Washington Post, iUniverse, Doubleclick, Motley Fool, +++

CONTENTBIZ.COM
BiWeekly News & Tips for
Marketing Content Online

1. News: Washington Post, iUniverse, Doubleclick, Motley Fool, +++

2. Marketing Tactics: Tips from ChannelSeven.com

3. Syndication: Blast Your Headlines Across the 'Net

4 Resources: How to Start a Free Emailed Newsletter

5. Career: Three Speaking Gigs & A Web Marketer Seeking Work

6. Letterbox: Eight Raves + Reader Question of the Week

** Note: Please pass this issue on to friends, but do so in its entirety so people know where the stories came from and how they can subscribe too. Thanks!

----------
NEWS
----------

*Offline Publishers Losing Staff to Web Ventures Like Crazy

Referring to traditional content companies as "an unfriendly and, frankly, stingy environment," Lou Dobbs a former CNNfn executive and now CEO of Space.com said at the Silicon Alley 2000 event last week ""There isn't a print organization not losing talent to the Web... [because] the wonderful word on the Web now is 'content.'"

ContentBiz.com has also noticed this trend. Now is NOT a time for offline publishers to feel complacent about their chances of keeping even long-term loyal staff without a hard fight. Katherine Graham just lost Washington Post President Alan Spoon (loyal since 1982) to Polaris, a venture capital firm. Last Friday Chicago-based telecom studies publisher NPRG lost its long-time head of marketing Eric Mayeda to Expedior an ecommerce consultancy. And Phillips International just lost four talented staffers who'd been with the company for more than five years -- VP Sales Gene Fuller to Intralinks.com, Director Web Development LuAnne Spurrell to BrainBench.com, and Customer Database Director Alyson Krogh to another dot com.

*Sweets for the Sweet: Sites Luring Content Owners With Content (How This Trend Could Affect Your Business)

Both iUniverse (http://www.iuniverse.com), an e-book publishing concern and Doubleclick (http://vertical.doubleclick.net) an online advertising space broker, have launched sites rich in content aimed specifically at the people they'd most like to do business with -- content owners! This continues the Web-wide trend of non-content companies offering high value content to attract partners and customers. Pretty soon the numbers of non-publishers giving away content could outweigh traditional publishers trying to make a buck in their own business! Plus, of course, this trend opens the doors to enormous opportunities for content syndicators/resellers such as ScreamingMedia.com and custom publishing firms specializing in Web content such as RealNewz.com (http://www.realnewz.com)

*Motley Fool To Compete With Wall Street Analysts

Claiming that Wall Street security firms' company reports are increasingly unreliable because they are influenced by investment banking divisions wanting to bolster their clients, consumer financial info site, Motley Fool (http://www.fool.com/research) has decided to launch a series of their own detailed research reports on growth companies. The Fool's pricing ranges from $12 for an individual report to $99 per year for unlimited content. The bad news is customers currently have to wait an agonizing 2-3 days for fulfillment -- not something guaranteed to please a daytrader!

*Quote of the Week:

"It is impossible to say how much a website can cost. Period. If you
ask three developers you will get four different answers." from DotOrgAdvisor.com the emailed newsletter for association and not-for-profit Web execs. For a free subscription go to http://www.dotorgadvisor.com

*ContentBiz.com's Speaking Gigs Piling Up

Wanna meet Anne Holland, the Publisher of ContentBiz.com in person? Be prepared for the post-speech podium-dash at the following events:
- Washington Independent Writers, May 13 http://www.washwriter.org
- Newsletter & Electronic Publishers Association Convention, June 4-6 http://www.newsletters.org
- Direct Marketing Association of Washington Convention July 11- 12 http://www.dmaw.org

----------
MARKETING TACTICS
----------

******SPONSOR: Put a Survey on Your Web Site in Under 60 Minutes!

Try WebSurveyor for free! It's the fastest and easiest way to conduct surveys at your Web site. You don't need to be a techie or a market research pro to use it. Setting up new surveys takes under an hour and you'll get results almost instantly! For your FREE 90 day trial go to: http://www.websurveyor.com/associates/mktgsherpa

********************************************************

The ContentBiz.com Interview: Seth Fineberg, Managing Editor of Topn Web Marketing News Site ChannelSeven.com

We popped up to New York City last weekend for an in-person interview with Seth Fineberg, Managing Editor of the Web site and free daily news service for Web marketers http://www.channelseven.com. It was sorta hard to hear over the retro-mambo music at the fabulously cool bar Seth chose to meet us in, but we did our best. Here are Seth's insights for content marketers and publishers:

*On creating content that keeps 'em coming back for more: "People don't want to take time to read at all. Get to the point quickly and concisely, the way you do for a short straight news story, but do it in a way that includes the analysis of a traditional 2,000-4,000 feature.
Plus, remarket your content. If old content's related, then link it to your current article. It points out 'We're on top of this, we're following a trend, we know what we're talking about.' That's what pays the bills at the end of the night."

