A digital magazine comes of age

 If you have read my posts over the last year you know that I believe strongly in digital magazines. But early on I predicted that unless digital magazines can be proven to be an effective advertising platform, not just a delivery platform, they will fade into oblivion.

I think it is very nice that some consumer magazines now send out digital copies to "enhance" print subscriptions. It's also very pleasant that more B to B magazines send out digital magazines to stretch their BPA audits. But there is no long term future in this.

The future of digital magazines belongs to content publishers who use them to capture a unique content niche, crawl into it, define it, dominate it, and attract a unique audience to it. Once that audience is established, advertisers will follow. Bravo to the publisher of Avantoure who has done just this.

Here is the post just in from publisher Serafima Bogomolova:

  Hi Josh,

I agree with everything you have said.  I spotted the trend back in 2006 when I launched digital only lifestyle interactive magazine Avantoure http://www.zinio.com/express3?issue=280069389 (express view), site www.avantoure.com

I have decided to go digital only because I believed that this is something new, exciting, and I can create a new content, a new magazine on an innovative digital platform. I did not want to do a duplicate of a print magazine because I think it has no future. It has been extremely hard to promote my publication as I am an independent digital publisher. I have spent months and months explaining to potential partners and advertisers all the benefits of digital only. In 2006 and 2007 they remained vaguely interested and did not recognize the potential…

I am very happy that 2008 is a turning point for all innovative digital publishers and I hope advertisers will also understand soon how cool, modern, innovative, effective, and useful digital only magazines and publications are!

Thank you very much for your supportive views on digital. 

Read other posts on digital magazines

 

Comments

[flip page software]

The best time for developing digital magaines has already coming with the creation of the MIDs.

[Michael Turro and others]

This post created a lot of dialgue when it ran on the Folio webiste. Here they are:

Looking for a shred
Submitted by mike on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 10:59.

Well the headline was compelling but I can find nothing within the post that backs it up. Well, other than one publisher of the format that has avowedly been convinced of the channel has been "cool" for several years. Please, reach deep and give me some content worthy of that title.
Nothing new
Submitted by Michael Turro on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 12:40.

Really... kind of vague no? Is Avantoure finally turning a profit? Has readership jumped? Ad revenue increase? What exactly is there to celebrate here? (Other than the fact that Serafima Bogomolova has managed to get herself linked from FOLIO) And perhaps more importantly - what is Avantoure doing with their "digital" that's different. To me the book looks like every other digital magazine - a way for print minded graphic designers to feel current without having to actually learn a new skill set. Not sure that's much of a turning point.
Nothing New???
Submitted by Serafima on Tue, 08/19/2008 - 09:16.

Hi Michael, You obviously felt strong about something mentioned in the post if you generated such a sceptical and sarcastic response to it... Why are you so convinced that digital magazines is the way for print minded designers to feel current without having to learn a new skill... Have you ever produced a digital only magazine in any kind of software? Are you a designer? What type of new skills have you learnt recently? What is it that you are doing that can differentiate you from 'print minded' designers...? I think discussions can be constructive and interesting only if the person who challenges somebody’s view or work has actually achieved something himself/herself that is worth mentioning and comparing against... If not then it is pure jealousy...
Interesting point but...
Submitted by Natasha Childs on Tue, 08/19/2008 - 15:25.

there are some digital only magazines that really do take advantage of the medium. I have not yet see Avantoure, but VIV magazine, a luxury/women's interest digital magazine is fantastic. They have fully interactive content and advertisements that go far beyond what could happen in a static or print format. It is almost revolutionary in in the way it displays magazine content. I saw their creative director at a trade seminar in October and then subscribed through their website. Check them out - I think they are going to catch on quite soon and more digital only magazines will take off.
Different destinies?
Submitted by Josh Gordon on Wed, 08/20/2008 - 15:18.

Digital magazines need to be their own medium. While the earliest commercial successes with them has been as a simple transport medium for print publishers to extend into the digital realm I believe the future is brightest with publishes who start with a clean sheet of, well paper, and chart their own digital destiny quite apart from their print editions.
ezines - what is the point?
Submitted by Online Ad Guy on Thu, 08/21/2008 - 11:08.

I just don't understand the notion of a zinio or nxtbook magazine - they are impossible to navigate through a computer - constantly having to scroll, zoom and refocus. I think the one application of an ezine that I've seen that makes sense is to publish something short that is intended to be printed - but then you are merely changing the delivery mechanism.