Will digital magazines replace print?

Confused by all the recent hype you’ve been reading on digital publishing?  Don’t feel alone.

I’m not an internet or Web guru. I’m a publisher of magazines (in their print form) and I love the whole experience from start to finish of putting together a well thought, beautifully laid out, editorially enticing publication.  I’ve loved magazines since my early days of clipping through McCall’s for the paper dolls and have boxes stored under the stairs in the basement (don’t tell my husband) of a variety of publications that have grabbed my fancy over the years because of their cover, the recipes, articles, or just because I couldn’t bear to throw them away.  Paper, ink, the whole process is in my blood.  Yet who can ignore all the recent hype about the coming digital age and I believe it is only in the very beginning stages. 

There is a lot more to digital publishing and publications (and going to be even more in the future) than just the page flipping or send to a friend standard features we are currently seeing.  We are now moving into a world where pages can tell a story behind a story, where with the push of a button an audio or a video can play to enhance the experience, and at any minute something can fly out of a page corner and surprise you. Enter the complex and engaging world of digital publishing and while I’m not giving up on the print world just yet, I have to admit that the potential of what can now happen on a page in a digital magazine really intrigues me.  I love the idea of reading a travel story online only to be able to right then and there take a virtual tour if I feel like it and then even actually booking the reservation if I am so moved or looking at a clothing boutique ad and at the click of the button see a fashion show video or bring up their entire catalog of fashions for the upcoming season.

Does this replace what I still want to take with me to bed at night for my reading night cap?  Not at all, but in many ways I actually think the digital component can add to the print version and vice versa.  As our director of marketing, Pam Houser pointed out this month in her newsletter, Business 4 Brunch, Print Marketing is a vital outbound approach to drive customers to you online.  Recent research by iProspect and Jupiter Research indicated that over 65% of online searches were driven to search by offline channels. So you see, the need for print does still exist.

But what’s a publisher to do?  Abandon print, incorporate digital into the plan, at what level?  I think the best option we have is to continue to create cost effective print sources that can maintain a readership hold in the market while building expanded, fully featured digital components.  Many publishers today are simply converting their print versions by creating online  replicas, but take caution.  A conversion of a print version alone may not be enough to actually engage, connect, or convince your audience to take the time to go online and read your publication.  With the easy availability and access to such features as video, slideshows, links, hotspots, etc. you need to move forward with your digital pages keeping these features in mind.  After all, it won’t be long before page flippers alone become the dinosaurs of the digital age.  When the technology is out there and available (as it is today) you are going to have an audience who will want and demand it.  Look at what has happened to cell phones and ipods.   A phone is not a basic phone any longer and an ipod doesn’t simply play music anymore.  The technology was available for these items to carry these additional features and it wasn’t long before consumers were demanding them.  Do you know one person under 30 who has a phone that only operates as a phone these days? 

Digital publishing is in its infancy stages of development and I think we have a lot more exciting things coming in the future that in turn I hope will inspire those of us still in print publishing to turn out some exciting new magazine concepts and ideas. For the time being I am going to continue with print while embracing the new world of digital and finding interesting ways to make it all work together.

Meanwhile, I’d love to hear about your digital adventures in publishing, email me at info@easychairmedia.com.

Kristie Melendez, EasyChair Media CEO & Publisher

Digital Marketing Evolution

Here’s what our research tells us…It’s What we Know!

1)   Today’s consumers begin their purchase process online

2)   67% of online consumers are driven to search by offline mediums

3)   30% of online consumers are driven there by print

4)   Digital Advertising ensures unlimited distribution, expanded shelf-life and search marketing opportunities for more targeted buyers.

5)   55% of digital magazine readers spend more than 1 hour on a digital magazine

6)   85% of magazine readers pay more attention to ads than in the print version

When you need to capture the attention of modern consumers, digital magazines must be included in your marketing strategy. Digital magazines are the leading edge of the Web 2.0 revolution.

 Digital Magazines Present A Unique Value Proposition:

1)      Live links to your Web site for immediate response

2)      Indexed by leading search engines: Yet another way to draw readers to your message. Readers searching for specific info can land on a digital magazine page as easily as a Web site.

3)      Makes you accessible by Iphone, Ipod and other on-the-go mobile devices

4)      Your visual message can be enhanced with animation or video and audio for heightened impact and emotional connection

5)      Provides instant access to you and the reader. Think of maps vs GPS; letter vs email

6)      Deliver information sooner than print publications. People search out online publications precisely because they produce current information faster.

7)      Broader reach: Immediately available to a far wider audience

8)      Improved ROI: Ability to work it, measure it and adjust for maximum results

9)      Readers love them: Studies reflect that 88% of digital magazine readers were very satisfied with their digital magazine experience

10)  An extension of print media; not a direct replacement. Expanded content online without the cost of print.

11)  Environmentally conscious

Here’s what one of our digital magazine readers had to say:

 “Well, this is a first — the first time I have ever read a magazine on-line — and it was fun.  Loved the opening music!”            H.M., EasyLiving Colorado Magazine Reader, Arvada, CO

EasyChair Media is a full-service marketing firm and custom publisher, specializing in custom electronic magazines and advertising strategies.

If you’d like to learn more about how digital marketing strategies and electronic magazines can produce optimum returns for your marketing dollars, contact us at 800-611-3316 or 800-741-6308.

View our electronic magazine demo and custom magazine and page samples at www.ecmpub.com.

How Blogs Help Customers Find You Online

Piper Jaffray research confirms the growing importance of search engines as the most significant channel in the acquisition of new customers, reporting that 44% of all Web sites begin with search as opposed to directly accessing a specific company Web site.  

