“Digital magazines are taking the medium to the next level.”
- Christopher Kevorkian
(The Association of Magazine Media)
If you’re a business who has been thinking about producing a digital magazine or publication, stop hesitating. The rate of adoption for this innovation is steadily increasing and you may be missing out on a competitive advantage. Many companies producing print magazines have realised the advantages, the avoidance of certain costs and are (in some cases) switching completely to a digital format.
The iPad, Apples wonder tool has provided a number of ways of improving certain services. From being able to produce an ultrasound (I kid you not), to giving you the availability of having Rowling, Tolkien and Dickens at the touch of a button. It also gives you the chance to receive pretty much all of your favourite magazine publications on demand.
Now, of course I could sit here and tell you “digital publishing is good and you should use it”, this would still just be my opinion, however there is statistical evidence proving how attractive this innovation is to the general public.
Within the infographic at the end of this post there are a number of interesting points made. Now, it could be argued that digital publishing is still at a very early stage of its life cycle and has yet to reach maturity sure, but this just makes it an even more exciting prospect, and here’s why:
1. People who wouldn’t necessarily read magazines are now doing so.
A report by The Association of Magazine Media, in 2011 found that 90% of respondents are consuming more magazine content since the acquisition of a tablet.
2. Having a digital magazine doesn’t necessarily mean the end of your print magazine!
It’s not a ‘one or the other’ type situation. A digital magazine can be a supplementary option to go alongside the printed original.
3. It brings print to life
The digital aspect provides a level of interactivity that print just can’t present. For example, a company selling clothes can make it so that by clicking on an item of clothing, you are taken directly to an appropriate web page for purchasing. It provides a rich and immersing visual and audio experience for the end user. In fact, 38% of tablet shoppers say apps strengthen brand connection (Adobe, 2012).
4. Advertisers will adore it
Advertisers stand to gain more exposure as two sources are likely to reach more potential consumers/buyers. Furthermore, by being able to just tap an advert, it increases the likeliness of someone doing so. An Adobe study found readers are engaging with ads just as much on tablets as they do in print, and one in every five tablet page views is an advertisement. Adverts can also be kept up to date, so that users are only seeing the most current content. From an analytical viewpoint, you can view exactly how many times your publication has been downloaded and what content produces the most engagement.
5. Ideal for most industries
This brings me to the point at hand. London Property Review recently implemented the use of a digital publication to go alongside their print copy, through Toxic Creative. For a publisher of this type, it is an excellent investment (although having said this, it is ideal for most industries). If a reader likes the look of a particular house and wants to show their partner, they can simply highlight the image and share it immediately via the most popular social networking websites or by email. iPad magazines provide a generally more convenient experience for the end user, the company using them and the advertisers involved.
“While various research has long proved that print magazines drive purchase behaviour, digital magazines hold the promise of creating a direct link between purchase intent and actual transaction.”
- Christopher Kervorkian.
6. A limitless audience
By displaying the publication in an app online, the magazine’s readership could become much larger. Realistically with print, the copy has to be placed in physical locations and the scope is abundantly smaller.
7. Publishing and distribution is lightning fast
The publication reaches whom it needs to with the click of a button. Not to mention, it can be received an unlimited number of times (whereas print is obviously limited to how many copies are produced).
Author Oliver Adams
Toxic Creative – RESULT DRIVEN DESIGN & MARKETING
We’re based in Northampton and are experts in all aspects of graphic design, website design and marketing, from dynamic websites and printed literature to logo design and brand development … we do it all.
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