Publishers have two sets of customers, readers and advertisers. They can directly monetize some readers through advertising (those who subscribe, visit the site, fit the demo, etc.). But publishers who ONLY try to serve those readers will quickly die. Why? Once you lose your share of voice on the web or elsewhere, you are outside the conversation and cannot win over new readers.
Publishers have to reach out to readers they can’t necessarily monetize if they ever want to grow and stay relevant. And that’s the real reason smart publishers will want to be on Flipboard. It’s about being hip and getting in front of a few new readers on a nice device. It has nothing to do with fixing a smoldering business model.
Michael Learmonth (via soupsoup)
Notes