Welcome to the fourth episode of CMO Digital, the video podcast that seeks to save you the time it takes to stay on top of the latest online marketing news and insights every week. This week we’re talking about the Toronto Star’s new digital business model, and the strange market for fake social media reviews.
After experimenting with a pay wall, the Toronto Star is dropping it entirely. Instead, Canada’s largest newspaper hopes to make up lost revenues by turning to a digital tablet edition that subscribers will pay to download, and advertisers will like because of the high engagement numbers.
These days, word-of-mouth marketing extends beyond peer conversations and into the digital realm thanks to social media sites and peer reviews on sites like Yelp. Harvard Business School shows that an increase in the number of stars a business receives a real boost in revenue. No wonder there’s social media accounts made just for the purpose of posting fake accounts. But what’s the cost of being caught in a lie?
Also, our shout out this week goes to Shawn Chance at Bionym, the Toronto-based wearables company that’s creating a platform for persistent identity.
If your company has exciting news or a change in your marketing leadership, send us a tweet @CMODigital.