Brian Morrissey is a veteran of the media industry after long stints at DigiDay, Adweek. He is full of interesting opinions about where the industry is going. He thinks that smaller is better for publishers. He believes that relationships are often far more valuable than large number of newsletter and social media followers. And scarily for WordPress users, Brian says we may not even need a website in years to come.

Brian runs The Rebooting newsletter and in this episode of the PublishPress podcast he tells us what a successful media company looks like in 2025.

Sign up for Brian's newsletter: https://www.therebooting.com/

This episode features Steve Burge from PublishPress and Dan Knauss from Multidots.

We covered these topics and more:

• The Rebooting was born out of a personal and industry-wide need for change.
• Email marketing remains a powerful tool for audience engagement.
• Substack provided a simple platform for newsletter creators, but limitations exist.
• Transitioning to Ghost allowed for more flexibility and control over content.
• Community engagement is crucial for building a strong brand in publishing.
• AI is reshaping the media landscape, creating both challenges and opportunities.
• The traditional role of websites may diminish as AI changes information consumption.
• Diversifying revenue streams is essential for sustainable publishing models.
• Events and in-person interactions enhance community and brand loyalty.
• Understanding audience needs through direct engagement is vital for success. Podcasts create a strong human connection.
• Social media can be challenging for content creators.
• Authenticity is crucial in publishing.
• Newsletters provide a direct connection to audiences.
• The media landscape is shifting towards smaller businesses.
• Community engagement is vital for modern publishers.
• Curiosity drives thoughtful journalism.
• AI will increase the demand for human-crafted content.