All business people look for ways of reducing costs and increasing their income. In times of crisis, they tend to cut down on all the extra expenses, which can affect the quality of the products they produce.
If you want to know more about the current state of the publishing industry, we have the perfect content for you.
For publishers, the perfect solution to budget problems is digital editions. In 2016, digital is set to account for 11% of total circulation revenue compared to only 4% in 2013. The growth of this sector is an unquestionable fact, and taking advantage of this new market is a must for publishers who want to boost their business.
Digital magazines not only allow you to reduce costs, but they also help increase publishers’ turnover. Here are 3 good reasons to go digital.
Digital subscriptions
Undoubtedly, if you’re a publisher, you understand the importance of gaining customers who are loyal to your magazine or newspaper. The objective is to make your clients enjoy every issue, so that they subscribe for a few months or a year.
The advantage of this formula is that customers pay the subscription in advance. They are happy because they get to pay a reduced price, and you are satisfied, too, because you obtain a significant amount of money in one payment.
So, imagine there were an easy way of increasing the subscriptions to your magazine. Fortunately, this is not impossible.The answer is in the digital.
First of all, you can use your website to promote online subscriptions. Add some ads and links on your homepage that can easily redirect users to your subscription page. It’s important to make the ads well visible, so don’t forget to place them in a position which catches the eye of the reader. At the same time, however, try to be non-intrusive and subtle. Including the link in the site menu, for example, is a good strategy.
Moreover, if the site is mobile friendly, you have an even greater chance of acquiring the clients who are always moving around in a hurry, too busy to even turn on their laptops. These are the kind of readers who prefer digital magazines over printed ones, because they can access the product anytime, anywhere.
Secondly, you can organise a free-sample campaign on the web to target the visitors who are more likely to become clients. By offering them a free issue, it’s possible to convince them of the quality of your products and obtain a boost of subscriptions at the end of the trial period.
Magazine app
Creating an app is also a good way of increasing publishers’ turnover. Apps are easy to download and to use, which is why readers love them. Instead of searching for your website on the Internet, they just tap on your app icon.
In order to understand the potential of magazine apps, we should remember that in the digital era everything must be quick and super-convenient. Apps respond perfectly to these needs, as they allow for a very immediate reading experience.
By making users pay for the app, publishers earn money. But it’s not just the download; on your app, you can also host advertising of other companies, which is another source of income. When talking about Internet and advertising, the rule of thumb is always the same: aim to create non-intrusive, native ads, which fit well into your general discourse and image.
Increasing app downloads requires a process of ASO (App Store Optimisation). This involves keyword planning, which allows the app to be found easily on search engines, and conversion rate optimisation, which focuses on the preview of the app.
It is important to write a clear description of the app, including its features and contents, but also to have an appealing unique selling proposition that can actually convince the target audience.
For greater effect, include screenshots that show the several functions of the app and a preview, which is a video showing your app in action.
Social networks
You can exploit social media to increase your brand awareness. When you share one of your articles on your Facebook page, for example, there’s a chance that your fans will read it and share it, making their friends get in touch with your product.
Social media is a great way of getting more views on your website, and therefore of increasing online subscriptions. Just remember to put a link in every post you publish so that users can be easily redirected to a landing page.
More subscriptions equal more income. At the same time, social networks provide you free advertisement. Consequently, you can cut the costs for paid advertisement and save money. In the end, creating a digital magazine is the right choice for saving money on printing and distribution costs, and to increasing your turnover through subscriptions, app downloads and ad hosting.
And don’t forget to keep updated with the world of the publishing industry, which you can learn more about in our downloadable content.