Objectives for online magazines or brochures can differ greatly. If you recruit customers or members, you will have to look at the content and distribution of your publication differently than with a purely informative brochure. The 5 tips in this blog are intended to make you think about the function of digital publications within your marketing and communication mix and to get the most out of your online Magazine.

1. Time of sending

The vast majority of online publications are distributed via an email marketing campaign and posts on social media. If you search on Google for ‘Time of sending’ you will get all kinds of blogs about the ideal time for mailing and posting. However, the ideal time cannot be stated in general terms. It all depends on both the objective and the target group. Sending a home magazine with the aim of enticing the reader to visit the store on Whit Monday requires empathy. A long weekend invites you to read at your leisure on the iPad. A housing magazine would ideally be in the mailbox on Saturday morning. Then plans are made for the weekend and a suggestion for a visit to a residential boulevard is excellently timed.

In addition, it is also important to look at the past. Grab the statistics from Google Analytics and see when the magazine is the best read. Provided there is enough data to draw valuable conclusions, this can give a good indication of the right time. Don’t be too afraid to experiment with different times, for example by splitting a mailing into two parts. You send one part at time A and the other at time B. This way you can continue to optimize.

2. Kill your darlings – Optimize content for the reader

Many paper magazines are made based on a specific image of the target group and what they find interesting. Whether this image is correct and the magazine is effective remains a bit of a guess with a print version. With online magazines, it is possible to measure what the target group is doing. Which articles are read and which are not? Which links are clicked? How far do people scroll on the page? You can answer those kinds of questions with the help of statistics. The insights that arise from this must be used to adjust the image of the target group and the content.

It often turns out that the magazine makers are surprised by the results. In many cases, assumptions are adjusted and the content is adjusted. The famous slogan ‘kill your darlings’ applies here. If the statistics show that your favorite article is not being read, you will have to say goodbye to it in order to come up with a better magazine. Optimize the content for your reader and not for yourself.

3. Provide a good flow within the magazine

A good ‘flow’ through your magazine is important. It must be clear what the intention is per page. What the reader should do. For example, reading an article, clicking a link, sharing the article on social media, or ordering a product. Many different options are possible, but it must be clear per page what the purpose is. In addition, there must be a logical sequence. People should be encouraged to browse and read on. Provide variety in your pages. Online magazines offer perfect options for this: create permanent pages where clicks give you pop-ups and underlying pages with additional information and alternate them with long read sin which the reader scrolls through the story. Whatever pages you create, calls-to-actions are very important. Call the reader to action. Keep the goal in mind for each page.

4. Note the reading mode

One magazine is intended for cursory browsing, the other for extensive reading. The articles must be made for the correct ‘reading mode’: leaning back scrolling or leaning forward reading carefully. The form supports the reading goal. So pay attention to the (amount of) images, animations, and, for example, the page length. The right choices optimize the content and thus contribute to the right flow.

5. Get Found – Optimize content for search engines

Search engine optimization, also known as SEO, is an important method for getting more relevant traffic: readers who ask the questions that are answered in your magazine. Whether you should do Search Engine Optimization, however, depends on the objective of the e-magazine you are creating. An internal member magazine does not have to be on the first page of Google, but an inspiration magazine for a webshop does.

For example, Keywordtool.io is useful, with which you can easily find so-called ‘long-tail keywords’. These are longer and more specific search terms. So instead of ‘making online magazine’, for example, ‘making your own online magazine’. With this, you cast a larger net and answer more specific search questions.

It also doesn’t hurt to include your keyword research in determining your editorial formula and tailor your articles to what people are searching for on Google. You make the content more relevant to that.

Publishing of online magazine

Online magazines have several advantages compared to the printed media. You need any reputed and best software such as FlipHTML5 to create and publish your virtual magazine online. There are numerous online templates that you can choose suitable for your need. There will not be any requirement to install any additional plug-in and anyone can read it on any platform or device.

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