A new study from Sciences Po pulls back the curtain on the digital toolkits of French publishers, revealing a vibrant but complex technology landscape. The 2024 Tech Stack Survey, encompassing marketing, editorial, and technical teams across France, paints a picture of a sector grappling with tool fragmentation, cautiously exploring AI, and striving for tech satisfaction amidst persistent integration and cost challenges. The Tech Stack, held for the fourth time, was created in 2021 by Marion
Wyss, an online media professional specializing in subscriber acquisition strategies.
Key Findings: Navigating a Diverse Tech Terrain
- Fragmentation Reigns Supreme: French publishers operate within a highly fragmented tech market.
As the study emphasizes, “As in previous years, the first finding of this study is the considerable fragmentation of the sector. Competition is intense. Few tools hold firm leadership positions.”
This isn’t due to a lack of options; quite the opposite. Publishers are faced with a dizzying array of tools across all categories, leading to diverse tech stacks tailored to individual needs, priorities, and budgets.
- In-House Solutions Emerge in Key Areas: Interestingly, many publishers are opting for a DIY approach in critical areas like Content Management Systems (CMS), live text tools, and data lakes.
The survey notes, “In almost every field, content producers are moving away from off-the-shelf tools to produce their own technology in-house.”
While off-the-shelf solutions abound, control and customization seem to be driving this in-house trend in specific domains.
- AI Adoption is Up, But Still in the “Experiment Zone”: The buzz around AI is translating into action, with over 70% of French publishers experimenting with AI tools. From ChatGPT for copywriting and idea generation to MidJourney and DALL-E for visual creation, publishers are exploring AI for content optimization, translation, transcription, and even editorial experimentation.
However, the report cautions, “However, these technologies are still perceived as experimental and lack integration into production workflows.”
Concerns around AI maturity, strategic alignment, data security, and potential misinformation are keeping adoption measured. For many, AI use remains limited to “simple tasks (translations, syntheses) and does not yet have a massive impact on their activities.”
- Overall Tech Satisfaction on the Rise, But Category-Specific Pain Points Persist: There’s good news! Overall satisfaction with tech stacks has improved significantly compared to recent years.
“Whereas over the past 3 years, respondents’ overall satisfaction has struggled to reach 6.4/10, this year’s scores are much higher.”
However, dig deeper, and satisfaction is highly variable. Publishers report high satisfaction with push notifications, SEO tools, and paywalls. Conversely, subscription managers consistently receive low scores (averaging just 6.1/10), plagued by complaints of “solutions made for print and aging interfaces.” E-commerce solutions and editorial planning tools also face similar satisfaction challenges.
Key Tools in the French Publisher’s Arsenal
While fragmentation is the theme, some tools are clearly leading the pack in key categories. The survey highlights these top contenders:
- Ad Server: Google Ad Manager (dominating with 66% usage)
- Correction: Prolexis (61% usage)
- Analytics: AT Internet/Piano Analytics (58% usage)
- Tag Management: Google Tag Manager (57% usage)
- CMP (Consent Management Platform): Didomi (53% usage)
- Source Code Management: Github (47% usage)
- Paywall: Poool (43% usage)
Lingering Challenges: Integration, Underutilization, and Legacy Tech
Despite rising satisfaction, French publishers are still wrestling with fundamental challenges:
- Integration Headaches: The sheer variety of tools creates integration nightmares, hindering smooth workflows and data exploitation. As one publisher noted about editorial planning tools, “The lack of governance of these tools means that there is no ‘real’ editorial planning, shared by all editorial departments.”
- Unlocking Full Potential: Publishers often struggle to fully utilize the capabilities of their existing tools, suggesting a need for better training and internal expertise.
- Cost Control: Managing the costs associated with an ever-expanding tech stack remains a significant concern.
- Legacy System Drag: Outdated CMS and subscription management systems are holding publishers back, highlighting the urgent need for modernization. One publisher candidly admitted about their e-commerce solution, “Our store (single item sales) is on an old technical stack and hasn’t been reviewed for many years; We plan to replace it during 2025.”
- Human Resources Gap: A lack of internal expertise can limit the adoption and effective use of new technologies, hindering innovation.
Quotes from the Field
The survey captured valuable publisher feedback, highlighting both frustrations and successes:
- Subscription Landing Pages: “Tailor-made in-house solution, but as soon as we want to modify something, it’s development to put in place.” – Illustrating the trade-offs of custom solutions.
- Newsletters: “Very simple and flexible in its use, allows good creativity in templates. Good deliverability.” – Praising user-friendly tools.
- Paywall: “Marketing teams’ autonomy over the tool, support team’s responsiveness, easy-to-modify design, expertise and support. Statistics could be improved” – Highlighting the importance of user empowerment and support.
- Datalake: “Our Data Sciences teams are able to exploit a large set of data to segment our readers and build predictive models…” – Showcasing the power of data-driven strategies when tools are effectively leveraged.
- Text to Speech: “Good improvement lately with conversion of all content + journalists’ voices pretty good, less robotic.” – Acknowledging positive advancements in emerging technologies.
Implications for French Publishers Moving Forward
The 2024 Tech Stack Survey provides crucial insights for French publishers as they navigate the evolving digital landscape. Key takeaways include:
- Prioritize Integration: Focus on strategies to streamline workflows and better connect existing tools for improved efficiency and data flow.
- Invest in Training and Upskilling: Empower teams to fully leverage both current and emerging technologies, especially AI, through targeted training and development programs.
- Strategic Tech Evaluation: Carefully weigh costs and benefits when selecting new tools, ensuring they align with strategic goals and offer tangible ROI.
- Modernize and Upgrade: Address legacy systems and infrastructure to eliminate bottlenecks and create a future-proof tech foundation.
About the Study
The 2024 Tech Stack Survey by Sciences Po analyzed responses from a diverse range of French media organizations, including national daily press, audiovisual media, magazines, regional press, and pure-players. The study focused on the tools used (“Tech Stacks”) and user satisfaction, providing a valuable benchmark of the French publishing technology landscape.
