• by Melynda Fuller , March 5, 2019

Since joining Revcontent late last year, CEO Omar Nicola has been looking for new ways to solve revenue problems faced by publishers. The latest solution is a new month-to-month nonexclusive deal for publishers that want to test out Revcontent’s recommendation platform on their sites.

The new plan will allow publishers to adjust how many ads appear on their sites and where they place Revcontent’s units. They can also control what type of content they allow. That way, each publisher can find the balance that best meets their revenue and content needs.

“We’re continuing to see publishers of all shapes and sizes forced to make the tough decisions to cut staff and to operate more efficiently. The urgency centers around fears the current business model in media and journalism may not be able to sustain an independent system of checks and balances,” Nicola told Publishers Daily.

“The best way for our industry to evolve is by being a better partner for publishers and understanding we are one piece of the puzzle as they tackle these challenges.”

According to Nicola, the new approach will allow a publisher to test out implementations to maximize the overall page RPM. “We want to develop a true meritocracy with zero commitment. If you like what you see, keep it up. If not, take it down,” he said.

With the new program, Revcontent will disclose what the terms of the guarantee mean for the publishers' upfront and provide them with options. Nicola added the current structure blurs actual rates paid.

“As a publisher, this structure makes it tough to understand the economics of a deal and plan for it as part of their overall revenue strategy,” Nicola said.

According to Nicola, Revcontent can enter into this type of plan because it is a profitable company that hasn’t taken on massive amounts of funding. That allows it to remain flexible when dealing with clients.

“Things will ultimately come to a head; the pendulum has swung too far in the direction of the vendor,” Nicola said. “Instead, we need to bring a publisher-centric focus back into the equation."