Use digital technology plus audience insights to tailor content and engage readers.

With the vast amounts of data available, it’s easier to see who is engaging with your content and how. Using digital tracking tools like Google Analytics and social tools like HootSuite or SproutSocial can help you understand how, when, and how long your audience is engaging with your content through data points like open rates, page views and click rates.

But don’t overlook an actual human perspective! In printed publications, embedding QR codes that solicit reader feedback or incorporating online surveys can provide valuable commentary from your audience. And conducting interviews and focus groups can help you glean insight into content that your readers want to see more of. Not only can you use this qualitative data to guide your content distribution, you can also mine these comments for content ideas.

Using a thoughtful mix of these tools will ultimately enable you to get a picture of what kinds of content are most resonant with your intended audience and provide a starting point for your editorial calendar.

The human side of AI.

The use of AI is expected to grow by 5x in the next few years. While it’s changing the way work gets done in all industries, AI is particularly being seen as an effective tool to assist content creators, writers and editors in getting their work done more efficiently.

But in simplest terms, AI is merely collective human knowledge, synthesized. It magnifies our human intelligence and our human flaws. Machine learning and generative content come with the risks of fraud, impersonation, and inaccuracies, not the least of which is plagiarism. Readers are getting savvier in recognizing AI-generated content, and you risk engagement and credibility by publishing work in your association’s publication that doesn’t quite sound human. It’s not always evident how AI is working behind the scenes, so be transparent in your editorial team’s use of it.

Additionally, the voices curated within AI may not be representative of your association publication’s intended tone. Keep in mind that it’s important to incorporate diversity in gender, race, sexual orientation and more. Without careful human oversight and decision making in the mix, the end product could be at odds with your association’s overall vision.

Perhaps most importantly, have the conversation among your publication’s team members about how to use AI responsibly in their content creation and editing. Coach employees on the best ways to use AI as a tool and not a crutch. Define ways where it is effective and helps support and define your publication’s broader story, so it can be used as a means of more effective and efficient work.

Augmented reality as content immersion.

Augmented reality can give your publication—whether in print or digital format—an immersive experience through interactive animation, infographics, and charts.

This begs the question, what are your readers hungry for more of? Where would a visual or interactive component be beneficial, versus potentially distracting? While you could enable your print materials to link to digital devices, would that experience enhance your base content? Are you truly offering readers a different way to take in the information that will boost their understanding?

Let’s focus on the human experience.

As you’re looking to integrate these shiny new technologies into your association’s publication strategies, your north star should be the humans consuming your content. Keeping your audience and your customers at the heart of your publication, even in the midst of the tidal wave of rapid digital transformation, can be a way to define your publication strategy, stay nimble, and evolve as you move into 2025 and beyond.