Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Magazine 2.0

As we all become more environmentally conscientious, the magazine industry is scrambling to find more eco-friendly alternatives without spending a fortune. The digital world is a new but rapidly growing trend amongst magazine publications across the country. The hybrid of digital and print magazines for companies have allowed them to provide an enhanced experience for their readers. As the business and entertainment world continue to move in the digital direction, applying online features like the digital magazine is one technology that will continue to grow.
Magazines like 7x7, Men’s Health, Spin, and Elle Decor have already jumped on the digital band wagon. All four magazines offer digital versions of their publication, exact replicas of the printed magazine in an interactive version. This has enabled them to expand their circulation and to reach more people in more areas. Through the supplementary digital magazine, all three publications have boosted readership and ad sales. By providing a digital application magazine can provide a user-friendly design that offers a whole new level of entertainment. Digital vendors like Zmag and Zendition have noticed an increase in readership for their clients who have hired them. “[Digital magazines] enables companies to very easily add interactive features, analyze what works, and constantly improve the way they present content,” said Zmags CEO Jens Kartsoft. Through multimedia ads and content, digital magazines have also helped publications to promote their brand, not solely their print magazine.
Digital magazines are also modifying the advertisement industry as well. With interactive magazines, companies may now expand their accessibility to their audience. Links to their websites or directing them to buy a specific product are now available through the digital versions of magazines. The publishers also benefit from this feature as they have more leverage in negotiation by offering features to potential advertisers that not many other magazines have. In providing a digital version of their magazine, publishers and advertisers are ensured that their publication is accessible from virtually anywhere in the world.
As we continue to see magazine companies add digital components for their publications, multimedia technology will also continue to evolve. With all that is possible in the digital age, magazines will be able to be a part of a constant evolution of new technologies. As the print industry attempts to minimize cost and production, digital magazines provide a world of opportunities in an enhanced and efficient way.