FreePint Feedback - Evaluating Premium vs Non-Cost Resources
Jinfo Blog

By Catherine Dhanjal

Abstract

We highlight recent FreePint articles, case studies and research around premium vs non-cost resources.

Item

We received a question from a customer: 

"I'm interested in FreePint resources on evaluating ROI from investment in information resources and evaluating premium vs non-cost resources."

We replied: 

We have a variety of FreePint research, articles and case study material which could be of interest to you, including: 

Purchase criteria and key features: 

• Research into purchase criteria for premium news products and integration with other products such as intranets: FreePint News Survey Analysis 2014 Part 2 - Purchase Criteria and Integration. The features listed in the variables for purchasing variable premium content products provide useful insight into how such products can improve efficiency. 

• Research into the role of non-cost resources in providing business news: FreePint News Survey Analysis 2014 Part 4 - A Look at Non-Cost Resources. This included analysis of which features are unique to premium sources.

• News products vary from online newspapers to news search engines, premium aggregators and social media tools. This article looks at areas such as USP and key search functions for the major groups of news products:
  
  
  • Market Map: the Options in News Aggregation & Beyond

• This article contains a useful list of features offered by two key premium news aggregators and charts how their popularity has changed since 2012: FreePint Research Investigates - How Satisfied are Nexis and Factiva Users?

• FreePint research into the legal market in 2014 included some points which, whilst directed at legal information providers, will apply to more general news databases, such as features rated as most important (which non-cost may not offer), integration with workflow, and advanced search: UK Legal Research (Managing the Budget and the Portfolio)

Drawbacks and attractions of non-cost tools:

• Case study of a firm which carried out an evaluation of premium vs non-cost news tools: Evaluating Premium News Services Against Free Sources. The author includes information on making the case for change and some tips for parallel searching. 

• Drawbacks of non-cost tools - this article refers to the lack of business process coordination for social platforms: Organising and Delivering Practical Actions from News Content.

Copyright and other considerations:

• The author of this article focuses on copyright law in the UK and provides useful guidance on key copyright and licensing matters: Issues of Copyright for Current Awareness

• This interview with NLA media access explores international copyright and licensing issues: Q&A with NLA media access

• Other considerations around copyright are explored in Copyright and Issues of Redistribution in an Increasingly Connected World - essential when selecting content and redistributing both internally with your colleagues, and externally with clients and on your website.

Needs assessment and value: 

• The author reflects on her experience of procuring products and writing evaluations, it contains some useful considerations such as comprehensiveness, periodicity and licensing terms: Product Evaluations - Completing a Needs Assessment

• This article provides a useful framework for defining and reaching agreement on what constitutes “value”: Four Components of "Value" Essential for Meaningful Conversations with Stakeholders 

• Moving towards shared understanding of value within the organisation is essential and the author covers areas to consider, such as are the premium content operators offering something that’s essential to the company business and driving the core business? Five Themes in Understanding Value.

Do you have a question about Sources, Technology or Value? We can help, please contact us.

« Blog