The task of sourcing and contracting with individual providers of licensed content can be both frustrating, time-consuming and costly. The process involves dedicating resources towards strategic sourcing of relevant publications or content services, completing legal documentation and license agreements, plus tech-related tasks such as establishing content feeds and CMS integrations. Further, these content providers will very likely have unique content formats to work with, plus unique content delivery methods, or content access platforms.

Licensing content in the traditional manner is cumbersome, so perhaps it is little wonder that some publications and brands are shying away from using third party or licensed content. However, using licensed content can be extremely beneficial to publishers, and to miss out on these benefits due to the complexity of the process can be detrimental to a publishing brand, depriving its audience of content they want and the publisher of the readers and audiences it craves.

So how can publishers enjoy the advantages of licensed content, without the stress of a resource-heavy process, whilst potentially saving money too? And how can publishers and editors streamline their editorial process where licensed content is concerned?

A robust, feature-rich content marketplace, with world-class journalism on offer, is a very good place to start.

An account with DISCO Content Marketplace is free, and gives publishers access to an expansive catalogue of high-quality content sources, from heavy-hitting international publishing brands, to niche publications. With a DISCO account, a publisher is able to search the catalogue of articles, interviews, newswires, editorial cartoons, videos, photos, infographics and more, as the content  is updated in real time. Saved searches and alerts can also be set up, to save time searching for the right content.

Using specific keywords, or searching by topic, format, publication, or language, a publisher can find the content their audience wants and license it in a cost-effective and speedy manner. DISCO’s pay-per-use system means that users only pay for the content they use, without having to worry about fixed annual license or subscription fees.
 
The platform removes the need to integrate multiple content feeds from different providers, saving time and money as a result. The laborious task of setting up individual systems per provider is eliminated, leaving a single streamlined process for licensing third-party content. 

It is similar in a way to the evolution of the high street, where shoppers switched from traveling around multiple shops in order to acquire goods, to the much simpler and streamlined buying process offered by the likes of online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay.

Woman reading licensed content

Direct contracts with individual publishers, writers, content creators and content agencies requires a lengthy set-up process, stacks of paperwork and extensive maintenance. DISCO Content Marketplace offers the same content, all in one place, and with the added benefit of expert curation advice, advanced tools, search and data processing technology, and a pay-per-use licensing system. 

With access to 2000+ niche and super-premium publishers via one platform, all fully rights cleared, DISCO allows publishers to discover the true potential of licensed content. 

Content formats on offer include news, analysis, feature articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, infographics, cartoons, live sports scores, photos, UGC and much more. Editorial, B2B, and B2C content is available in multiple languages, and is easily discoverable through use of DISCO’s advanced search tools.

For occasional use of certain content (e.g. an interview, a feature, an editorial cartoon, a creative image etc.), these items can be purchased on a pay-per-use (PPU) basis. Or, for high volume, daily use of certain content sources (e.g. newswires, daily video news etc.), these services can be subscribed to for a fixed month-to-month license fee. Furthermore, content services can also be purchased as part of a discounted package, with a set amount of ‘content credits’ to be used at any time.

DISCO’s users save both time and money, by only paying for the amount of content they will ultimately use. Monthly limits can also be set to cap spending and stay within budget, and payments can be made via PayPal, credit card, or bank-to-bank wire transfer. 

Licensed content is extremely valuable as it allows for a publisher to ensure output meets demand, and that reliable content satisfies the needs (and exceeds the expectations) of its readers and audiences. 

Users of the DISCO platform can tap into its experienced content curation experts and data analysts, who provide assistance in identifying the topics, authors, formats and channels the user’s target audience cares about the most.

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