Digital Editions Today: An Era When Customers Expect More
Solutions-shopping tips and leading products on the market.
February 2007 By Jim Calder
If you haven’t launched a digital edition of your publication(s), some would say you’re missing out on opportunities for building circulation and cutting postage costs. Many publishers have not only reached new subscribers with digital magazine formats, but they also have cut their mailing costs by converting some subscribers to digital and sending their promo lists the digital edition instead of the print magazine.
For many others, their digital editions may be a couple of years out of the gate. In some cases, the technology solution purchased back then didn’t turn out to be ideal for their publication or audience, so they may be back on the market for a new solution. In other cases, their needs may have changed since the digital edition launched.
Regardless of your situation, recent advancements have been made in digital edition technology, and an excavation of today’s offerings is worthwhile.
As you begin your research, it is important to focus on the needs of your specific audience.
“The first critical issue is to assess your readers’ needs,” says Martin Hensel, president of digital editions solutions provider Texterity. “Are your readers using slow connections, are they accessing your publication from work with corporate firewalls that block downloads, are they technically sophisticated?”
With many solutions on the market today, savvy digital edition providers also realize the need for constantly improving and catering their products to customers’ needs.
“Magazine publishers must have confidence that their digital publisher is relentlessly improving their product,” says Marcus Grimm, marketing director of NXTbook Media LLC., a digital editions solutions provider. “How information is saved and shared online today is dramatically different than the way it was done even two years ago. Ask potential vendors what changes they’ve made to their product in the last year.”
Today’s publishers also aren’t fooled by the same old product in a flashy new box. They want new features that justify the costs.
“Publishers need to be aware that the ‘oohs and aahs’ era of digital publishing is over,” Grimm says. “Making a pretty digital edition is easy, but very few digital providers understand how to maximize sponsorships and build relationship, and that’s what publishers need to focus on.”
Many solutions providers also believe that publishers aren’t taking advantage of all the great products available.
“Magazine publishers with high-quality print magazines often have a much lower-quality version of that magazine on the Web,” notes Robert Rose, vice president of marketing and product strategy at Web content solutions provider CrownPeak Technology.
For many others, their digital editions may be a couple of years out of the gate. In some cases, the technology solution purchased back then didn’t turn out to be ideal for their publication or audience, so they may be back on the market for a new solution. In other cases, their needs may have changed since the digital edition launched.
Regardless of your situation, recent advancements have been made in digital edition technology, and an excavation of today’s offerings is worthwhile.
As you begin your research, it is important to focus on the needs of your specific audience.
“The first critical issue is to assess your readers’ needs,” says Martin Hensel, president of digital editions solutions provider Texterity. “Are your readers using slow connections, are they accessing your publication from work with corporate firewalls that block downloads, are they technically sophisticated?”
With many solutions on the market today, savvy digital edition providers also realize the need for constantly improving and catering their products to customers’ needs.
“Magazine publishers must have confidence that their digital publisher is relentlessly improving their product,” says Marcus Grimm, marketing director of NXTbook Media LLC., a digital editions solutions provider. “How information is saved and shared online today is dramatically different than the way it was done even two years ago. Ask potential vendors what changes they’ve made to their product in the last year.”
Today’s publishers also aren’t fooled by the same old product in a flashy new box. They want new features that justify the costs.
“Publishers need to be aware that the ‘oohs and aahs’ era of digital publishing is over,” Grimm says. “Making a pretty digital edition is easy, but very few digital providers understand how to maximize sponsorships and build relationship, and that’s what publishers need to focus on.”
Many solutions providers also believe that publishers aren’t taking advantage of all the great products available.
“Magazine publishers with high-quality print magazines often have a much lower-quality version of that magazine on the Web,” notes Robert Rose, vice president of marketing and product strategy at Web content solutions provider CrownPeak Technology.
