Do you publish anything? Blog, newsletter, brochure or book? This one is for you.

Last week’s Publish conference revealed some key insights into what is happening in publishing. Read on for a quick update.

1. Catalogues are making a comeback
   Ikea kept the faith but a lot of companies moved their catalogues online over the past decade. Mahlab Media head of content Martin Wanless said that this trend is reversing and that hard copy catalogues are making a comeback. JC Penny, Anthropologie, J.Crew, Restoration, Bonobos and Birchbox are all examples of companies that have launched (or relaunched) their catalogues. A consumer trend towards nostalgia, combined with the weekend/leisure reading implications of a print product mean that catalogues are an effective vehicle for accessing time poor customers.

1. Crowdfunding for content
   Regardless of your opinion about paywalls, the new model – as suggested by Press Patron founder Alex Clark – is that audiences will pay for content that they value. Press Patron is a widget that can be embedded on a blog or website so that readers can voluntarily donate to the site, effectively crowdfunding the ongoing creation of the content.

1. Bundling is big
   Rather than buying one product from a company, a number of the big publishers are trialling bundling. If you subscribe to Product A, you then receive Product B, C and D as well. It could be another magazine, access to paid content or an on-demand streaming service like NetFlix. Rather than looking at a product in isolation, the bundling provides better values to customers and helps build audiences for newer products and services.