How to Create a Cost-Effective iPad-Ready Digimag: 5 Tips to Get You Started

In this post guest blogger, Thea Selby, Principal, Next Steps Marketing and Publisher of greenlight-digital.com, gives us the step by step:

“Reject the use of digital replicas of print publications.” Peter Meirs, director of alternative media, Time Inc.

 Q: What does the iPad mean to people interesting in publishing digitally? Are you going to be able to create the amazing look of Wired or Sports Illustrated for the iPad?

Link to Sports Illustrated iPad demo

Link to Wired iPad demo

A: The truth is, in some ways, those two big publishers have put stars in our eyes. Let’s start with the bad news. The bad news is these folks are spending potloads of money to create visually stunning digital media, money most of us do not have.  The good news:  You, too,  can create an engaging mobile digimag as we call digital magazines, both cost-effectively and to great affect for your audience.

What do you need to create an iPad-ready cost-effective digimag? Here are 5 tips for the small to medium sized publisher ready to take advantage of the next stage of publishing.

1. Think hybrid: you’re working on a smallish screen, slightly bigger than the Kindle. You’re creating a hybrid product that looks like a magazine (gorgeous, hi-res and eminently user friendly) but acts like a computer/iPad. Type needs to be bigger, but don’t lose the white space we all love so much.
2. Think “a picture is worth a thousand words.” For the first time ever, portability is in the picture for digital magazines. Fill the space of the iPad with low-cost visuals. Examples of low-cost visuals: slideshows made from photos you have accrued over the years. In some ways, Apple has done us a favor by feuding with Adobe. You won’t have to hire a Flash designer to create visuals for you, as Flash is not supported by Apple.  Adobe has come up with a workaround, however.
3. You don’t have to learn how to program for the iPad; leave that to your registered certified Apple developer. Your job is to communicate content in an extraordinary, visual and engaging way. Your  certified Apple developer will get it to talk to the iPad through X language. Not your problem. Phew. You can create your digimag using the same software your fantastic designers have embraced, InDesign and Quark.
4. A corollary to 3: find a company that is a registered app provider. Most companies that specialize in digital magazines (Texterity, Zinio, to mention 2 large ones) have jumped to become Certified Apple Developers. In fact, Zinio’s app for reading magazines hit the #1 spot for most used
5. Don’t forget your advertiser. Your advertiser can benefit from the same low-tech highly effective tools you’re going to be using to communicate with your and their customer. Want to ask a question? Do a micro poll! Want to link to a demo? Go ahead. Want to ask them to give you an email address so they can contact you with more information? Easy enough.
6. EXTRA TIP: And really don’t forget your reader. The theory, which has been proven by us all as we blithely download music from iTunes and have our credit cards dinged, is that readers for the first time ever in the history of digital media, will be willing to pay consistently for digital content. This is such a step back in the right direction, that we must embrace it, love it, master the medium, and for goodness sake, market it.

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