I read with interest Jim Elliott's recent article in the October 5, 2010 Final Proof titled, "It's a Perfect Storm, but Don't Jump Ship.” I think the challenge many association publishers face in the print versus digital advertising debate is that nothing really seems to be working right now—there is no obvious answer to where advertising dollars perform best these days. And yet, "riding out” the storm somehow doesn't feel right either; there is simply too much change in the media world to batten down the hatches and do nothing.
This may sound self-serving coming from someone who writes for a living, but I firmly believe the key is great content. Advertisers will adapt their message to whatever technology is offered up to them—if they see excellent content and a proven, engaged readership in the publication (whether print or digital), they will put their dollars there.
