Kayleigh from the Timehouse marketing team was excited to recently attend the Independent Publishers’ Guild Spring Conference and The Publishing Show 2023 in London. While it is impossible to fit everything into one blog, here are some quick takeaways from the events!
IPG Spring conference insights
The IPG publisher conference took place a stone’s throw from the British Library. A warm and welcoming event, there were a range of talks from publishers, journalists, and media and industry experts.
As the publishing industry in the UK faces some tough challenges, there is an emphasis on working smarter, not harder. This means reviewing the entire publishing pipeline from supply chain to recycling, and embracing technology where it makes sense.
On the other hand, there are lots of questions in the air surrounding things like ChatGPT. We can all see that generative AI is coming, but what does it all mean in terms of ethics, creativity, and agency?
- Optimising publishing processes is smart way to tackle ongoing challenges, e.g. harnessing data, embracing automation
- Digital investment needs to be a priority if it’s a channel you want to take seriously
- Independent publishers have the ability to retain both a flexible and cohesive approach
- Edtech needs to factor in teacher and educator feedback. Pay attention to user data and feedback when deciding on what resources to create.
The Publishing Show 2023 insights
A very different event held at the impressive ExCel arena in London, The Publishing Show 2023 offered an insight into digital publishing, gamification, and how different vendors are solving issues in the publishing industry.
Especially insightful were conversations about analytics, user-focused content strategy, and bridging the digital/print strategy gap.
- Advertising is key to digital publishing success, but consider your adtech stack carefully. There are a lot of platforms out there!
- Subscription management is key to bridging the digital and print gap
- Multichannel publishing will ensure your publishing material workflow is agile and reactive
- Gamification can help publishers build engaging communities
- Analytics and data retention may encourage publishers to re-platform from Google Analytics.
Thanks to all organisers, speakers, and attendees! We had a blast and can’t wait for the next one(s)!