Whether it is a licensed title or an original publication, you have likely invested quite a bit to create premium content that delights your audience and drives significant revenue for your magazine. But how effective is this strategy if no one sees it?
To not only maintain your audience but grow it, you have to meet readers wherever they are. And while people are spending more time at home and giving print magazines another chance, the ongoing pandemic has also driven online content consumption to an all-time high. Read on for best practices to help you bring your magazine content to life on your website, social media and beyond.
1. Take Advantage of Digital Platforms
Whether a digital edition is your primary product or a complement to your print edition, you can create a highly immersive experience for your readers with engaging interactive presentations that incorporate videos, animations and more.
Presenting your content online will also allow you to take advantage of search engine optimization. Once you are indexed by search engines, it will drive significantly more traffic to your site and generate awareness for your magazine brand. Having online content allows you to address your viewers’ specific problems as they look for solutions. You have the opportunity to engage with new audiences and connect with them on a more personal level.
2. Refine Your Content Strategy
While digital can be more fun creatively, it also gives you access to a wide range of data that cannot be captured in print. These analytics, from demographic information to engagement metrics, can serve as a way for you to gauge your overall success and refine your content marketing strategy. Whether it is food, beauty or fashion, you can choose to produce the content that your audience wants to read and learn what content attracts the most valuable advertisers and sponsors.
3. Embrace Social Media
Create content that is dynamic and unique to each platform you are on. It could be as simple as posting behind-the-scenes images that were not printed in the magazine with extended captions or livestreaming interesting research for a local story. Drive affinity with new and existing followers via calls to actively engage with you through user-generated content around themes from your magazine. They will appreciate your willingness to engage with them and reward you by sharing your posts within their own circles — ultimately helping you connect with a broader audience and extend your reach.
4. Boost Content ROI With Newsletters
Use email marketing to draw attention to things you’ve already posted online or to keep engagement high with targeted content for your most valuable readers. Your email-only content can be anything that readers will look forward to finding in their inbox on a regular basis: perhaps a roundup of editors’ favorites or an ongoing email series, such as a guide based on a topic related to one of your magazine’s core themes.
5. Exert Your Influence at Live and Virtual Events
Make your advertisers feel the magic of your brand and engage with your readers through live experiences or virtual events. From sponsorship packages to ticket sales and one-of-a-kind experiences, events can also generate significant revenue for your local edition. If you don’t have the resources to go all-in on events, you can extend your reach by sponsoring an existing event whose target audience aligns with yours.
Final Thoughts
NYTLicensing presents the opportunity to produce in-market editions of the magazines of The New York Times and, on occasion, bespoke publications using New York Times content. Our editorial team and content strategists will work with you to create publications that entice and engage your readers and advertisers while maintaining the journalistic commitment that is the hallmark of The New York Times. Contact us today to learn more.
