Now, the new year is often a time of reflection, we think about those things that we could do better, the potential problems that we could encounter and the all-important solutions.
Well, the world of digital magazine publishers is no different. In 2018, they face a great many problems that could make or break their popularity and the industry as a whole. So, let’s take a look at the three major problems that will be encountered by them this year and how to solve them!
Problem #1: Facebook is not always the be-all and end-all
Facebook has continued to make it clear that they prioritise friends opposed to publishers when it comes to News Feed shenanigans and promotions. While in the past, it notoriously delivered significant streams of traffic to publishers singlehandedly, that reach that Facebook once offered is long gone. However, some publishers are still trying to win back the affections of Facebook as they tailor their content and what they post to what they think will break through the algorithm and conquer the News Feed. However, this has not been the most successful method.
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In the long term, continuously chasing after traffic from various social media platforms isn’t really a viable option as it leads magazine publishers to commit to a strategy that will likely be rendered irrelevant by the next tweaks to the algorithm. Publishers are then left with large audiences that they cannot directly reach which seems absurd as this is an industry increasingly reliant on meaningful audience engagement.
Now, how can we solve this problem? What can we do?
Well, the answer is instead of relying on social media platforms like Facebook, digital magazine publishers should attempt to establish direct relationships with their audiences. They should move away from the anonymous posts that go out to large faceless audiences (the majority of whom won’t see it) and instead focus on direct channels (such as emails).
Problem #2: Publishers have to choose between quality and size
Many magazine publishers are currently making growing their audience and attracting more readers the priority, often sacrificing the quality of the content in order to write articles that appeal to the broadest audience possible. It isn’t surprising that this has sent the industry in the wrong direction! However, it’s not impossible to have both a healthy number of readers and captivating, unique content as has been proven time and time again. But I hear you ask: how can we solve this problem?
Well, it’s rather simple, focus on finding the target audience, building trust and then cementing strong relationships. If your digital magazine is focused on business, spread it amongst businesspeople, entrepreneurs and the like, don’t look to the artists to take an interest in corporate finance! The future of the publication lies with its audience, so create content that engages with and speaks to them and be sure to open the direct channels of communication: send them emails, updates and watch as the magazine becomes valued by the right people!
Problem #3: People want real-time news and updates
This is a problem that has crept in with technology and the modern age. We are all so much more reliant on technology and so used to the constant updates that now, the idea of having to go online and google to receive an update or see if a new issue of your favourite digital magazine is live, seems almost archaic.
Everybody wants to know the news and updates in real-time, they want to receive a notification that can nudge them into opening the app and reading the latest article. They want to know, and they want to know now. So, obviously, we must evolve with the times and give them what they desire: but how do we do that?
The answer is with an app. Now, I hear the groans as of course, everything has an app nowadays, but it could really spark our reader’s interest and even grow our audience! With the many, many, many step-to-step guides that occupy the internet, and even YouTube, it really couldn’t be easier and it will keep our audiences in the loop every step of the way.
So, those are the biggest issues facing digital magazine publishers in 2018 and how to solve them! It’s only February and we’re already solving problems… go you!
