As I write this it’s day three of the iPad revolution and nothing has changed. For a digital content and advertising executive nothing has changed at all. You’re still going to work today and your challenge is getting content onto the devices people will access, getting compelling ad messages in front of those people, and finally getting paid for your company’s efforts. All the iPad did was get portable content devices on the evening news.

I think there are more than a few reasons to overstate the iPad’s impact. There a plenty to get excited about but as well, but from where I sit, there’s still a lot of people who are not in the market for a new device because they upgraded or bought a new one at Christmastime. There are also a lot of people who $650 means a lot to, and chose not to part with. And there’s still that nagging feeling that this industry believes its own press. Just like Washington inside the beltway, I wonder how many executives have looked outside their own circle. How many iPads were sold past the early adopters, gadget heads, and metrotextuals?

So as you settle into work today, consider the following in the wake of iPad weekend:

1. Smartphones are still the revolution at hand. Content continues to roll out on smartphones, advertising follows and now I’m noticing more sophisticated usage patterns picking up speed. In its latest issue loyalty marketing agency publication Colloquy has a fascinating article about using smartphones as a loyalty membership ID, points redeemer, and loyalty program update channel. There’s a lot of room for content and advertising companies to play there.
2. Paid business models: The iPad may fulfill its promise of showing consumers that special moment where they absolutely have to pay for content. And maybe it comes it the form of an app. But for most content executives getting paid will mean more than an app. This business still has to deliver the not so cool message that content won’t work without salaried employees doing expert work.
3. Customer focus: The iPad, Kindle, Droid, and everything else needs to focus on customer experience. Content executives need to do that as well. Nothing erases that from the “to do” list, not even a revolutionary content platform.

The iPad sold a staggering amount of units over the past weekend. But it has not staggered the market. As far as I know Google will still be a competitor this week. Amazon won’t throw in the towel either.  Customers are still out there to be attracted, retained, and monetized.