Note to Magazine Publishing Staff: Secure Our Digital Initiatives Now
CMP Technology recently announced that they will be eliminating 200 jobs and according to Steve Weitzner, CMP’s President & CEO will be making changes to focus on their strong growth and more balanced magazine brands portfolio. Newsday.com reports that the company will fold some publications and reduce the number of times certain publications are published.
In my opinion, Mr. Weitzners comments about the reduction in print revenue provides continued evidence that magazine publishers must seek to re-align their publications online. Magazine publishers must begin to look at their brands as business and social communities centered on content and not as paper magazine publishers. These brands should facilitate the exchange of information over all mediums possible especially on the mediums that are more conducive to the way consumers are migrating to receive their content and media: websites, digital editions, blogs, podcasts, rss feeds, video, mobile, web communities, social networking platforms, and online interactive events.
There will be plenty of advertising opportunities within these digital channels. Use your print as your media guide to your brand and not the sole content delivery point. The website no longer supports the print magazine, the print magazine supports the website and digital brand offerings. There’s still plenty of room for the conference sponsorhips and print display advertising as one element of the magazine media kit.
Add a minimum of 2 pages to focus on the magazine’s brand in front of your print issue table of contents to be sure your existing readers know how to connect in all the digital places your brand exists.
Don’t worry, readers will still skim the print magazine. Fight now to get your readers tied into your digital channels before they go find someone else who will offer them these capabilities.
