Nxtbook Webinar Questions — ANSWERED!

As mentioned previously, last week’s webinar on digital magazine revenue generation was incredible; three top-shelf publishers all shared their tips, tricks, metrics and more for making money from digital editions. Be sure to check out the archive here. 

However, for the second time in a row, time didn’t permit us to answer all of the questions that came in. We’ve gone through the list and have come up with a wide variety of questions with their answers posted below.

If there was one over-riding theme from the webinar, it was this: publishers can be as successful as they wish to be with digital editions. As Scott Karp wrote just today, "The technology is in fact secondary — it’s the people that matter."

The list:

1. We’re interested in doing more animation in our digital editions. How does design overhead compare between digital ads and print?

Nxtbook Media offers publishers a low-cost way to inject animation into digital magazines. Our Ad-Jolt program is inexpensive and gives your publication an exciting look. Click here for an example of what Ad-Jolt looks like.

2. Have any of you run into any "technical" issues – such as what a digital reader needs to view digital editions, flash players, etc.?

Simply put, digital magazines that require “readers” are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Progressive companies use browser-based digital editions. Displaying the digital edition within the browser opens up the content to search engines and social media – vital components of digital success in today’s market.

3. General question – I’m assuming that the delivery method for all these Nxtbook products is via email that then directs them to a site?

Great question! Nxtbook readers arrive from a variety of sources. A finished digital magazine is hosted on a URL. This URL is then used by the publisher in e-mails and posted on other web pages to drive people to the Nxtbook. In addition, though, each Nxtbook can have an RSS feed produced at no extra charge which can then be published with a publishers’ other feeds. This feed URL is an interactive Table of Contents of the Nxtbook and will drive people directly to the content they wish to see. Also included at no extra charge is an interactive widget, which can be placed anywhere on a website and will lure readers to the finished product.

4. How do you market the digital edition to drive traffic?

Looking at the answer above, there are many ways to market the digital edition, including the use of e-mail, RSS feeds and web widgets. In addition, bloggers can use page-specific URL’s to drive readers deep within the content of your publication.

5. How many readers per month do you get for the digital edition?

Readers for digital editions vary, from less than 1,000 to more than 100,000. Not surprisingly, readership varies for many reasons other than the technology used. Your audience, marketing and content all play a critical role in readership.

6. What is the digital vs. print circulation?

Two of the three publishers interviewed in the webinar have 100% digital circulation. Successful publishers that do both w/ Nxtbook often have 20-35% digital circulation.

7. What is the open rate?

Open rates vary widely and are quite dependent on your mailing list. The open rate for your digital edition e-mails shouldn’t be much different than e-mail newsletters sent to the same audience. Moreover, web widgets and RSS make it easier to promote your content via other additional methods.

8.When using Nxtbook’s Hoo-Clix service, does it violate CAN SPAM laws to provide advertisers with actual email addressed of those who clicked on their ads?

The use of Nxtbook’s Hoo-Clix service is wholly dependent on a publishers’ privacy policy and only data which the publisher has permission to share with advertisers will be shared with advertisers. In most cases, the publisher will only provide the domain-level information (eg. “Someone from Microsoft clicked on your ad,” rather than, “Bob Jones from Microsoft clicked on your ad.”).

9. Is digital edition acceptance greater in the USA or abroad? Which continents/countries embrace it most?

This is hard to say as Nxtbook resellers have had success in many countries. However, we can report that approximately 60% of all Nxtbooks are read in the US. Of the other 40%, Nxtbooks are most read in Canada, the UK and Colombia, though – again – we have strong resellers in these countries. The strongest readership countries with no Nxtbook representation are Germany, China, Italy and Australia.

10. Is it possible to get a copy of your digital edition to see the real thing?

Great question!
1) ITEM Publications produces Interference Technology, available to subscribers here.
2) The most recent issue of Project Analog from Hearst may be viewed here.
3) The most recent issue of Graduate Prospects may be viewed here.