The story-first mindset: Why it’s not sustainable anymore
As audiences’ content preferences change, publishers need to adopt a product mindset. They need to think in terms of products that fit into their consumers’ daily lives.
The conventional story-first mindset won’t work
Traditionally, publishers have operated with a story-first mindset: Report, write, publish, and move on.
But today’s media landscape demands something different: Digital publishing solutions, today, need a product mindset—thinking about how news fits into broader audience habits, platforms, and revenue models. You must design products that fit into your audience’s lives, not just publish stories and hope they show up.
To make this shift, take inspiration from tech companies. Many publishers are already doing it—creating complete product ecosystems that deliver news experiences designed around their audiences’ lives. Whether that’s news in an audible format for on-the-go consumption or breaking stories delivered via WhatsApp newsletters, it’s about making your content work for them.
The solution: Building a product-centric newsroom
A product-centric newsroom isn’t just about writing stories; it’s about creating complete, multi-touch digital experiences. By combining editorial, design, development, and data expertise, your newsroom can create engaging, sustainable experiences that keep audiences coming back.
By integrating user experience design, technology, and audience insights into the core of content creation, you can craft more engaging and sustainable digital experiences, driving both reader loyalty and new revenue opportunities.
Here are a few key features of this product mindset.
User-centered thinking (not just newsroom priorities)
A product mindset means starting with audience needs, not just what journalists want to report. This requires:
- Audience research & user testing to understand how people actually consume content.
- Personalized experiences, like AI-driven recommendations and topic-based subscriptions.
- Habit-building formats (e.g., newsletters, push notifications, and podcasts) that fit into daily routines.
Take The New York Times, for instance. The NYT has evolved into a news-product ecosystem:
- Games (Spelling Bee) → Habit-forming entertainment.
- NYT Cooking & Wirecutter → Service journalism as a utility-based product.
- Mobile app → For on-the-go new consumption, personalized for users.
Ongoing engagement over one-off reads
If someone reads an article and leaves, that’s a lost opportunity. News products should:
- Encourage habitual use (e.g., daily briefings, alerts, or interactive tools).
- Offer multimedia formats (text, video, audio, interactive) to meet different user preferences.
- Build community and conversation (comment sections, live chats, or subscriber events).
Axios is a great example. Axios isn’t just about writing short articles—it has productized its format into newsletters, AI tools, and even an enterprise solution (Axios HQ). While their approach might be on the larger end of the spectrum, it showcases what’s possible when you think beyond traditional content delivery.
Monetization integration (not just ads and paywalls)
It’s time to rethink your revenue strategy beyond ads and subscriptions. The rise of the “news-as-a-service” model offers a more diverse and sustainable path for publishers, benefiting both your business and your audience.
Platform-specific product thinking (not just repurposing)
A story isn’t a product—but a TikTok news format, a Spotify-native daily briefing, or a WhatsApp micro-newsletter can be.
Tailor content to the platform instead of simply repurposing stories across them.
The Wall Street Journal’s YouTube Shorts are a great example. They aren’t just posting clips of TV segments—they’re creating original, visual-first explainers that resonate with younger audiences.
Building news products & not just publishing stories
To thrive, publishers must think like tech companies—constantly iterating, testing, and designing audience-first products.
The future of publishing is about creating experiences that readers return to daily.
The publishing business is no longer just about creating content; it’s about building a product ecosystem around trust, habit, and value.
