The digital revolution has certainly brought about a lot of changes in the way we look for information. Nowadays, the web is the primary source of information and entertainment for a lot of people, and the number of users is still growing.
For publishers, new technologies can help raising the circulation of magazines. Firstly, publishers should build a good online presence through the creation of a website, some social media pages, a digital version of their magazine and an app.
All these tools contribute to your online success, and they help each other to increase your online visibility and your brand awareness. However, in this article we are going to focus on your magazine app, which must be created, optimised and promoted in the right way.
Why you need an app
The reason is simple: because your audience is on mobile. And because the app is the fastest and most direct and user-friendly way to read a magazine.
Last year, research showed that mobile usage is quickly outpacing desktop. Why is this? Simply because reading on mobile is more convenient, as it can be done everywhere, anytime. If there is something people never leave at home it’s their mobile device, so if you go mobile, you can virtually stay in touch with your readers anywhere they go, making sure they’ll turn to you if they need some news or entertainment to fight boredom while waiting for the bus.
Moreover, digital costs less. You don’t have to invest money in printing, shipping and distributing paper magazines anymore, and with a digital app you can easily create an archive from which all previous issues can be bought. Basically, you can keep monetising all your issues, not just the latest one.
With such a convenient service, it’s easy to understand why people will want to buy your magazine on the app instead of the paper edition.
The perfect app
Does perfection exist? Many would say that it doesn’t. But if you aim to create an app that is as close to perfection as possible, then you should always keep in mind these basic points: App Store Optimisation, content creation and app promotion.
Optimisation helps you to increase your user acquisition rate. Basically, it involves some expedients that make your app more trustworthy, appealing and well-ranked. This involves keyword optimisation and conversion rate optimisation.
The former is about the app name and the keywords used in the description that should be studied to make the app more visible and highly-ranked. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner tool, Keyword.io, SensorTower, Ubersuggest or WordTracker to find the best keywords for you.
Once people find your app, they should be inspired to download it. That’s when the conversion rate optimisation comes into play. It involves the creation of a good preview, appealing screenshots of the app and a clear description of the functions. Last but not least, don’t forget to write a unique selling proposition to boost the apps installs, too.
When we speak about content creation, we mean all the formats you can use to convey your messages in the digital world. Yes, thanks to your app, you can insert videos, infographics, GIFs, photo galleries and any other format you can think of.
By doing this, you offer your public a more interesting and appealing product. Having a good product is the first rule for gaining success in publishing, and only with the creation of an app can you really outdo your competitors.
And now, go social
Having a digital magazine and an app is the starting point for increasing your readership. However, you should also think of promoting your activity on your social media pages and/or with paid user acquisition.
While using social networks to raise your brand awareness can be free or paid for, paid user acquisition has a cost, of course. You may want to consider investing some money to advertise your app, especially at the beginning.
The more installs you get, the more reviews you obtain, and when an app receives a lot of good reviews, its ranking on the App Store and on Google Play improves, making it easier for people to find it.
On social networks, posting photos, articles and posts to promote your magazine can be an effective strategy, provided that you use the right social media platform for your audience, which is the one that your readers spend the most time on.
Both promotion on social media pages and paid user acquisition are part of the so-called viral strategies, designed to really increase your number of readers.
We have explained why apps are so successful and how they can help raising the circulation of magazines. We’ve also given you some tips on how to create a truly effective app and on the best ways to promote your app. Now it’s up to you!
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