A digital publishing platform, simply put. is a tool to easily publish your content digitally. In today’s society, consumers want immediate access to the things they need and enjoy. This includes digital media.
At the time that social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter were making their mark on the internet, news outlets like Huffington Post were paving a new path. Today, publishers are fighting to stay relevant as they learn to adapt.
If you publish print media, you should be taking notice of the fast-paced changes affecting your industry. Now is the time to start looking into a digital publishing platform.
You want a platform that is easily readable on smartphones and tablets and offers other capabilities.
Continue reading to learn why digital publishing is here to stay and what you need to do to get in the game.
What is a Digital Publishing Platform?
If you have ever read an online magazine, an E-book, or thumbed through an online catalog, you’ve experienced digital publishing. Simply put, digital publishing is the conversion of portable document format (PDF) files into a digital format. The digital files are to be displayed and read online.
A digital publishing platform allows the creator to house documents on a website as well as offer users the option to download. You can also charge for downloads, sell subscriptions, or give the content away for free.
Print Media is Becoming Extinct
In the future, shoppers may no longer have the option of thumbing through magazines while standing in the check-out line.
Things we may take for granted today could easily be replaced with media delivered via digital publishing platforms. You may have already noticed those metal pay boxes containing the daily paper slowly finding their way to recycle centers.
It is eerily reminiscent of how cell phones made public pay-phones extinct. Right now, it seems that digital offerings are overtaking newspapers.
For publishers accustomed to print media, this might be a big adjustment. However, we believe that there are overall advantages of choosing digital publishing. Your readers may love you for it.
It May Come With Huge Cost Savings
Who doesn’t want to save money? If you choose to use a digital publishing platform, it will help you do just that. By reducing or completely eliminating print media, you could reduce publication costs drastically.
With those savings, you could offer more competitive packages to employees, reinvest in your business, or perhaps even pay for that dream vacation.
You can also make a huge impact on the environment. You won’t need to print out your magazine physically, which automatically reduces the need for papers.
It’s More Convenient for Customers
Moving to a digital publishing platform places your content at the fingertips of your customers, 24 hours a day, 7 seven days a week. It also expands your reach to new consumers from around the world.
Imagine the potential for readers. This could create a new model for your publications that create a new experience to your core base.
In addition, the reduced costs of publishing may allow you to publish more frequently, and offer specialized pieces on a dime.
Create Interactive Ads for Advertisers
You are pretty limited when it comes to advertisements with print media. The advertiser gives you an ad that may have a coupon attached. He then waits and hopes that the customer saw the ad and took the time to cut out the coupon before discarding the print media.
With a digital publishing platform, advertisements become interactive. It doesn’t cost you more to insert the ad multiple times. Consumers now have the option to click links that take them to the advertiser’s website.
You can also create downloadable coupons that can be scanned from their smart devices when they reach the check-out line.
In addition, with online platforms, you can connect with new advertisers from around the world.
Use Social Media to Gain Exposure for Your Published Media
No online business should ignore the power of social media. It is free advertising unless you choose to pay for audience boosts. Even then the fee can be minimal.
Social media boosts your digital publishing platforms. Whether you are sharing the links from your website or uploading the media directly to social media, you can increase your visibility.
The great part about sharing media on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram is it allows readers to share your great content.
You can be strategic and share small clips that drive traffic back to your website. Once there, convert the leads to new subscribers or even paid subscriptions.
Connect with Readers Via Social Comment Add-ons
You open a new line of communication with your readers when using digital publishing platforms. Add social add-ons that promote conversations about the content.
Now you can engage with readers, receive accolades, and immediate feedback. Some add-ons require social media accounts to verify they are legitimate accounts. Add to that, the comments appear on social media, which can direct new traffic back to your website.
By doing this, you are now driving traffic to your publication or website without lifting a finger!
Make Money in Your Sleep
You are somewhat limited to the people that subscribe to your magazine with the traditional prints. However, with digital, you can take the legwork out of finding new subscribers.
Your platform has nowhere to go but up with the right marketing strategy.
We recommend you to utilize all the online marketing tools to get your platform up and running. Once that’s taken care of, you can focus on to producing quality content. Your advertisers, subscribers, and downloads can earn you extra cash.
Simply add a commerce piece to your site which allows users to pay online. The fees are deposited directly into your bank account within 24 – 48 hours, in most cases.
So no more “The check is in the mail.”
Are You Ready to Make the Move?
There are numerous digital publishing platforms on the market, and you have to choose carefully of which one is right for your business.
MagLoft offers state-of-the-art features that easily convert your PDFs to amazing online content. Our features include easy conversion processes, and add-ons like animations, games, audio, and video.
If you are ready to convert from print to digital or are new to the industry, click here to see how it works.
