The abundance of platforms for which content can be delivered to has revolutionized the publishing industry. Digital magazines have the ability to capture the attention of consumers by utilizing a variety of platforms without high production and distribution costs (Silva, 2013). The surge in popularity of tablet and mobile phone devices with online access, means that magazine publishers have to react quickly to implement a digital strategy that contends with the internet (Reeves, 2014).
To obtain the greatest amount of exposure and accessibility, magazine publishers should make their content available across a variety of platforms (Tomas, 2014). What’s proving to be the key in succeeding digitally is ensuring that by using particular platforms the brand identity is retained (Rowlands, 2013), but the digital content does not only replicate that of the print magazine. The content should be divided up to provide a reading experience unique to each platform. Magazine publishers must remember that consumers use different platforms for different purposes (Reeves, 2014).
For digital magazines to create brand loyalty, they need to build relationships with readers by increasing accessibility across different platforms (Reeves, 2014). Grazia is an example of a magazine that has managed to exist on a variety of platforms whilst preserving the ‘essence’ of the brand (Byrne, 2014). This involves publishing a ‘breaking news story’ on Twitter, then continuing the conversation on Graziadaily and Facebook, then finally releasing the in-depth story in print (Carvosso, 2014). This use of social media creates hype and encourages the readers to connect with the magazine on every platform. There is also potential for increased advertising revenue, as readers engage with content on a number of devices. When producing apps for iPad, iPhone and Blackberry, (the Android version is currently in development), the Grazia team expanded their cross-media strategy by introducing the concept of the ‘shop, share, save’ feature, which involved readers tapping an image of clothing to buy it instantly and simultaneously sharing the purchase on social media (Byrne, 2014).
Cosmopolitan is a magazine that demonstrates how moving to mobile-first, responsive web design can dramatically increase readership. In the past six months Cosmopolitan’s website traffic has increased by 37% to 4.3 million visits each month (InPublishing, 2014). Advertisers were also more willing to commit to a mobile medium where the content adapts to the screen size and the audience moves more easily from one device to another (InPublishing, 2014). Spin-off apps such as the interactive iPad-only magazine for men ‘CFG: Cosmo for Guys’ was applauded for its inclusion of audio, video, quizzes and live streaming of data (InPublishing, 2014). Almost every feature is interactive and extended Cosmopolitan’s readership beyond their target market of women aged 18 to 34 (Bauer Media Group, 2014).
The future will undoubtedly see more and more magazine publishers working in terms of a multi-platform strategy in order to survive and thrive in the digital world. However it remains to be seen whether Grazia and Cosmopolitan can turn critical acclaim for their forward-thinking digital strategy into financial success (Byrne, 2014).
Word count: 500
Reference List:
Bauer Media Group (2014). Cosmopolitan. Available at: http://www.bauer-media.com.au/brands/cosmopolitan/ (Accessed 19 November 2014).
Byrne, C. (2014). ‘Grazia’s mulit-platform strategy’, InPublishing. Available at: http://www.inpublishing.co.uk/kb/articles/grazias_multiplatform_strategy_1364.aspx (Accessed 18 November 2014).
InPublishing (2014). ‘Cosmopolitan site goes mobile first’, InPublishing. Available at: http://www.inpublishing.co.uk/news/articles/cosmopolitan_site_goes_mobilefirst_7807.aspx (Accessed 18 November 2014).
Reeves, L. (2014). ‘Magazines and Newspapers in the Digital Age’ [Powerpoint presentation]. U65025: Publishing in the Digital Age. Available at: https://moodle.brookes.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/491297/mod_resource/content/2/Magazines%20%20Newspapers_InTheDigitalAge_2014.pdf (Accessed 19 November 2014).
Rowlands, B. (2013). The rise and fall of magazines from print to digital, The Guardian, 7 March. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2013/mar/07/fall-rise-magazines-print-digital (Accessed 19 November 2014).
Silva, D. (2013). The future of digital magazine publishing, Information Services & Use, 31(3/4), pp.301-310. Academic Search Complete [Online]. Available at: http://web.b.ebscohost.com.oxfordbrookes.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=04caa6af-8f9e-42f0-b637-5d76bd0fdc6b%40sessionmgr110&vid=3&hid=118 (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Tomas, K. (2013). ‘Virtual Reality: Why Magazines Should Adopt a Mobile-First Publishing Strategy’. Publishing Research Quarterly, 29(4), pp.301-317. Academic Search Complete [Online]. Available at: http://web.a.ebscohost.com.oxfordbrookes.idm.oclc.org/ehost/command/detail?sid=6cd639cb-2f31-43bc-b14a-721543673f07%40sessionmgr4001&vid=1&hid=4101 (Accessed 17 November 2014).
