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How Euractiv Jobs could save Euractiv (and the euractiv jobsite)

2024-03-20

Euractiv is Brussels second biggest eu policy news source, founded by Christophe Leclercq and then expanded by David Mekkaoui - who also built the job board- it has been acquired by mediahuis.

While initially built to share news free and as a alternative to paid media sources, under new management euractiv is trying to find a more profitable revenue model - which in the eyes of the new owners is a euractiv eu affairs subscription aimed at public affairs professionals. They haven't closed down the many - unprofitable- offices in diverse european countries.

What is my qualms with this strategy?

I think it goes against the main value proposition, if I were CEO of Euractiv, I'd try to expand on the profitable parts of the business such as the "euractiv jobsite" which used to be the dominating job board but is now losing market share. I'd also rationalize the workforce and improve the technical part of the newspaper by hiring more programmers and SEO specialists before thinking of competing against Politico (Euractiv's main rival in the eu affairs/public affairs space).

Why focus on the profitable parts of the business like the euractiv jobsite and the technical aspects of euractive?

First of all, half of the Euractiv staff don't know what they are doing. They don't know what their goal is, and are demotivated. Every known EU Institutions specialist has left or has been poached, and most of the current journalists are thinking of leaving.

Second of all, Euractiv currently doesn't have a SEO team - This is a disaster!
When one searches Euractiv's key words, they find phrases like "nisi suscipit molestie sed" (all part of filler content or "lorem ipsum") - this is embarrassing and is a 100% a fireable mistake.
It just goes to show how little attention has been given to the technical side of the website.

Worst still, Euractiv has a lot of hidden gems (in terms of profitability), in fact their job website "euractive jobs" or "euroactive jobs" makes 500k a year while only needing 1/2 a person to work on it. The euractiv jobsite, together with the event side of the business could generate so much more revenue.
With rationalization of the workforce, and a few modern tools such as dittofeed, superhuman, or simply junedotso - all tools to improve workers performance- Euractiv could be at least 40% more profitable in its eu affairs and European union centered events business.

Yet management insists on trying to compete with a giant (politico) on eu affairs/european union politics not only in Brussels but also in all 27 european countries. Why fight a giant that is better financed, has a bigger team, has better technology, and is also staffed?
This applies both to policy in the eu institutions and in international relations, or other eurozone policy news.

Euractiv must compete with technology not a Eurozone subscription

In strategic studies they say, when you can't beat your opponent with conventional armies you fight a guerilla warfare, and when you can't win with guerilla warefare you bring in the fanatics.

Euractiv can not beat Politico fighting with conventional journalism, that is a subscription model.

For every journalist that works for euractiv politico will have 5, and for every good article Euractiv writes on politics, government or even Brussels - politico will have 3.

Every time there are vacancies in politico euractiv journalist apply - this shouldn't happy.

Euractiv need to make the euractiv team into fanatics that believe in the mission: free information - or some other internal policy. How can euractiv beat politico if they are losing the conventional war, the guerilla war, and the fanaticism war?

Euractiv needs to think as a rebel.

Rationalize it's workforce and leverage it's opportunities and strengths (yes! I mean profitable parts of the business like the euractiv jobsite!). There will always be space for another newspaper to cover european affairs, the european commission, and the politics that moves the European countries.

When I talk about the "euractiv jobsite" I mean focus and vision.
The euractiv jobsite is just a metaphor for focused leadership that is able to motivate the euractiv team so they don't apply to all the vacancies in other newspapers.

A more nimble workforce, more focus on profitable parts of the business (yes, I'll say it again, the euractive jobs) and better management.
The Euractiv management team should close all the european countries officies - they are a waste of resources. With better email tools and more technical people in house not only will the euractiv jobsite have a fighting chance, but the website as a whole will rank higher when one googles "eu affairs", "international relations", or "EU institutions".

That being said our website will most likely crush the euractiv jobsite.

While we have instant payments set up with stripe, the euractiv jobsite still uses bank transfers.
While we have good SEO and in house specialists, the euractiv jobsite only has a intern working on it (and soon when one writes "euractiv jobsite" or "euroactive jobs" eujobs will show before it).

Eu Jobs is owned by a startup, we'll always move faster than traditional players.
If the euractiv jobsite is able to catch up with us, we'll have already gobbled up the rest of the European countries market.

In the end Zmanic (the parent company) aims to bring software to policy and international relations, and the euractiv jobsite is just one stepping stone.