SODP Dispatch - 21 June 2024

Digital News Report is out, navigating GDPR compliance, News Showcase launched in the Baltics + more

Hello, SODP readers!

In today’s issue:

  • From SODP: Future of native advertising

  • Tip of the week: Navigating GDPR compliance

  • News: News Showcase is launching in the Baltics, news industry’s another pivot to video, Google unleashes June 2024 spam update, Google dials back AI Overviews + more

FROM STATE OF DIGITAL PUBLISHING

Geozo Q&A: Future of Native Advertising for Publisher Monetization

By Vahe Arabian

Native advertising is a growing revenue area that can provide an alternative avenue to engagement and is less intrusive than traditional ads.

We caught up with Aliya Gallamo, Chief Commercial Officer at Geozo and a native advertising expert, to discuss how publishers can maximize revenue using native advertising best practices.

➡ Native ads generate 53% more views than display ads (Source: Sharethrough and IPG Media Lab)

➡ 70% of consumers prefer learning about products through content rather than traditional advertisements (Source: CMI)

IVT webinar

BITE-SIZED ADVICE

By Vahe Arabian

➡️ Navigating GDPR compliance

Navigating GDPR compliance in digital publishing is crucial as AI continues to reshape data management and user interactions. With GDPR now six years old, its impact on data privacy has grown more significant.

Recent studies show that GDPR fines have surged by 40% year-on-year. In 2023 alone, GDPR fines totaled €1.1 billion, according to the European Data Protection Board, underscoring the substantial risks of non-compliance.

Here are key considerations for digital publishers to stay compliant:

  1. Choose a GDPR-Compliant Partner: Ensuring that all third-party services, from cloud providers to analytics tools, adhere to GDPR standards is essential. This maintains a consistent level of data protection across all operations.

  2. Stay Transparent: GDPR mandates that users be informed about data collection practices in a clear and accessible manner. This includes comprehensive privacy policies and straightforward consent forms. Industry leaders like Forrester emphasize that clear communication fosters user trust, which is critical in maintaining a loyal readership.

  3. Be Aware of the Platforms You Use: The platforms and software utilized for publishing must comply with GDPR requirements. Regularly audit these platforms to ensure they meet all necessary privacy standards and update them as needed to align with regulatory changes. For example, starting in July, Facebook will be incorporating AI into its training modules for non-private messages, so it's crucial to stay informed about such updates.

Ensuring GDPR compliance is not just a legal requirement but a strategic advantage in the digital publishing industry. Embracing these regulations can enhance user trust, safeguard your brand's reputation, and ultimately lead to sustained success in an increasingly data-driven world.

TOOLS & RESOURCES

📊 Digital News Report

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism published the 2024 edition of its Digital News Report.
See more ▸

🤖 ChatGPT Prompts

Check out these 26 principles to enhance the effectiveness of prompts used with ChatGPT and similar advanced models.
See more ▸

WHAT WE ARE READING

Is the news industry ready for another pivot to video? | NiemanLab

Aggregate data from 47 countries shows all the growth in platform news use coming from video or video-led networks such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram while legacy networks such as Facebook are becoming less important.
Read more ▸

Google unleashes June 2024 spam update | Search Engine Land

Google has unleashed a new search spam update today, the June 2024 spam update. This spam update may take up to one week to complete, Google wrote.
Read more ▸

Business newsletter company Workweek raises $12.5M Series A Axios

The raise will support the build-out of a new professional networking platform for the firm's 500,000+ email subscribers across eight newsletters.
Read more ▸

Google Dials Back AI Overviews In Search Results, Study Finds | Search Engine Journal

According to new research, Google’s AI-generated overviews have undergone significant adjustments since the initial rollout. The study digs into which topics and industries are more likely to get an AI overview. It also looks at how the AI snippets interact with other search features like featured snippets and ads.
Read more ▸

Analysis: Perplexity seems to scrape sites using surreptitious methods Wired

A WIRED investigation shows that the AI-powered search startup Forbes has accused of stealing its content is surreptitiously scraping—and making things up out of thin air.
Read more ▸

News Showcase is launching in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania | Google Blog

Participating publishers in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will create News Showcase panels, which provide more ways for readers to engage with the news and direct them to full articles on news publications’ websites.
Read more ▸