To obtain the greatest amount of exposure and accessibility, magazine publishers should make their content available across a variety of platforms (Tomas, 2014). What’s proving to be the key in succeeding digitally is ensuring that by using particular platforms the brand identity is retained (Rowlands, 2013), but the digital content does not only replicate that of the print magazine. The content should be divided up to provide a reading experience unique to each platform. Magazine publishers must remember that consumers use different platforms for different purposes (Reeves, 2014).
For digital magazines to create brand loyalty, they need to build relationships with readers by increasing accessibility across different platforms (Reeves, 2014). Grazia is an example of a magazine that has managed to exist on a variety of platforms whilst preserving the ‘essence’ of the brand (Byrne, 2014). This involves publishing a ‘breaking news story’ on Twitter, then continuing the conversation on Graziadaily and Facebook, then finally releasing the in-depth story in print (Carvosso, 2014). This use of social media creates hype and encourages the readers to connect with the magazine on every platform. There is also potential for increased advertising revenue, as readers engage with content on a number of devices. When producing apps for iPad, iPhone and Blackberry, (the Android version is currently in development), the Grazia team expanded their cross-media strategy by introducing the concept of the ‘shop, share, save’ feature, which involved readers tapping an image of clothing to buy it instantly and simultaneously sharing the purchase on social media (Byrne, 2014).
Cosmopolitan is a magazine that demonstrates how moving to mobile-first, responsive web design can dramatically increase readership. In the past six months Cosmopolitan’s website traffic has increased by 37% to 4.3 million visits each month (InPublishing, 2014). Advertisers were also more willing to commit to a mobile medium where the content adapts to the screen size and the audience moves more easily from one device to another (InPublishing, 2014). Spin-off apps such as the interactive iPad-only magazine for men ‘CFG: Cosmo for Guys’ was applauded for its inclusion of audio, video, quizzes and live streaming of data (InPublishing, 2014). Almost every feature is interactive and extended Cosmopolitan’s readership beyond their target market of women aged 18 to 34 (Bauer Media Group, 2014).
The future will undoubtedly see more and more magazine publishers working in terms of a multi-platform strategy in order to survive and thrive in the digital world. However it remains to be seen whether Grazia and Cosmopolitan can turn critical acclaim for their forward-thinking digital strategy into financial success (Byrne, 2014).
Word count: 500
Reference List:
Bauer Media Group (2014). Cosmopolitan. Available at: http://www.bauer-media.com.au/brands/cosmopolitan/ (Accessed 19 November 2014).
Byrne, C. (2014). ‘Grazia’s mulit-platform strategy’, InPublishing. Available at: http://www.inpublishing.co.uk/kb/articles/grazias_multiplatform_strategy_1364.aspx (Accessed 18 November 2014).
InPublishing (2014). ‘Cosmopolitan site goes mobile first’, InPublishing. Available at: http://www.inpublishing.co.uk/news/articles/cosmopolitan_site_goes_mobilefirst_7807.aspx (Accessed 18 November 2014).
Reeves, L. (2014). ‘Magazines and Newspapers in the Digital Age’ [Powerpoint presentation]. U65025: Publishing in the Digital Age. Available at: https://moodle.brookes.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/491297/mod_resource/content/2/Magazines%20%20Newspapers_InTheDigitalAge_2014.pdf (Accessed 19 November 2014).
Rowlands, B. (2013). The rise and fall of magazines from print to digital, The Guardian, 7 March. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2013/mar/07/fall-rise-magazines-print-digital (Accessed 19 November 2014).
Silva, D. (2013). The future of digital magazine publishing, Information Services & Use, 31(3/4), pp.301-310. Academic Search Complete [Online]. Available at: http://web.b.ebscohost.com.oxfordbrookes.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=04caa6af-8f9e-42f0-b637-5d76bd0fdc6b%40sessionmgr110&vid=3&hid=118 (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Tomas, K. (2013). ‘Virtual Reality: Why Magazines Should Adopt a Mobile-First Publishing Strategy’. Publishing Research Quarterly, 29(4), pp.301-317. Academic Search Complete [Online]. Available at: http://web.a.ebscohost.com.oxfordbrookes.idm.oclc.org/ehost/command/detail?sid=6cd639cb-2f31-43bc-b14a-721543673f07%40sessionmgr4001&vid=1&hid=4101 (Accessed 17 November 2014).