Magazine publishers, including Conde Naste, Time Inc. and Hearst Corp. have joined the digital world. While their periodicals have each had an online presence for many years, they are now taking it one step further by getting each issue on e-readers like Kindle and iPad, with a view to gaining subscriptions. Print is still more lucrative, but the digital world is encroaching.
Time Inc., a division of Time Warner Inc., has recently hired George Linardos to direct its digital marketing pursuits. At present, the company doesn't have a CEO, but the need to digitally connect and market their magazines through apps has become important. Linardos is expected to use his expertise to market through several digital mediums, including tablet publishing.
Tablet Publishing
The digital tablet still has a small audience as opposed to print readership, but it is growing quickly, and it's an area traditional periodical publishers are taking seriously in terms of marketing.
Conde Nast and Hearst Corp. are marketing via Apple Inc. and Amazon.com, selling subscriptions for use in digital tablets like Kindle and iPad. Time Inc. was not comfortable with the contract. At present, Apple will not release subscriber's names and addresses to the publishers without consent from the readers. Conde' Nast and Hearst have had similar concerns addressed and are satisfied with their own contracts.
At Time Inc., customers can still find them on iPad, but they must either purchase an issue at a time, or verify their subscription each time they visit.
Apple Newstand App
Both Apple Newstand app and Amazon Kindle Fire app encourage browsing and purchasing magazines from subscribers with easy downloads.
Since the release of Apple Newstand App on iPad on October 12, 2011, Condé Nast has reported a 268% increase in their subscription rates for all their periodicals including Brides, GQ, Golf Digest and Vanity Fair to name a few.
Amazon Kindle Fire App
Millions of Apple Kindle Fire apps have been pre-sold and some buyers may be hard-pressed to find them until the new year. Amazon has actively marketed it to magazine publishers.Conde' Nast is already on board, partly because Amazon is willing to offer the publishers the names and addresses of subscribers. This has always been a sticking point with print periodical publishers. Amazon Kindle Fire app will include approximately 300 well-known print magazines with issues in full color.
Digital publishing and marketing is evolving every day, but most publishers agree that producing print periodicals is still more lucretive and not yet a thing of the past.
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Lorraine Syratt - Lorraine Syratt is a freelance writer, gardener and part-time antique dealer. Please see her full profile for more information.
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