Here are 13 ideas to help publishers remain relevant, competitive, and successful in 2025 and beyond.
Some of these are conceptually simple ideas, some can be implemented by individual publishers, and others require collaboration across multiple publishers or the entire industry. The most important aspects revolve around generative AI.
1) Fully Embrace generative AI
Dive headfirst into generative AI. This isn’t just a trend, it’s a necessity. Significant investment, strategic partnerships, and an openness to experimentation are essential. Hesitation only leads to missed opportunities. Publishers will likely need to partner with native generative AI companies. It will be difficult for them to handle this on their own. To secure their future, publishers (and their employees) should prioritise generative AI above all else. This initiative likely requires collaboration between publishers.
Fundamentally he said AI will change journalists’ jobs more than replace them.
An OpenAI press release that went out on January 15 discussed how publishers are sparking new innovation in the AI era including the following:
- Associated Press: Uses OpenAI to enhance news production, improving Spanish translations by 40%, doubling Portuguese translations, optimizing headlines, suggesting related articles, and saving time on data mining for local newsrooms.
- The Atlantic has developed AI tools like Atlantic Companion (archive chatbot) and Atlantic Explorer (thematic article guide) to explore tech opportunities.
- Axel Springer has launched ‘Hey_,’ an AI assistant for casual, personalised news interactions, answering 100+ million questions on BILD and WELT. Business Insider’s AI-powered search provides concise, contextual results.
- Dotdash Meredith introduced D/Cipher, an AI-powered ad-targeting tool that analyses content connections without cookies or personal data.
- Financial Times uses ChatGPT Enterprise across two-thirds of staff to automate tasks, including flagging ads that may not meet UK standards.
- Hearst employs OpenAI for personalised dining recommendations, an AI-generated gift guide, and smarter sales processes via custom GPTs.
- TIME: Launched an AI Toolbar featuring interactive chat and seamless language translation for its Person of the Year content.
- Vox Media uses OpenAI for tools like Gift Scout (personalised product recommendations) and Sponsor Scout (aligning content with advertisers).
2) But protect your content from LLMs
Large Language Models (LLMs) are effectively scraping and using your content without compensation. Publishers’ content is being stolen by LLMs. Publishers need to develop strategies to safeguard and monetize content. Legal action, partnerships, or innovative licensing models could be part of the solution. Dig into whatever data you can to better understand this.
3) Create Original, Unstealable Content
Focus on producing unique, high-value content that can’t be easily replicated or stolen. Investigative journalism, exclusive interviews, and in-depth reporting are more vital than ever.
Protect your intellectual property, and double down on what sets your content apart. Rethink the journalistic voice. Consider publishing content using a generative AI interface. This could stop other companies, large language models, and search engines from copying the content, since it would only be available through the AI interface.
4) Crack measurement and attribution
The open internet’s measurement and attribution challenges must be addressed and publishers should lead the charge. While platforms like Google, Facebook, and Amazon have proprietary solutions, the rest of the internet is at a disadvantage. Collaboration to develop robust, industry-standard tools is crucial. Remember: targeting is easy, accurate measurement and effective attribution are the real hurdles. Perhaps a consortium of companies is needed to achieve this.
5) Make news advertising essential
Work collaboratively to make news content indispensable for advertisers. The trend of agencies bypassing news publishers in favour of other ad placements must be reversed. Advocacy, education, and partnerships can help elevate the value of news advertising, securing sustainable revenue for the future. I believe it is a core problem for publishers and not even on the radar for agencies, unfortunate, true but solvable.
6) Adopt a tech company mindset
Speed up innovation and decision-making by acting like a tech company. Prioritise agility over caution. Focus on growth, experimentation, and the ability to adapt rapidly. It’s better to move fast and learn from mistakes than to stagnate in fear of change.
7) Better understand your audience
Encourage dialogue and interaction with your audience. GA4 is underwhelming, and it’s time for the publishing industry to push for or create a better analytics tool. Understanding Revenue Per User (RPU) and Lifetime Value (LTV) is critical for sustainable growth. Invest in tools that provide actionable insights into user behaviour and monetisation. There is certainly white space for a new analytics platform for publishers. Invest in understanding your readers deeply through robust data analysis and set clear, actionable goals from the outset of each year. Engagement isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a survival strategy.
8) Fire the boss
In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, complacency and mediocrity in leadership are simply unacceptable. If your organisation’s CEO has failed to demonstrate boldness, innovation, or a willingness to challenge the status quo in the past year, it’s a clear indication that a change is necessary. The CEO must set the tone for the entire organisation. They should be the one charting the course, identifying new opportunities and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. If your current CEO is not actively engaged in these activities, then it’s imperative to find someone who is.
9) Outsource strategically
If you’re not excelling in certain areas and can’t attract top talent, outsource. Identify the tasks and processes that don’t align with your core strengths and find partners who excel at them. At the same time, know when and how to cut costs without compromising quality. But never outsource editorial, that always needs to be a core competency.
10) Embrace short-form vertical video
Even if Tiktok disappears in the US, the demand for short-form vertical video won’t. Adapt to this format across platforms to capture and engage younger audiences. Don’t wait for trends to solidify, be a trendsetter. News and information will be consumed via vertical video more and more, I am sure Gen AI will help to enhance the experience.
11) Bring employees back to the office
To remain competitive, it’s essential to require employees to return to the office five days a week. Working only four days a week, having Friday at home will essentially create a three-day weekend. Although not ideal, this is necessary because very few remote workers are as productive as in-office employees.
12) Tap into the commerce media ecosystem
Align your content’s shopping intent to go beyond traditional affiliate models and create unique value for retail media networks and brands. Develop new offerings for enhanced product discovery, experiment with shoppable experiences, and monetise high value shopping audiences offsite. By embracing commerce-centric strategies, publishers can unlock new revenue streams and solidify their role in commerce-driven advertising. AI-generated content might eventually be monetized through commerce ad units.
13) Shout, scream and potentially sue
Publishers must not shy away from fighting for their rights. The digital landscape is rife with exploitation, from content scraping to unfair revenue-sharing models. Use your voice, loudly and persistently, to advocate for fair treatment. If necessary, take legal action against platforms and entities that exploit your work without adequate compensation. Rally public and industry support to highlight the value of original content and the ethical obligations of tech giants. This is a battle for survival, and publishers must approach it with boldness and resolve.
[Read more: Diversify or die? 23 media leaders reveal how to make news pay in 2025]
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