Publisher's Paradox: The Galilean Model THE PARADOX: We live in a Galilean web world while we execute a Ptolemaic web strategy. The Ptolemaic Web World Remember Ptolemy, the astronomer from the 1st century who believed that the earth was the center of the universe? In the early part of this century we all lived in a Ptolemaic web world. We were taught that our website, our www, was the center of the web world. We measured our success on how many people built a relationship with our domain and worked hard to get our audience to come to our website as often as possible. The Ptolemaic model is an antiquated way to look at the web world. It’s a complete #fail. The Galilean Model of the Web World Remember Galileo, the 16th century Italian astronomer who challenged our geocentric model of the universe? Galileo’s notion that the sun was the center of our solar system challenged centuries of traditional thinking. The earth, just like a bunch of other planets we’d discovered, was just another heavenly body. We were no longer the center of the solar system. The universe no longer revolved around us. (This was a hard pill to swallow and led to Galileo’s house arrest on heresy charges.) Today, our web world isn’t much different. We live in a Galilean Web world. Your website, your brand, isn’t at the center of the web universe of your audience any longer. Google, is the search ‘sun’ in our new universe and around that sun are giant planets like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Amazon, Yahoo, iTunes… the list goes on and on. So where are you in this new online universe? You’re a pluto, or an asteroid, or a frozen planet in another galaxy. You’re no longer as close to the audience’s everyday digital experience as you once were. The Publisher’s Challenge This week in your staff meeting, I want you to challenge your team to consider the opportunities to build an audience outside of your domain. I want you to think about how you could build an audience closer to the center of your target’s regular online experience. What can you do to create and distribute content on YouTube or Twitter that doesn’t require a click-through to your Ptolemaic web world? Does it really matter if they come to your website if you can monetize the audience elsewhere?

1. The Galilean
Web Model
Publishers Paradox
Andrew M. Davis - @TPLDrew
AKAdrewDavis.com

2. The Paradox
We live in a Galilean web world
while we execute a Ptolemaic
web strategy.
Andrew M. Davis - @TPLDrew
AKAdrewDavis.com

3. The Ptolemaic Model
The OLD Web Model
You, at the center of the
online experience of the
audience you target.
Andrew M. Davis - @TPLDrew
AKAdrewDavis.com

4. The Galilean Model
The New Web Model
You, as a small part of
your audience’s everyday
online experience.
Andrew M. Davis - @TPLDrew
AKAdrewDavis.com

5. The Question ???
Does it really matter if your audience comes to your
website if you can monetize the audience elsewhere,
closer to the center of their everyday experience?
Andrew M. Davis - @TPLDrew
AKAdrewDavis.com

6. The Challenge
Consider opportunities to build an audience outside of your
domain. How can you expand your brand?
Build an audience closer to the center of your target’s
everyday online experience.
What if you treated these external opportunities to drive
audience growth without a click-through to your Ptolemaic
web world?
Andrew M. Davis - @TPLDrew
AKAdrewDavis.com