The learnings from my recent Building Direct Audience Master Class were plentiful, and I’ve written about each of the three modules (here and here and here).

When we put everything together from the 13 guest experts and great questions and comments from the 118 attendees from 90 companies in 31 countries, we come away with some core principles that apply to everyone.

1. Opportunity lies in change — but only if you’re ready

The media landscape is shifting rapidly: platform volatility, AI disruption, and changing audience behaviour are rewriting the rules in real time. But within the chaos lies opportunity — for those prepared to experiment, learn, and adapt.

The future won’t be built on legacy models. It will be shaped by those bold enough to rethink what discovery, engagement, and loyalty look like now.

2. Think about impact, not just scale

It’s easy to chase big numbers, but reach doesn’t always equal value. The most successful media strategies today are laser focused on meaningful engagement — connecting with the right users, in the right moments, in the right way.

Whether through newsletters, niche products, or habit-building features, value lies in depth of connection, not just breadth of exposure.

3. People follow people

Trust is personal. As Jennifer Hicks from The Wall Street Journal showed, journalists with authentic, authoritative voices build powerful relationships with audiences.

When reporters step forward, share their perspectives, and engage on platforms like LinkedIn, it creates a magnet for community. This is a key area of growth — not just for reach but for brand loyalty.

4. Rethink storytelling, products, and features from passive to participatory

Today’s audiences, particularly Gen Z, don’t want to just consume content; they want to interact with it. As Liesbeth Nizet of Mediahuis reminded us, “news is no longer the default, it’s in the mix.”

Multi-format storytelling, visual-led features, service journalism, and interactive experiences (like live commenting or quizzes) create stronger, more memorable connections.

5. Shared experiences build habit and drive engagement

Whether it’s the daily ritual of Wordle or participating in a live news discussion, shared experiences give users a reason to return.

The New York Times’ success with games, forums, and newsletters shows that habit is social. And when people feel part of something bigger, they stick around longer.

6. Creators know community; we should learn from them

Creators have mastered direct connection, habit formation, and community building. They know how to create loyalty through personality, relevance, and consistency.

Media companies don’t need to become influencers, but we can adopt their best practices, partner with them, and use their methods to build deeper audience engagement on our own terms.

7. Editorial alignment is crucial

Great product ideas fall flat without editorial buy-in. We saw this clearly with Der Spiegel, where service journalism aligned tightly with the brand’s mission — and delivered meaningful results.

Whether launching games, newsletters, or community tools, success comes when editorial strategy and product innovation move together.

8. Turn engagement into the product

Audience participation doesn’t just support the content. In many cases, it is the content. The Washington Post’s work on turning comments into AI-powered conversations is a great example.

Forums, polls, quizzes, and user-generated contributions can be integrated into both editorial strategy and monetisation models, creating value that compounds.

9. Loyalty drives revenue

Habit isn’t just good for retention — it’s great for business. Engaged users are more likely to subscribe, spend time, refer others, and respond to ads.

As we saw across games, newsletters, and habit-forming products, investing in loyalty unlocks long-term monetisation — and protects against external shocks like algorithm changes.

10. “Follow no one” — but learn from everyone

As Sinead Boucher of Stuff reminded us, sometimes the best strategy is to walk away from platforms that no longer serve your goals. But innovation doesn’t mean starting from scratch.

Research best practices. Study streaming, gaming, and creator economies. Then adapt what makes sense — and build what’s right for your brand, your mission, and your audience.

If you’d like to subscribe to my bi-weekly newsletter, INMA members can do so here.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .