“SWET”ing the Details

Ezra Ernst, the CEO of Swets North America, was interviewed this week as part of the SIIA Content Forum.  

He talked about how The Long Tail applies to publishing and, specifically, to Swets.

Many publishers have historically relied on a small percentage of their products to subsidize the rest. Being unable to determine in advance which products will be the blockbusters, they produce their best bets.  

For a variety of reasons, this results in an inventory of content that can stagnate.

Ezra believes that continued sales of less popular or older content can account for more revenue in publishing than it does now if the content is discoverable and trusted. 

As users read and explore links that are presented to them, they find associations that drive their concept in new directions. They find new ways to explore and new ways to purchase content.

Metadata (information about the content being viewed) must be incorporated in the editorial process (during content creation) to insure content assets are discoverable by potential buyers. 

In Ezra’s business, usage statistics drive revenue. The more an institution sees its subscriptions are being used by its members, the more likely they will continue to subscribe.

The problem is that institutional members are often unaware of the information available to them. To increase awareness, Swets promotes its content directly to end users.  

Stimulating usage helps librarians defend their budgets and maintain or expand their subscriptions.

Trust is critical. Consumers must not only have content available to them, and be able to find that content easily, but they also need to know that the content is worth buying.  

For Swets, in addition to publisher reputation, librarian endorsement is a key credential.

Supporting librarians is good business for Swets and, by extension, good business for their publishing clients!