There are numerous enthusiast media brands, from legacy magazines like Writer’s Digest and Runner’s World, to consumer brands launching owned media initiatives like Red Bull. Substitute “niche” or “vertical” for enthusiast and most B2B media brands walk a similar path; Skift is one of the more interesting digital startups in that mix, attempting to disrupt the travel vertical. Because enthusiast media can go deep rather than chase scale, the content they produce is inherently more valuable and the KPIs are different. https://www.bibblio.org/blog/enthusiast-media-a-new-way-to-think-about-digital

1. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
Data-Informed Content Strategy
for Enthusiast Media
GUY LeCHARLES GONZALEZ
September 20, 2018
#FOMPNYC

2. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
• As in “guillotine”
• Old/new media pragmatist
CURRENT
• Director of Marketing, F+W Media
PREVIOUSLY
• Director, Content Strategy & Audience Development, Library Journal
• Founding Director, Programming & Business Development, Digital Book World
CONTACT
• Email: glecharles@gmail.com
• Twitter: @glecharles
• LinkedIn: guylgonzalez

3. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
What is Enthusiast Media?
A truly diversified enthusiast media company brings a community
together across multiple platforms and connects them to the
information, inspiration, and resources they need to pursue their
shared interests and individual goals.

4. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
Who is an Enthusiast?
a person filled with enthusiasm: such as
a) one who is ardently attached to a cause, object, or pursuit
• a sports car enthusiast
b) one who tends to become ardently absorbed in an interest
• First Known Use: 1570
SOURCE: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enthusiast

5. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
The Fiction Writer
Skill Levels (Who)
• Beginner writer
• Experienced writer
• MFA student/graduate
• Published author
Interests (What)
• Commercial fiction
• Literary fiction
• Genre fiction
• Young Adult
• Children’s
• Comics/Graphic Novels
GOALS (How)
• Inspiration & Advice
• Critique
• Find your voice
• Find markets
• Find an agent/publisher
• Find an editor/designer/publicist
• Self-publishing
• Building a platform / personal brand
• Bookstore & library distribution
• Associations
• Available time
• Poetry
• Short Stories
• Novels
• Business & Legal
Matters
• Public speaking
• Awards / Competitions

6. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
The Memoirist
Skill Levels (Who)
• Beginning writer
• Experienced writer
• Published author
• Life experience
Interests (What)
• Books
• Personal essays
• Travel writing
• Blogs
GOALS (How)
• Inspiration & Advice
• Critique
• Find your voice
• Researching & interviewing
• Keep a journal
• Find markets
• Find an agent/publisher
• Find an editor/designer/publicist
• Self-publishing
• Building a platform / personal brand
• Bookstore & library
distribution
• Preserving memories
• Public speaking
• Awards / Competitions

7. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
The Freelance Writer
Skill Levels (Who)
• Beginning writer
• Journalism student
• Experienced writer/journalist
• Category expert (writing experience
secondary)
Interests (What)
• Personal essays, creative nonfiction
• Reporting, journalism
• Copywriting
• Content marketing
• Corporate communications, business writing
GOALS (How)
• Inspiration & Advice
• Critique
• Researching & interviewing
• Find your voice
• Find markets
• Pitching stories
• Negotiating contracts, fair rates
• Getting a book deal
• Building a platform / personal brand
• Ghostwriting*
• Awards /
Competitions
• Associations

8. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
The Screenwriter
Skill Levels (Who)
• Beginner screenwriter
• Experienced screenwriter
• Produced screenwriter
• Film school student
• Indie filmmaker
Interests (What)
• Films
• TV
• Genres
• Documentary
• Comics & Graphic Novels
GOALS (How)
• Inspiration & Advice
• Critique
• Finding your voice
• Pitching & selling a script
• Adapting a book/story
• Adapting your book/story
• Making a movie
• Finding representation
• Negotiating contracts, fair rates
• Building a platform / personal brand
• Networking
• Business & legal
matters
• Getting a book deal
• Awards /
Competitions
• Web series
• Gaming

9. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
ENTHUSIAST
MAGAZINES
WEBSITES
EVENTS
BOOKS
SOCIAL
SEARCHEMAIL
IRL
VENDOR
VENDOR
AUTHORS
VENDOR
EDUCATION
ASSOCIATIONS
BOOKSELLERS
LIBRARIANS
Cutting Through the Noise

10. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
Audience / Content Matrix
PERSONA C
SKILL LEVEL
INTERESTS
GOALS
PERSONA A
SKILL LEVEL
INTERESTS
GOALS
FREE PAID
PERSONA B
SKILL LEVEL
INTERESTS
GOALS
ENGAGE NURTURE SELL
AMATEUR ASPIRANT PRO
REGISTERED
ONLINE PRINTEMAIL EVENTS SERVICES

11. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
Content Overview
• KPIs: New visitors via search & social; pages/session; email acquisition; email open rates and CTRs
• Secondary: Conversions to paid subscriptions, services, events; renewal rates; affiliate links to
recommended products; engagement and/or lead generation for branded content programs.
Web
BooksMagazines Competitions
Events
Social Enewsletters
Education
Freemiums
Sponsored
Content
Services
Products /
Supplies
Online content serves two purposes—audience engagement and email
acquisition—providing the foundation for integrated and dedicated marketing
programs for key products and services, as well as sponsored/branded
content opportunities.

12. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
Data-Informed Content Strategy
Online content strategy must drive
ongoing engagement with a targeted
variety of enthusiast types
throughout their unique journeys.
● Persona A
● Persona B
● Persona C
A holistic, fully integrated content strategy
ensures we’re producing the right products and
services—and working with the right partners—
to reach and serve the right audiences…
● Product Development
● Market Insights
● Thought Leadership
● Partnerships & Acquisitions
ACTIVE
AUDIENCE

13. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
“Some of these conversations ended in a sale, but don’t let that fool you. The sale was merely
the exclamation mark at the end of the sentence.”
Markets Are Conversations, CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO (1999)

14. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez | loudpoet.com | glecharles@gmail.com
GUY LeCHARLES GONZALEZ
glecharles@gmail.com | @glecharles