Content is starting to cost money again. And I’m willing to pay.

Table of Contents

By Cathy-Anne O’Brien

It started with Texture, the app offering access to more than 200 top magazines for a monthly subscription. I was hooked. Two of these magazines purchased from the newsstand would cost more than the monthly fee. I was reading O The Oprah Magazine, The New Yorker and House & Home incessantly.

Then there were podcasts. I was falling to sleep and waking to them, tuning in while making the kids breakfast; housework became (almost) enjoyable ‘me-time’. I’d sit in my car in my office’s underground because I couldn’t tear myself away. This was my kind of content.

And now my next obsession – audio books. It cost me $14.95 each month listening to Hilary Clinton’s take on “What Happened” or stealing inspiration from Richard Branson’s “Finding my Virginity”. I was hooked.

Just today, my favourite online publishing platform Medium notified me that I must subscribe to read my fourth exclusive article this month. Now that caused me to pause. I’ve been reading Medium daily for free for a year now. These articles appeal to me each morning like no other media has consistently done. Like all these new forms of media, it’s tailored for me, yet taking it to a whole new level, beckoning with catchy titles such as “I Tried 7 Different Morning Routines — Here’s What Made Me Happiest” or “Some birds use discarded cigarettes to fumigate their nests”. What?! How can you resist clicking on that title? And, I’m informed, it’s only a three-minute read.

This makes me happy. Admittedly I love free content as much as the next guy, but so much of it was subpar. A complete waste of time and nothing is more deflating than reading a company’s “call-to-action” at the end of ghost written piece. There is now hope for talented writers.

Good content is back. It costs, but you get a lot for a little. This month alone, I tried hot yoga, experimented with a new business strategy for BlueSky and I’ve been inspired by a new modern design for my kitchen. I’ve learned how to decrease the chaos in my three-kid, one-dog household while living more of a minimalist life (thank you podcast Optimal Living Daily). Oh, and I’m trying out vegetarianism. Paying for quality content has changed my life. Now I must activate my Medium subscription.

 

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Effective, creative content is at the core of what we do. From B2B and B2C, our expertise spans article writing and storytelling, editorial planning, key messaging, video production and more. And we help ensure that your content gets seen. We amplify your brand’s story through an integrated, custom content strategy across digital, print, social and broadcast channels. We maximize owned, earned and paid media to amplify your message, making sure it gets in front of the right audience to drive the results you want.

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Corporate Communications

An integral part of any business, your brand reputation and corporate communication sets the tone with the public, your clients, employees and stakeholders – and we make sure you get the tone right. BlueSky helps you understand what matters to your audiences – both external and internal – and develops meaningful programs that resonate. We help clients with crisis and issues management, employee and executive communications, community relations and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Whether it’s a workplace fundraiser event, an annual report, infographics, HR video or speechwriting, we help you share your message with relevant stakeholders.

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Social Media

Social media demands an always on, two-way communication, transparency, and authentic interaction. More importantly, it demands strategy. We’ve managed social communities, developed social media guidelines and created engaging, impactful content, whether a short Instagram caption or long-form executive-published posts on LinkedIn. Through social listening tools and insights, we can make sure you’re talking about what matters most to your audience, and that your online and traditional PR efforts are integrated seamlessly and effectively.

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Public Affairs & Advocacy

Our in-depth experience providing integrated government relations, public affairs and strategic communications tailored to your needs helps our clients navigate the public policy process in order to successfully achieve central objectives. We work with you to better position your priorities within the current political landscape to ensure you’re able to gain the ear of key decision-makers and reach your goals.

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Influencer Marketing

When it comes to social influencers it’s not about who has the biggest audience, but about engagement, trust and authentic connection. We leverage valued relationships with nano- to celebrity-level creators, working collaboratively to ensure they deliver quality content that resonates with your target audience and is on-point with your brand messaging. Our winning formula requires a thoughtful approach that combines the right people, the right content and the right distribution to maximize engagement and drive impact at scale. You’ll see the results in our campaign evaluations – supported by numbers that exceed industry average performance.

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Media Relations & Media Training

In an environment that is increasingly pay-to-play, earned media remains the holy grail of coverage for brand credibility. Over the years we’ve developed solid relationships with traditional and online media, and we know the elements of success for securing interest from trusted journalists at top-notch publications. We excel at crafting tailored, compelling stories that help keep your brand top-of-mind across print, broadcast and digital channels. You’ll see the results through our media measurement and reporting and assess your share of voice (SOV) among competitors.

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