Publishers and platforms are in a constant tug-of-war (GOOGL, FB)

pulse

April 16, 2018 3:06 PM

In the race to goose traffic to their sites, publishers often seem to run from one third-party distributor to another, only to find the rules of engagement and potential rewards in a continuous state of flux.

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One trend that’s likely to incite deeper change is that mobile is increasingly driving referral traffic to publisher sites, as users shift away from desktop and as smartphones become more ubiquitous. Since January 2017, mobile web traffic to publishers grew more than 20%, according to analysis by media analytics firm Chartbeat perNiemanLab.

Two recent developments show the flux of risks and rewards to publishers when they work with platforms for third-party distribution:

A mobile feature on Google Chrome’s browser for smartphones called “Articles for You” (also known as Chrome Content Suggestions) is now driving significant traffic to publisher sites, particularly news sites, according to Chartbeat per
.
Some publishers are seeing volatility in traffic to their Discover content on Snapchat following the app’s recent redesign, according to
.

For now, publishers may continue to run from tree to tree in search of referral traffic from third-party distributors. As publishers seek more consistent growth, a broader shift may drive more publishers toward subscription or community-based models that prioritize building loyal readership over chasing clicks.

pulse