Who today even has the idea to launch a new portal? At first glance, the question seems rhetorical, since for years we’ve been hearing stories about declining revenues, collapsing trust in media, and global platforms that have taken almost full control of the digital market. At first, it sounds like a recipe for certain failure. And yet, a few years ago I decided to take that path. It turned out not to be madness, but a decision that confirmed there is still room for growth, innovation, and a sustainable business model in the local market.
When I embarked on this venture, I had behind me 13 cumulative years of work at several Croatian portals, and over the years I had witnessed firsthand the digital transformation of local media. In the early days, changes did not come as quickly and intensely as they do today, when you adapt on a weekly basis and realize that big tech cannot be avoided because it is dominant and unavoidable. But just as quickly, you learn that it is neither enemy nor savior, but a tool, and the difference comes from how (and how much) we use it.
The mainstream narrative likes to present global platforms as the only ones that can deliver visibility and results. In practice, however, these are large, cumbersome systems that operate according to the rules of the mass market. If you are a small or medium publisher, your strengths lie elsewhere.
My greatest advantage turned out to be that I immediately started with direct sales. I built one-on-one relationships and didn’t wait for the algorithm to do the job for me. Personalized offers, understanding advertisers’ needs, flexibility in creating campaigns, these are elements big tech can never deliver at the level a local publisher can.
When we first appeared on the scene, I heard complaints from other media that advertisers didn’t need yet another channel. That’s why from the start our goal was to differentiate ourselves. Through content, but also with the awareness that advertisers lack a partner who listens to them, who can change formats on the go and propose solutions tailored specifically to them. We recognized that gap and found our niche.
The Strength of the Local Market
It is often forgotten how strong the local market actually is. It is not large enough for us to play on quantity, but it is specific enough that quality and adaptation make the difference. That is precisely why I believe a local publisher can offer more, from content that resonates, to the context advertisers need, to the flexibility global players lack.
I built my portal on that principle, and instead of competing with mainstream media in mass reach and volumes, I focused on where we are best: agility, freshness, and the ability to adapt our offering to the market. Direct conversations with clients not only brought revenue, but also created trust that is worth far more in the long run.
Why I Still Believe in Media
I often hear in conversations that the models mainstream media built their business on for years are falling apart. Clickbait is exhausted, and ad networks alone are no longer strong enough to sustain newsrooms, but that doesn’t mean media have no future. It only means we have reached a point where we must reposition ourselves, adapt to the environment, and find our own way.
And big tech will still be there, because it cannot be ignored. We use it too, but the key to our business model is not to hand it full control, but to use it as an additional channel. Our real foundation is the community we build and the relationships we develop, as well as the trust we maintain.
Launching a portal in such an environment sounds to many like a risky move, and maybe it is. But when I look back, I see it was a move that made sense, because it shows that even in such an uncertain, fragmented, and big tech-dominated environment, it is possible to succeed, and that as a small publisher you can succeed – algorithm or not.
