There is no getting around it: newspapers and other forms of print media are in a sharp decline. The days of getting your newspaper from a newsstand seem to be over. But that doesn’t mean that people have stopped reading!
People want to hear what you have to say. When you create an online magazine, you offer a highly popular format for people to enjoy your content. A company magazine in print may no longer be the best solution, but a digital magazine certainly is.
Keep reading as we discuss why a web magazine is the way to go, and the benefits you get from it.
When You Create an Online Magazine, You Give Your Customers Instant Access
Think of how print distribution works. First, the publisher has to actually print the company magazine. Then, from the printers, they distribute it out to their customers.
This entire process can take several weeks, which is why many magazines finish the issue for a particular month far in advance. Even when a new customer subscribes to a magazine like Time, they need to wait at least four weeks to get their first issue.
With a digital magazine, that’s all in the past. You can distribute a new issue instantly. Readers will be able to receive it when it is “hot off the press.”
Sure, starting a digital magazine still requires a team of writers and graphic designers to make it. But this cuts down all the time that your customers need to wait to get the latest issue. Even better, it gives you more wiggle room in case there is a delay with the current issue.
It Is More Convenient to Read
In the past, if someone wanted to read a magazine, they had to have that magazine with them. They have to carry it around until they got the chance to read it. And if they left it at home, too bad!
These days, our digital devices give us access to anything we want, wherever we want. Most people have their phones with them at all times. They no longer have to worry about forgetting a magazine, because they have it right there.
Even better, they can read it in any format they desire. If they prefer to read it from the computer screen, they can do so. And if they want to cozy up on the couch with a tablet, they have that option too.
By creating a digital magazine subscription, you are giving your readers more flexibility. They no longer have to deal with the inconvenience of a print magazine.
Of course, you can keep your print magazine for the Luddites in your customer base. But providing a digital version will make your tech-savvy customers feel welcome and heard.
It Provides Interactive Content
Many lament the decline of print media. Whether for nostalgia or practicality, there are some good arguments in favor of print media. For example, it requires no batteries and can outlast any hard drive.
The thing is, digital publications make up for their lack of durability. In addition to being faster and more convenient, they are more interactive.
If you are reading a magazine and you want to know more about a certain topic, you’d have to head to your computer or the library. But with the digital magazine, you’re already on a device with direct access to humanity’s knowledge. You can interact with the magazine’s content as if it were an interactive museum exhibit.
Customers can follow links, or engage with clever graphic design elements. They can see videos and other types of media. If they want to learn more about a certain topic, they can look it up right there.
It Is More Cost-Effective
Print media started out with a rudimentary printing press. In just a few hundred years, we went to the brilliant, colorful inkjet pages we see today. But this comes at a cost.
Printing is far cheaper than it used to be, but it still requires you to earmark part of your budget for it. And with a magazine, you’re not just printing in black and white. You’re going to need glossy, colorful pages that capture the eye–and weigh down the wallet.
This is not only a significant cost, but it’s bad for the environment. Many businesses are trying to go entirely paperless to prevent wasting this limited natural resource.
Digital media saves the environment and your wallet. It’s far more economical to serve digital magazines than to print and ship physical ones. Especially when you have customers all over the country or the world.
Whether you send a digital magazine to Denver or Dubai, it gets there instantly and for a fraction of the cost. And it still comes with all the benefits we mentioned above.
It Gives You Improved Analytics
With print media, you only have one metric: how many copies you sell. That’s it. Unless you check reviews online or ask around, you have no other way of finding out how effective your publication is.
All of that changes with a digital magazine. You can see how many people read it, how many pages they read, and much more. These analytics can give you valuable data about how effective your content is.
With each passing issue, you can improve your strategy. It allows you to identify pain points and fix them ASAP. It’s extremely important to know where people stop reading and which sections they are skipping.
Make a Digital Magazine with Magloft
There is a lot of good reason to create an online magazine in a world dominated by digital media. It gives your customers instantaneous, convenient access with interactive content to boot. The cost-effectiveness and improved analytics make it a formidable contender against print publications.
At Magloft, we specialize in digital content that readers love. Visit our website and see how we can make your online content really stick.
