Alexa, What Have Publishers Learned About Working With Smart Speakers?

Smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo, Google Home and Apple HomePod are close to becoming ubiquitous consumer products. They are now in nearly 50 million homes and a number of publishers have recognized their potential for some time. Now, there is growing roster of publishers that are getting a crash course in developing engaging content that can take full advantage of a nascent platform that’s wholly unique in media. They're not for podcasting Arguably one of the most ambitious projects in the space over the past year has been Hearst’s twice daily “My Beauty Chat” on Alexa. It’s already launching a second, substantially revised version. “The data we saw coming back from users indicated people were really engaging with the daily tips,” Chris Papaleo, Hearst's executive director of emerging technology, tells Folio:. Among the findings: users were willing to drill deep into the daily tips. Instead of offering a random tip when queried, this iteration of the service lets users choose among skin, makeup and other categories and opting into ever more tips in a given session. A key learning here is that smart speakers need to be seen principally as a service medium and that when the content is useful and relevant, users are willing to thoroughly engage with it. But just as important was Hearst’s deeper understanding on the importance of the context of smart speaker consumption. “In a living room or kitchen it is difficult to listen to long-form content,” says Papaleo. Even... Continue reading at 'Folio Magazine'

[ Folio Magazine | 2018-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Alexa, What Have Publishers Learned About Working With Smart Speakers?'

New Speakers in the International Publishers Association Nairobi Seminar

An award-winning teacher, a leader in indigenous-language publishing, and a publisher called "the father of African publishing" are on the bill in Kenya. The post New Speakers in the International Publishers Association Nairobi Seminar appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-05-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #indigenous-language publishing #publisher called #african publishing

Richard Charkin: Reflections on Publishing Association Work

Richard Charkin looks back at his four decades with the UK's Publishers Association and the many book publishing issues the PA dealt with. The post Richard Charkin: Reflections on Publishing Association Work appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #richard charkin #publishers association

Seeking More Consumer Revenue, Publishers Are Investing Heavily in E-Learning

Until a few years ago, online education of any sort was most often associated with digital degree mills and dubious promises of graduating college from the comfort of your own bedroom and pajamas. A new generation of students, however, has been exposed to digital learning throughout their... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2019-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

On reading, publishing and being working class

Noel Murphy discusses what more can be done to encourage and develop more working class readers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #working class

J.D. Salinger’s unseen work to be published; reaction from literary community is mixed

The news that J.D. Salinger's family is preparing to publish the late author's previously unseen works has left some literary observers excited and some unsettled. On Friday, the Guardian reported that Matt Salinger, the son of the legendary author of "The Catcher in the Rye," is working to... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary community #late author #guardian reported

Big Publishers Work On Getting Their Houses in Order

Publishers continued to look for more efficiency through restructurings in 2018. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-12-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

‘There’s nothing easy about social’: Weed publishers try to work around digital hurdles

Facebook lifted a ban on cannabis companies surfacing in search results, but weed publishers still struggle to gain awareness on the network. The post ‘There’s nothing easy about social’: Weed publishers try to work around digital hurdles appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #search results

PRH launches Tim Peake and Penguin Podcast skills for smart speakers

Penguin Random House has unveiled two new voice-activated 'skills' for Amazon’s Alexa devices. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #smart speakers

Publishers pronounce psychological thriller trend over, back smart non-fiction

Early signs suggest the market has moved on from psychological suspense novels and darker fiction, in favour of more uplifting, book-club titles and smart women’s fiction, publishers have told The Bookseller ahead of Frankfurt Book Fair. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookseller ahead

Global Publishing Leaders 2018: Cengage Learning Holdings II LP

Cengage Learning is a leading educational content, technology, and services company for the higher education and K–12, professional and library markets worldwide. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-09-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cengage learning #services company #higher education

Digital Solutions in India 2018: Making AR and VR Work in Publishing

When it comes to popularizing AR, much of the credit goes to Pokémon Go, released in July 2016. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital solutions

How Swiss news publisher NZZ built a flexible paywall using machine learning

The publisher grew registered users by 40 percent to 600,000 last year using machine learning and A/B testing. The post How Swiss news publisher NZZ built a flexible paywall using machine learning appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #machine learning

Stephen King Library Debuts for Smart Speakers

Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant users in the United States and Canada will be able to download a free “Stephen King Library” onto their smart speaker platforms beginning today. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #smart speakers #amazon alexa

The Netflix Effect: Publishers see Netflix deals as gateways to more TV work

Netflix pays creators, but for digital publishers, there's also a ton of value in just being able to say they have a show on Netflix. The post The Netflix Effect: Publishers see Netflix deals as gateways to more TV work appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital publishers

Colombia’s ’49 Libros’ Collective: Independent Publishers at Work

In Colombia, the seven independent publishers of 49 Libros and their shared distribution company Huracán have had a new day in the sun at the Bogotá International Book Fair’s new small-press pavilion. By Andrés Delgado Darnalt | @andeldar ‘To Reach Our Markets Strategically’ s the Bogotá... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #work appeared #independent publishers

On how unconventional publishing can work

Laura Jones and Heather McDaid reflect on the meteoric rise of their indie press 404 Ink since its launch last year and how they achieved it. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #laura jones #meteoric rise

Moleskine's smart notebook will work with Microsoft Office

Microsoft has long sold its Surface devices on the idea that they can double as digital notebooks; laptops one minute, journals the next thanks to their detachable displays and styli. (Heck, the Surface Book has a "Clipboard" mode.) With today's Mole... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #surface devices #surface book

Weldon 'sick' at lack of working class people in publishing

Penguin Random House chief executive Tom Weldon has urged the industry to respond to the "really urgent commercial imperative" of reflecting working class experiences in books. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Get 'Smart Work -- How to Boost Your Productivity in 3 Easy Steps' ($10 value) FREE for a limited time

Are you drowning in constant emails, phone calls, paperwork, interruptions and meeting actions? Smart Work is the busy professional's guide to getting organized in the digital workplace You'll develop a simple and sustainable productivity system to organize your actions, manage your inputs and... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2017-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #phone calls #enterprise administrators #mobile technology