*On guerrilla site marketing: "Working a trade show floor is better than using a booth to sell your site. At [one show] I set up meetings beforehand, worked the parties, walked the floors and spent time with every VP of marketing I could meet. Now they read my emailed newsletter religiously."

*On frequent site changes and upgrades: "We're constantly thinking of the next day, adding new features constantly. You can't be the same as an offline publication, you have to change, improve constantly. Plus, given the nature of the Web your business model might change in six months. VCs don't fund business models, they fund management teams flexible enough to manage multiple models."

*On whom you should copy: "Tower Records are email marketing freaks, check out their campaigns. They split campaigns so each demographic gets a different message. Amazon is now giving great customer service and remarketing programs to clientele. The Industry Standard does a good job of branding themselves constantly across all their products, print, Web, events and email. Starmedia hands out flyers for their Latino community and content site at Latin day parades."

*On recruiting: "Don't take dot com marketing credentials too seriously if the applicant doesn't have any other marketing experience. Many of them don't really know what they are doing. Hire good solid, experienced marketers instead and train them in Web marketing. Tell people that you're hiring them to take you to the next level -- not just to fill a spot. And yes, you have to give stock these days."

*On keeping talented marketers: "Losing talent out the revolving door is a problem for everyone right now. Keep good people by challenging them every day with new projects that stretch them. Show them where the next opportunity is because if they don't see anything else for them, they'll get out. Ask them 'How are you doing?' every single day. You can't be complacent."

----------
SYNDICATION/LICENSING
----------

****** SPONSOR: Win Free Business Cards! ****
Come help bizcardpro celebrate our 4th year online anniversary!
During the months of April and May, every 25th sale receives a
free set of business cards including Priority Mail shipping ($22 to $27
value) Go here: http://bizcardpro.com/instantly-online complete your order, and we will notify the winners by return email.
(Offer ends May 31, 2000)
ContentBiz Note: We used this vendor and they were great.
**************************************************************

Blast Your Headlines Across the 'Net: Health24HourNews, iSyndicate, MoreOver.com, Coolios, Backwire, Newslinx

Last week health news site, Health24News (http://www.health24News.com), announced an agreement with doctor information site SearchPointe.com (http://www.searchpointe.com) that other content sites might want to copy. Under the agreement, Searchpoint will run Health24News' latest headlines complete with links back to Health24News' site in exchange for a return link.

These types of headline distribution agreements are one of the best ways for content sites to grow targeted traffic. You can seek them out on your own as Health24News did and you also can use some of the rapidly growing group of headline syndication middlemen for low or no cost. Here are just a few of the top ones:

*MoreOver.com: This UK based firm specializes in sending hotlinked headlines from business-to-business news and content sites to Web sites and company intranets in North America and Europe. The service is free for the content owner. http://www.moreover.com

*iSyndicate.com: This is the grand-daddy of all syndication sites, their "express service" sends your hotlinked headlines to sites who request them for only $.05-$.10 per click-though back to your site. They mostly service mainstream consumer sites. http://www.isyndicate.com

* Coolios.com: This upstart service specializes in syndicating content headlines that would appeal to college-aged kids and those who share their mindset. http://www.coolios.com

* Others to check out: http://www.newslinx.com for internet business-related news headlines and newcomer http://www.backwire.com for consumer news on a variety of niche topics.

----------
RESOURCES
----------


**** SPONSOR: Sell Your Reports Online - Easily! ***

Warren Communications, Giga Group, Peppers & Rogers, The Industry Standard, Strategis, SkyReport, Business Marketing Association … more than 5,000 publishers and authors have agreed to sell their reports online easily through Fatbrain.com's eMatter. To learn how you can too, contact Anne Holland today
at annehillsholland@hotmail.com or call 202.232.6830

*********************************************************

Publishers Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: Resources That Lower The Barrier To Newsletter Publishing Entry

Every professional newsletter publisher in the world should be shaking in their boots right now, because several FREE Web resources are making it possible for anyone to launch an emailed newsletter easily. Yes, now the editorial staff you've trained and nurtured can launch their own competing publications from the comfort of their spare bedroom.

Here's a quick guide to some of the resources that are lowering the barriers to newsletter publishing entry:

* List-Universe: Alan Meckler's Internet.com just invested in this resource site for email newsletter publishers so you can expect it to continue to grow more powerful. Includes lots of how-to advice; EPub, a tremendously helpful email discussion group; and, encyclopedic links to resources and thousands of other emailed newsletters.
http://www.list-universe.com

* Newsletter Coach: Pretty much same as the above only with an easier to spell URL but no cash from Meckler. http://www.newslettercoach.com

* Bigstep.com: Anyone, even the completely and utterly non-techie, can build and host an attractive Web site via Bigstep.com for their business including a newsletter sign-up form and publishing system for FREE in under two hours. They'll even hook you up with a low-cost merchant account to accept credit cards online. http://www.bigstep.com

* eGroups.com: One of the leading easy and free services anyone can use to start an email discussion group or newsletter publishing operation. They'll maintain your subscriber files, allow you to publish at the flick of a button and even archive your old issues. (Note: ContentBiz.com currently uses eGroups service.) http://www.egroups.com

----------
STAFFING/CAREER
----------

* Speaking Gigs At Content & Coffee Events

Washington DC's monthly "Coffee & Content" event which more than 100 content, dot com and publishing professionals regularly attend is seeking expert speakers:
- April 19th event "How to develop good content for appealing, useful, and readable email newsletters"
- May or June event, "The changing face of traditional publishing, how the web is altering the relationship between authors and publishers, and the publishing process itself."
To speak at either, contact Event sponsor, Merry Bruns (mbruns@nasw.org) for details.

* Speaking Gig at June Publisher Convention

Web strategists wanted for a panel discussion on selling information online. Must have specific success stories to tell, but also must be able to step back and discuss trends and the big picture. Panel runs for 75 minutes with 4-5 participants. Major publishers ' convention in June. Great exposure! Email panel coordinator with your ideas: David@ControlBeaters.Com. Deadline: Friday, March 17.

* Experienced Web Marketer Seeks Start-Up Job
Marketing veteran seeking challenging position with funded startup at
either the director or Vice President level.
Possess deep familiarity
with dot com business and marketing needs. Have worked in current
position with both brick and mortar and dot com companies. Skills
include
- Strategic Planning/Implementation and identification of key market
opportunities
- Product and Brand Management
- New Product/Channel Development (online and off)
- Identification and development of key online and offline distribution
channels
- Market Research/Segmentation Analysis
- Revenue and Growth Strategies
- Communications/public relations strategy and planning
- Business development/strategic alliances
Please reply to jobs2000_1999@yahoo.com

----------
LETTERBOX
----------

*Reader Question of the Week:
"I have created and operate a web site for kids (and their parents) which has done fairly well with our guerilla marketing tactics, but we are trying to develop more traffic (aren't we all) and one idea has really got the juices pumping...

We'd like to offer a fun activity to anyone and their mother to use on their personal web site, free of charge. Basically, every week a new activity, trick, recipe, whatever, would be supplied to any web page that had a snippet of our code in it. We would of course have our logo and link with the activity, but no money would be generated.

In your experience, is this worthwhile to help build our brand, or would we run the risk of diluting it? I'd love to hear what the content guru has to say."
Brian Adams, brian@funology.com,http://www.funology.com

ContentBiz.com Answer:
How brilliant is that idea? So brilliant that in fact the marketing gurus at ChannelSeven.com are just about to launch something similar themselves called "SyndicateSeven" to entice corporate visitors to place ChannelSeven's columns on their company Web sites. Complete with a hotlink back to the site of course.

These days more places your logo and content pop up on the Web the better for your brand and traffic. So Brian, we say Go For It! And please email us back in a few weeks with your results so we can all learn more about how this works.

P.S. Note: if you start your email to ContentBiz.com with the phrase, "Dear ContentBiz Goddess" as Brian did, your chances of actually getting your question answered by us go up dramatically.

*We Are Blushing From Your Praise

Wow, in the past two weeks an awful lot of you have written in to say how much you enjoy ContentBiz.com! Thank you, it means a great deal to us. Here's a selection from our mailbox:

"AWESOME!" - Jon Lowder, Let's Talk Business Network
"I think it is excellent" - Charles Newman, Online Publishing News
"Pretty darn good!" - CW Henderson, NewsRX.com
"I like that insider feeling" - Kevin Adler, Freelance Editor
"ContentBiz is great, keep up the good work!" - Todd Petracek, Infocom
"Cool new eletter, Congrats!" - JJ Hornblass, Royal News
"Very valuable" - Ana Arias Terry, Redstone Publishing Consulting
"Incredibly Helpful" - Brian Adams, Funology.com

NOTE: Send us your letters and questions! ContentBiz.com will happily publish notes of interest to our readership. Email annehillsholland@hotmail.com.

-----------

Copyright 2000, ContentBiz.com

Please send your stories, comments and advertising inquiries to:

Anne Holland, Publisher
ContentBiz.com
annehillsholland@hotmail.com or 202.232.6830