In the news: Is Google's Accelerated Mobile Pages format helping drive traffic to publishers' websites?

Google AMP has recently surpassed Facebook's Instant Articles format in popularity. But, according to Lucia Moses of Digiday.com, publishers aren't necessarily reaping tangible benefits. Citing a recent Chartbeat study, she reports that only one third of publishers are seeing AMP-driven traffic increases.

The limitations of the format don't end there. According to Moses, "Publishers have long griped that the ad revenue they make on AMP pages has been slow to build because AMP limits the types of ad formats that are supported.... Other complaints have been that AMP limits publishers' ability to promote other products, use elaborate editorial formats and get data back on reader behavior."

Read more here.

Also Notable

Hearst Adapts Snapchat Strategy

Sweet, a Hearst youth brand that runs on Snapchat only, is shifting its focus to video content. According to Garett Sloane of AdAge.com, Hearst will stop production of Sweet's daily digital magazine and replace it with a new video show on the social media platform. Publishers first made inroads on Snapchat in 2015 when the app launched Discover, which allows publishers to post articles, photos, videos, and GIFs to their channels. According to Sloane, "shows are different than the daily Discover channels, less like digital magazines and more like short-form television programs." Read more about the change in strategy here.

MPA President Discusses the Magazine Industry

MPA president Linda Thomas Brooks recently responded on LinkedIn to the latest doom-and-gloom magazine industry reports. Caysey Welton of Foliomag.com sat down with Brooks to discuss her post and the current state of magazine media. Their discussion covers print declines, consolidation, and other challenges. Read the interview here. For Brooks's original comments, click here.

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