Today\u2019s always-on digital landscape demands a fundamental rethinking of brand newsrooms to thrive. Media companies must pursue two parallel workstreams\u2014developing a robust content hub and optimizing operations for real-time storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the center of every modern media brand should be an owned content hub\u2014the destination to house and amplify content across formats. To bring this hub to life requires a fusion of software development and creative design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The technical build must enable seamless content uploading, structured catalogs and taxonomies, and automation for conversion and distribution. Meanwhile, creative design ensures an immersive, on-brand experience aligned with marketing objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a nimble content hub, media companies can centralize assets and amplify owned media<\/a> stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Equally important is transforming legacy newsroom workflows to support real-time, data-driven marketing<\/a>. Using the content hub as a foundation, the focus shifts to operational agility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Obsessive audience listening identifies trending topics and whitespace opportunities in real-time. Cross-functional teams swiftly ideate relevant stories and creative treatments to meet demand. With the right workflows, content can flow dynamically from insights to execution within hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Performance analytics on published stories further optimize content operations and strategies. Success begets more success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Modern media brands can break out of rigid news cycles by unifying around a centralized hub and optimizing processes. The future of storytelling must be always on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In today\u2019s splintered media landscape, brands must strategically converge paid, earned, shared, and owned (PESO) channels to maximize impact. Media companies should pursue an integrated framework that amplifies content across platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is a Media Company?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Reimagining Media Company Operations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Building Agile, Integrated Teams<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Optimizing Internal Workflows<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Crafting Unique Brand Narratives<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Conduct In-Depth Audience Research<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Analyze the Competitive Landscape<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Craft Dynamic Narratives<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Reimagining the Brand Newsroom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Build a Dynamic Content Hub<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Optimize for Always-On Publishing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Unifying Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned Media<\/h3>\n\n\n\n