Business Journal Content Studio Expanding Engagement Offerings

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Content is everywhere. From popular brands to public figures, everyone is releasing content on multiple platforms daily in an effort to engage with audiences.

But too much of a good thing isn’t always great. According to a study by Zenith, a national media agency, the average individual will watch 100 minutes of online videos daily in 2021 – roughly half the time spent watching conventional TV. That’s up from 84 minutes daily in 2019.

With that kind of online video consumption, it can be difficult for an organization to ensure its message is received by the intended audience, says Jeff Leo Herrmann, CEO of The Youngstown Publishing Co., parent of The Business Journal. Leveraging platforms like the YPC Content Studio allows businesses to directly engage target audiences, he says.

“We’ve spent 35 years and millions of dollars building an audience by creating compelling content and getting it in front of viewers across multiple distribution channels, including print, online, email and social media,” Herrmann says. “And we do not have to cross our fingers and hope that it will get seen. We have analytics to know that it is.”

This year, The Business Journal is heavily investing in its Content Studio to develop a multiplatform approach that delivers new and informative content that’s also entertaining. A lot of work will be going into creating new series as well as helping businesses to develop their own custom content.

The Business Journal is leveraging its years of daily content development and distribution to give area companies a leg up on their own content strategies. As video marketing becomes more prevalent, the YPC Content Studio gives companies a high-impact way to get their foot in the door and deliver high-quality custom content to a large audience.

“A lot of companies are already creating great videos,” says Tony Marr, head of strategic solutions. “We just want to offer them another platform to distribute their content to an already highly engaged audience.”

Building that audience has required adaptation over the last 12 years since launching the Daily Buzz in 2008. Recently, The Business Journal has again reformatted its flagship daily video content to adapt to viewer trends.

“We know that everything has to change with time. We are always looking for ways to improve our products to keep them fresh and relevant,” says Michael Moliterno, video producer and vice president of operations at The Business Journal.

As the company’s daily video content has evolved, so has its distribution, Marr says. Social platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook have expanded The Business Journal’s audience base while providing new tools to augment its distribution strategy.

Content Studio work will not take away from The Business Journal’s commitment to high-quality journalism, Herrmann says. As the company’s news content keeps business and community leaders informed, the Content Studio will provide another aspect of service to businesses through lead-generation programs guided by its “educate to dominate” philosophy, he says.

“In addition to high-quality journalism, we boast world-class marketing strategy and expertise. From lead generation, video production and creative solutions, custom content is just another service we are offering businesses,” Herrmann says. “Many of the services and resources we offer all fall into the Content Studio. Whether it’s our webinars, our Business Strategy Video Network or the Impact Maker series, it’s all in the Content Studio. We’re just taking deliberate action to really grow what we’ve started.

“We’ve always believed in the ‘Create Once, Publish Everywhere’ mentality.” Herrmann continues. “Our goal for ourselves and for any of our program partners is to take advantage of the Content Studio as well as the activation and atomization that comes along with it. From launching it on BusinessJournalDaily.com, to posting on social media and even recapping it in our print edition, the Content Studio is going to be a big part of who we are.”

For more information on the Content Studio, please CONTACT our sales and marketing team.

Image: Photo by Lovefreund

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.