Medtronic is testing this theory with their magazine, Science Matters. (Click here to view it.) Their goal was to get kids excited about science, and they took advantage of the digital medium to do it. With each page turn, kids are presented with auto-play animations, animal sounds, roll-over effects, and all kinds of movement. The content is also designed to keep kids engaged with the page with stories about young innovators, micro photos of everyday science, and quirky experiments they can try on their own.
In a world where kids’ TV shows run in 15 minute intervals, interactivity is the norm, and even the shoes they walk on have flashing lights, it seems these "bells and whistles" are less shiny and more necessary.
But even for a more mature audience that doesn’t demand quite so much sizzle and flash upfront, consider as you page through this magazine, would a static version have the same impact, even to your mature audience?
]]>My favorite quote of the hour-long webinar came from Alan Berg, Vice President of TechGen Media Group, as he related the overwhelming response to advertising in the digital-only, optimized editions:
"Some advertisers were not used to getting sales leads. They said, ‘what do I do with them?’ We said, ‘Well, they clicked on your URL or your video. They’re prime sales leads. Contact them.’ And they’re doing it, and some have had so many sales leads, a few of them, that they’re ecstatic and they don’t know what to do."
Hear more from Alan Berg and from Rich Media Director at Cygnus Business Media, Dave Haglund, by viewing the archived webinar here.
During the webinar a few questions were asked but time prevented a response. Here are some of their answers now:
1. Are digital editions search engine friendly? The short answer is yes. The long answer involves understanding how we attach an XML file of all your content to your edition, which is then indexed by search engines like google and bing.
2. What is the cost of an optimized magazine? It varies. Variables include page or word count, and how much your team will tackle versus how much you’d like Nxtbook to handle for you. The easiest way to get a figure for your magazine would be to call one of us at 866-268-1219 and ask about optimization.
3. Can a digital magazine work on Apple devices? Absolutely. The whole goal of digital optimization is to make sure your content looks stunning and innovative on every device, including the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch as well as Android devices. We virtually eliminate the need to zoom, add videos, and enhance the overall experience for the reader so they can sit back and enjoy.
If you missed the webinar, or if you would like to revisit it again, click here to be taken to the archive link.
]]>That said, this quote excerpt gets my award for Exaggerated Comment of the Week:
As publishers extend their print titles to iPad, they can choose either to repurpose the paper originals, which can seem lazy and ill-suited to the touch screen, or to custom-produce interactive apps with a native interface in mind, which is expensive.
If he did that for Future’s 60+ titles, he would “bankrupt the company”, Future’s Goldsmith said. So, today, only three Future titles have the shiny iPad treatment.
Assuming Goldsmith said it, he hasn’t really studied the myriad of ways that apps can be done that entertain readers without bankrupting publishers. And since PaidContent ran the quote, it seems they, too, don’t realize that these cats can be skinned in a wide variety of ways.
In many ways, the early versions of iPad apps gave us some strange ideas about what apps cost. But ask yourself this: If they really were so cost-prohibitive, why would so many small to medium sized publishers be doing them with Nxtbook and others? Answer: they’re not.
]]>While auditing oneself can certainly call results into question, we’re going to side with Future Publishing on this one. Auditing bureaus continue to struggle to figure out how to track digital readers. Why? Because they’re wed to the word "subscriber," rather than the word "reader." Inevitably, this is incorrect, because digital ad buyers don’t buy subscribers. That would be like buying based on the number of computer monitors. They’re buying readers, and it’s critical the auditing bureaus acknowledge this key difference if they truly want to remain relevant.
We can’t give Future 100% props, though, as their own audit doesn’t address audience v. circulation, only the fact that their app product should be rolled into their standard figures, even though there is more than a 5% variance in content and/or packaging. Still, rebelling against the audit bureaus is a sign that what the auditors are seeking to track is not really what advertisers care about.
]]>This webinar can help: click here to register.
At 2:00 EST on February 16, Alan Berg of TechGen Media and Dave Haglund of Cygnus Publishing will answer questions such as, "How do you position this product to potential advertisers differently than you would websites or print?" and "How does someone design so readers engage with my materials?"
It’s not too late to register. Click here to join in and learn more.
]]>One of the quick examples they showed was from Fibromyalgia Aware. This publisher used a free preview issue to drive new subscribers to their subscription-based magazine. They created a standalone issue which they promoted across social media, in their print edition, and to their email lists. They then utilized every free space as a call to action. In the left of cover position, they welcomed new readers to the preview, asked them to subscribe, and encouraged the reader to share their content. Banner, skyscraper, and sponsorship positions had ads compelling readers to click to subscribe.
The real trick, however, was how they not only increased their subscriptions, but also were able to monetize the free preview issue. And for that, you should listen to the webinar.
The full webinar is about a half hour long, and it gives our clients a chance to pick up new tactics and to ask Todd and Adam questions directly related to their publication. Current Nxtbook clients who wish to attend the next Success Team webinar should contact their Project Managers to find out the next webinar’s date. Future Nxtbook clients can sign up by going here.
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When done right, digital content offers publishers new venues of audience engagement with measurable ROI. But the secret of digital publishing is out, and it seems everyone has a variance of a solution for it. Digital optimizations sets your publication apart again in this highly competitive space.
Just as you would assume, there is a right way and a wrong way to optimize your magazine. Join us on Thursday, February 16 to hear two speakers who are successfully marketing digitally optimized magazines. In this webinar you’ll hear them discuss some of the following:
- Why they chose digital publishing as the most advantageous option
- How they approach optimized design as a tool for telling their story
- How readers respond to interactive elements and digital reading
- Key lessons they learned along the way
This webinar, entitled "Say Hello to Your Brand’s Newest Leg Up: Optimized Magazines" will air live on Thursday, February 16 at 2:00 EST. Click here to register now.
]]>But I digress. The article’s a good catch-up about what The Daily has learned, and how they’re doing. The only time I cringed was on this line:
"He added that users spend 30 minutes a day browsing the app, according to internal research."
Call me jaded, but when you call it "research," I get the feeling you surveyed your readers and asked them how they used the app, rather than just checking their own analytics. Now I could be wrong, but yet I don’t feel like I am.
Murdoch was right to deliver the news differently, but I can’t figure out why he started by marketing it old school last year and now providing old school metrics this year. In for a penny, Rupert, in for a pound.
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