Signature May/June 2015 - 13

shortruns
is my short list that association publishing and communication professionals
need to be thinking about and some key
takeaways:
n■ Mobile first. All association sites and
their publishing properties need to
be constantly thinking mobile first.
A lot is at stake, and now is the time
to address this issue.
n■ Articlization. Big journal brands
can be endangered by the breaking
down of the world into just articles.
If the world is seen through the lens
of each article as opposed to the publication, erosion can occur. Aggregation and similar approaches can help
spread your brand - instead of just
waiting for your members to come
to your site.
n■ Open access. This important
area continues to evolve. Keeping
pace with the decisions that affect
members, the public, and the bottom
line are key. Associations should reexamine their position on this.
n■ Ad blockers and ad viewability.
If you derive significant ad revenue
from your publication or association's
websites, then these technical issues
may soon become significant. Partnering with a knowledgeable party
that understands the challenges is
the best plan.
n■ Search engine optimization. It is
crucial to publications (and associations) to stay fully engaged and not
become complacent. Significant advances are taking place in SEO/SEM,
and they present opportunities.
Finally, it is important for an association to have a knowledgeable person who
is charged with staying current with publishing trends. Proactive - not reactive
- is the best approach. n
A member of AM&P's Content Creation
Committee, Andrew Shackelford has worked with
and for associations for over 27 years. He has been
involved in every aspect of publishing, from designing
and writing association magazines to later building
and managing association publishing teams with
responsibility for over 60 different titles. Shackelford

CHOICE BLOGS FOR WRITERS
If writing is part of your
job, check out these blogs
to stay creative and keep
abreast of publishing
trends and freelancing tips.
BY KIM HOWARD, CAE

These days, anyone who can string
a few words together and figure out
how to create a WordPress site can
be a blogger. But the blogs that really
create and publish rich content for
writers are not as common. Below are
the blogs that I have in my RSS feed.
The editor in me could not help but
alphabetize them.

A WAY WITH WORDS
www.waywordradio.org
If you are the kind of word nerd who
loves the history of language and
phrases, this is the site for you. If
you prefer podcasts over RSS feeds,
this site offers that content delivery
method, too.

COPYBLOGGER
www.copyblogger.com
This blog is about copywriting and
content marketing - but don't be
put off by the overused term content
marketing. Much of its content is rich
and useful to anyone who writes. And
Copyblogger's blog posts are consistent as the site publishes daily.

LITTLEZOTZ WRITING
http://littlezotz.com
Lauren Tharp is the edgy hipster of
the blogs that I follow. With one side
of her head shaved, she looks more like
a punk-rock princess than a writer who
develops brands through blogging.
Don't let the hair fool you. She offers
solid information on her blog. We all
have brands that need developing. Find
out how she does it.

MEN WITH PENS
http://menwithpens.ca
Not everyone who works or writes
for this site is a man. Interested in
having your website and copywriting
be world-class? This is the spot for
you. Our friends in Canada have useful
resources for association publishers.

MR. MAGAZINE
www.mrmagazine.com
Some of you may have heard Dr. Samir
Husni speak at a previous AM&P Annual
Meeting. His credentials are impressive,
and you can read about them on his
website. For his blog, he profiles wellknown magazines and interviews their
c-suite executives. If you want an insider
peek into what is going on in the publishing business, this is the blog for you.

SHARON HURLEY HALL
www.sharonhh.com
Sharon Hurley's tagline is "write on
time and write on target." This doesn't
have to be a pipe dream. Like many
writers, her portfolio of experience is
impressive. She is willing to share her
knowledge about writing and other
areas that we all are involved in.

WORDS ON THE PAGE
www.wordsonpageblog.com
This site is an excellent resource for
anyone running a freelance business
or thinking about starting one. Lori
Widmer, a freelance writer, blogs
about all topics related to running a
freelance writing business. Starting
your own business is not for the faint
of heart, but she provides excellent
advice and resources. n
Kim Howard, CAE, is an award-winning
association publisher and writer who runs her
own consulting firm, Write Communications,
LLC. She is also an immediate past president of
the Association Media & Publishing board of
directors and a current member of AM&P's
Content Creation Committee.

joined Walsworth in 2013 as a sales representative.
MAY/JUNE 16

signature

http://www.menwithpens.ca http://www.mrmagazine.com http://www.waywordradio.org http://www.sharonhh.com http://www.copyblogger.com http://www.wordsonpageblog.com http://www.littlezotz.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signature May/June 2015