What does the future local website look like? Part 1.

The article discusses the future of local websites and their importance for publishers. It highlights three external factors that will impact the digital business of local publishers: generative AI, the de-emphasis of news publishers by big tech companies, and the demise of third-party cookies. The article explores the positive and negative aspects of these factors and the opportunities they present for local publishers. It emphasizes the need for publishers to embrace generative AI, think and act like creators, and focus on collecting first-party data. The article concludes by mentioning that the next month's column will detail how to create a digital business using available technology. [Extracted from the article]