Some ideas/themes for the future of publishing

I've been involved in digital publishing for a fair few years now, on a number of websites primarily (though also sms in its early days, and now blogging, V-blogging and moblogging.

We're all struggling to make sense of all the rapid changes the collaborative, everything-for-free, empowering, nature of internet - and latterly the mobile phone - is making to traditional publishing models.

So, to start things rolling - here are a few things I'm currently concluding (and this may change by the week) should guide our developments, marketing and communication as the future accelerates towards us.

So, here's my top 10 list for today:

1. The mobile phone is king - it's the one piece of convergent technology every economically viable human on the planet carries with them at all times. Google predicts you won't pay for mobile calls within 5 years.
2. Virtual commodoties (and virtual worlds) have a real and extremely rapidly growing value - what are you doing to cash in?
3. Blogging and their interconnectivity - all journalists should become bloggers
4. Mass communication is over - micro mass communication is the way ahead
5. Be led by your community, let them test and contribute to product development
6. Have an authentic voice - not a corporate line.
7. Create new market space (blue seas vs red seas)
8. Communities will tell you what your brand is - their use of it defines it.
9. Marketing must be 'non-interuptive'
10. All content has to be free - sorry but there it is. You can make cash from advertising around it and offering other services around it.

Please add your thoughts via the comment function, or email me... or whatever!

I'd also welcome any links you think should appear on here - and any RSS feeds (sse those technology news ones already appearing on the left column).


BY THE WAY: I note the FT had a supplement covering many of the themes this blog wants to explore, on Friday, Sep 20. If anyone read it, please let me know and I'll invite you to blog about it (ie you'll be able to contribute it direct rather than simply as a post).