The magazine industry has made changes to survive the times, such as producing digital editions or gravitating to a specific niche. Most importantly, magazines offer advertisers new options.
In the first quarter of 2009, 167 magazines hit newsstands for the first time. Ninety-two percent of U.S. adults read magazines and spend more than $86 million on single-copy magazines each week, reports the Magazine Publishers of America.
Magazine advertising drives people to action. The Magazine Publishers of America report on accountability identifies magazine ads as the leading medium for prompting Web searches across all age demographics. Research shows that ad messages with Web addresses triple Web site traffic compared to ads without a URL. According to Affinity’s VISTA Print Effectiveness Rating Service, actions inspired from magazine advertising have increased 10% over the past year.
With major publications supplementing print editions with digital magazines, a new opportunity rises for Internet advertisers. A digital edition is not the magazine’s Web site. Instead, it is an online representation of the magazine with virtual pages to ‘flip’ through. This evolution in the media landscape appeals to both advertisers and subscribers.
Unlike traditional print magazines, digital editions combine the benefits of offline and online advertising. Digital publications stay online longer than a traditional magazine’s shelf life. This means your ads will stay on the magazine’s Web site, reaching more and more prospects.
Subscribers receive digital editions of magazines immediately. Along with instant delivery, readers can interact directly with advertisements. This new type of publication is also indexed by leading search engines. With each click of a digital magazine ad, you increase organic search engine results and boost your Web site traffic.
A Zinio research study reported that 85% of respondents benefit from being able to click ads in digital publications. With just a click, prospects will be directed to your Web site, generating instant and measurable results.
According to Deloitte’s “State of the Media Democracy” survey, 72% of respondents prefer to read information in a magazine. Publications serving a specific vertical market of subscribers have proven to survive the tumultuous economy. The laser-like focus of niche publications has resulted in the capture of loyal subscribers. These types of publications deliver your messages directly to highly targeted and measured audiences.
For more information on how to reach target audiences through creative advertisements, contact Walt Denny Inc. at (630) 323-0555 or e-mailwalt@waltdenny.com.
