The economic model for online content is changing, and brand consultancy Sequel Studio is helping online publishers optimize their user experiences and better monetize their content.

“Media publishers are finding the current advertising model is no longer paying the rent,” says Sequel Director of Strategy Philip Rackin. “Essentially, everyone’s asking how their site can make more money.”

Sequel has been working with clients on all sides of this equation for years, optimizing content experiences both for advertising-supported visitor audiences as well as subscriber audiences sold on the clear value of the content. A newly launched microsite offers content publishers valuable guidance on how to realize more return on their investment. The site identifies five key areas in which publishers should focus their efforts. There’s also an offer for a complimentary assessment in the form of Sequel’s Digital Health Scorecard, which rates the efficacy of a current site against these five factors. And, it offers an example of how content can be optimized through a detailed case study of the work Sequel did to align the strength of the Consumer Reports brand with a wealth of high-value content. The result is a clean and well-organized user experience offering access to a variety of content channels.

“Increasing traffic is no longer the holy grail,” Rackin adds. “Without sufficient advertising revenue, publishers need to increase engagement and explore alternate revenue streams to find the most appropriate and viable ones.”