- Safiu Kehinde
The publisher of QEDNG, Olumide Iyanda, has charged Online Publishers to embrace the use of Artificial intelligence (AI) to attract readers.
Iyanda made this charge to mediapreneurs during his presentation yesterday at the ongoing Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) 8th Annual General Meeting.
He charged them to leverage different online platforms and technology to promote their products or services and more with their audiences.
Speaking at capacity-building session of the GOCOP AGM at Reverton Hotel, Lokoja, Kogi State, Iyanda insisted that media managers should post their stories where their readers can easily read them.
The publisher, who stated that many readers take interest in watching short video clicks instead of reading long texts, urged mediapreneurs to equally include videos and as part of their stories to generate more traffic.
‘’Internet penetration in Nigeria is about 45.5 per cent. Over 40 per cent of these users engage with news on Facebook, Tik Tok. Yet, 75 per cent of internet users do not go pass first page, so, it is important to use social media platforms to promote content and engage with users,’’ he said.
Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Tiktok, among others, he said, were variable channels to reach readers.
Speaking further, he urged GOCOP members to now wear the garb of business decision-makers as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) upon whose shoulders rest the success or otherwise and the fate of their workforce. He said the view the CEOs hold on their role would impact the way they related with their clients.
In the same vein, Iyanda explained that publishers as small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) must learn how to adapt to changing consumer behaviours to beat the increasing competition in the digital space.
For instance, he harped the need for data to make appropriate decisions. “Don’t decide what your audience needs. If your customers want tea, don’t give them coffee, privatise digital marketing and be active on all digital marketing platforms, ‘’ he advised theat the over 100 members of GOCOP present at this year’s conference.
Iyanda spoke on “Leveraging Digital Marketing: Strategies For Online Publishers,’’ as part of the general theme of this year’s GOCOP conference titled, Nigeria: Tackling Insecurity, Power Deficit, And Transitioning To Digital Economy.
He urged Publishers to know when to charge for stories and when not, explaining that placing fees for public relations or promotional stories for commercial interests did not breach journalism ethics.
He noted that journalism would not only be seen as a social or humanitarian service but also as a business where bills must be settled by the entrepreneur.
However, he warned Publishers to beware of other professionals who collect money from their clients to publish stories only to turn round to use subtle methods to slip the stories into the media.
He also warned that media professionals should maintain the code of ethics in all they do as he urged Publishers to strike the right balance between ethics and demands of business.