The key to successful marketing today is that prospective customers are able to find you in their search. Earlier in this series, we covered the importance of key words and the basics of pay-per-click advertising or “paid search marketing,” which is the easiest and quickest way to ensure you’re found online.  

Since we know that organic or natural search rankings occur over time, and ultimately we’d like to appear at the top of page one in the search without having to pay, we know it’s important to continually look for ways to elevate our natural positioning in the search engines.  

A blog or Web log naturally contributes to your company’s organic search ranking because you’re frequently updating the content, and your content continually grows over time, ultimately generating hundreds of articles and thousands of words in a relatively short time frame.  Your blog is your best opportunity to establish yourself as the expert that you are, share information or advice on your industry, products and services, and engage with your target audience.   

Your key words are “key” in your blog content as well. Chris Baggott, Co-founder and CEO of Compendium Blogware writes “In traditional website strategy, you are dealing with a finite number of pages. Blogs, on the other hand, don’t suffer from this limitation. Think about your keyword strategy for PPC and use that as a guide for your blog titles. Search engines also love finding keywords within your content.”  

Traditional Web sites are space-limited when it comes to content. The sheer volume of blog content built with keyword strategies in mind is extremely powerful, and the natural variation of keyword phrases in blog content simply multiplies your opportunity for raising your organic search engine rankings. 

Blogging is one of the most effective marketing tools available for any size business. But, how you build and maintain your blog is critical.  

Here are 10 quick tips to get you blogging:

1. Find the right blog software for you. Just Google blog software and begin to educate yourself on the differences and cost. You’ll find that some are more appropriate for personal blogging than for business. You may also want to check out Hubspot business blogging software.
2. Business blogs are used for relaying information, not pitching products. However, it’s okay to let people know who you are and what you do in order to give credibility to your information.
3. Try to blog at least weekly to maintain steady readership and boost your SEO efforts.
4. Put a call to action in your blog as in all your marketing materials.
5. Reference other people’s blog content in your posts and let them know it. This is a great way to get links and followers back to your blog.
6. Give your visitors an easy way to contact you via Email or a contact form built right into your blog.
7. Promote your blog on social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. 
8. Search for other blogs in your industry using Technorati.com or BlogSearch.Google.com. Read and subscribe to them. Post your comments.
9. Register your blog with these and other sites and get links back to your blog
10. Measure & Analyze your blogs metrics 

Blogging is a form of inbound marketing and is permission-based. Join your customers and colleagues online now and get in on the conversation. There’s no better way to hone your skills and craft your business blogging strategy than to jump in with both feet and start writing. 

If you’re sincere about using your blog as a marketing tool, but you’re reluctant or are just getting started, you may want to hire someone to help you set up your blog, set your blogging strategy, and to write your headlines and blog copy with SEO in mind. It could save you critical time and get you quickly on your way to building your following. 

EasyChair Media is a Colorado-based full-service marketing firm and custom publisher with a comprehensive, multi-dimensional approach to marketing. We offer Web marketing strategies, Keyword Research, SEO Copywriting, Blog Articles, Optimized Expert Articles & Whitepapers.  

If we can help get you blogging, call 800-741-6308 to request your one-hour complimentary consultation, or email me at writehand@comcast.net. www.easychairmedia.com

We invite you to ask questions or share your profitable blogging stories.Got expert advice on blog design, blog platforms, or how to quickly build a following? Share it here.

Multi-Dimensional Marketing: Part III

The Importance of Inbound Links in Organic Search Engine Ranking

By Pam Houser, Director of Marketing & Product Development

Miles Galliford, author of The Link Building Bible and co-founder of SubHub, an online content solutions provider for publishers and developers, claims over 80% of free traffic is generated by “adding great-quality, highly focused content and getting inbound links from well-ranked, reputable, and relevant sites.” Galliford maintains that link building is a crucial part of your online marketing success.

Search engines look for how many Web sites link to yours. They also look at the page ranking of the linking site and how relevant its content is to yours. Links from other relevant sites generate well-targeted traffic directly to your Web site. Each link acts as a reference or recommendation that indicates to search engines that yours is a quality site. Inbound links from trusted, well-respected internet sites offer great value in the same manner that customer references and testimonials add great value.

Next, build more links into your content using your keywords as link “anchor” text. Search engines recognize these content links to understand what your site is about. Give others a reason to link to you. Become an expert in your field and write related articles. Chris Sherman at Search Engine Watch offers excellent tips on how to become a successful content provider and other inbound marketing, link building strategies.

Sherman advises, “Leave your Links Everywhere!” Submit them to online directories like Yahoo! Communicate with others in your industry through blogs and social networks, chat rooms, guest books and related newsgroups.

Inbound links build traffic and ultimately increase your page rank in search engines. The key is to link strategically with reputable, relevant sites. Inbound linking must be done with great care as low-integrity Web sites can actually hurt your site’s ranking. For optimum organic ranking through inbound linking, learn what to avoid and how to measure your results.

Is your Web content optimized with relevant keyword phrases?

Have you published articles as an expert in your field?

Share with us your stories about how publishing expert content has impacted your bottom line.

Tell us how inbound linking has improved your organic search ranking.

EasyChair Media is a full-service marketing firm and custom publisher with a comprehensive, multi-dimensional approach to marketing. We offer Web marketing strategies, Keyword Research, SEO Web Copywriting, Blog Articles, Optimized Expert Articles & Whitepapers.

Call 800-741-6308 to request your one-hour complimentary marketing analysis and consultation.

Learn more about us at www.easychairmedia.com; www.easylivingfrontrange.com; www.ecmpub.com; and www.biggerthanbiz.com

Join us here for our continuing E-series on MultiDimensional Marketing, Part IV

Coming next: How Blogs Help Customers Find You Online

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