Finding #9: The Most Popular Digital Extra Is…

Welcome to Autumn! At Nxtbook Media’s corporate office in Lancaster, PA, Autumn is often associated with harvest. It’s the time when farmers are reaping the final products from their carefully cultivated fields. It seems appropriate to take a moment to consider what publishers try all year to reap: engaged audiences.

Consider these tips for growing and harvesting a loyal audience:

1. Use "digital extras"
Digital extras snag attention for articles which readers might ignore. In a recent survey, 44.6% of readers said that video, flash, and other digital extras extend the time they spent reading interactive magazines and motivated them to read articles they’d otherwise skip. In the same survey, the readers voted video as the most popular choice of digital extra, followed by extra photos and slideshows, audio, and flash animation. (Click here to get all of the survey results: 42 pdf pages.)

2. Create a good user experience
Have pages formatted for screens. Take advantage of live links to inspire reader-magazine interaction. Ask specific questions of your readers and provide an easy means for response.

3. Add digital only content
Give readers an extra incentive to read the digital edition, or try to make them feel like they’re getting a special value over strictly print edition. Create content just for digital editions; it could be new content, content that didn’t make it into the print edition, additional rich media to flesh out an article. Or hey, have a digital only publication and skip any concern about print/digital overlap!

4. Promote, promote, promote
Re-evaluate your e-mail campaign, and don’t be afraid to blast more than once to readers who might not have opened your publication the first time. Promote the digital edition on your website with large cover images, animated icons, or flashy text. Hop on social media and spread the word to your fans’ walls and profiles. Create a fan page, discussion forum, and special interest groups to connect with readers and to get readers to pull in others with similar interests.

For more tips on how to grow your audience and engagement, contact a Nxtbook Media representative. For additional research on what makes effective interactive magazines, download the Case Study by clicking here.