Digital magazines on the Rise

The credit crunch is tough for the magazine publishers. Especially in US where over 50 titles have been closed down already in 2009. Europe is not struggling as much yet, but the market is in recession and lately FIPP's World Magazine Report forecasted ad markets to shrink one percent in 2009. Not alarming but a clear indicator that fighting for readers the regular way will not be easier. Don't worry. Your magazine did not become irrelevant and your readers did not quit on you. But readers are moving online as there is so much more to get there. While titles are closed down Magazine Publishers of America found that website traffic to US consumer magazines rose 11.1 percent in last quarter of 2008 compared to last year. In addition, time spend on the titles websites increased 34.4 percent. Important to notify here is that you do not have to go all in, when offering digital magazines. Most of Zmags customers offer digital magazines as a supplement - rather than a substitution - to hard copies. Digitize your magazine and making it available on your website is an easy way to extend your scope and get more readers. Giving away a digital magazine will make you lose even more income from hard copy sales, you said? True, but first step is that someone actually reads what you offer. Once the digital magazine is clickable from your website any reader beyond no. 1 cost you nothing. In addition, digital magazines is beneficial for boosting reader loyalty. Great content is still key in order to survive in the magazine business. However, relying less on income from sold hard copies is a huge step towards a business model that deflects recession and makes your business more cost-effective.

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