Optimising for AI discovery - The Publisher Masterclass

The way audiences find new content is undergoing dramatic changes with the rise of AI-powered search. Adapting to these new habits will be crucial for surviving and thriving over the next few years.

David Buttle of DJB Strategies and Stuart Forrest of Bauer Media will help attendees formulate a strategy for weathering rapid changes, and future-proofing your content discovery strategy.

You will learn:

• How the search and discovery landscape is shifting and what the consequences are for publisher strategy
• Assessing the benefits and costs of remaining visible in AI-powered search
• Optimisation paths to create resilient businesses in this new platform era

Masterclass leads: David Buttle & Stuart Forrest

David Buttle: After 15 years in leadership roles in global media businesses, working across strategy, corporate affairs and commercial roles, David founded DJB Strategies; a boutique consultancy created to help companies in media and information services respond to change, succeed and grow.

Prior to this, David was Director of Public Affairs and Platform Strategy for the Financial Times. He led the FT’s response to artificial intelligence, had strategic oversight of its interfaces with Big Tech, and was responsible for relationships with governments and legislators. Before this, he was Global Commercial Marketing Director, leading an international team that was integral to the FT’s market-leading commercial performance throughout that period.

He has also worked as a senior manager at Pearson, as well as holding corporate communications and marketing roles in education and consulting businesses.

Stuart Forrest is Global Audience Director at Bauer Media, where he leads digital audience acquisition across Bauer’s properties across the UK and Germany, in sectors such as women’s lifestyle, automotive, food, TV & Entertainment and specialist.

Prior to this Stuart was SVP, Audience & Marketing at Future plc, working across Future’s global portfolio and leading audience acquisition across all owned and earned media channels, email newsletters and paid search for brands including Marie Claire, TechRadar, GoCompare.com and WhoWhatWear.

Stuart has also held leadership roles at Immediate Media, building central teams focused around organic search and content commerce content. As well as his day job, Stuart is focused closely on how publishers can maintain both visibility and a fair value exchange as AI changes the search landscape.