Does your organization use a printed catalog or magazine to connect with your audience and provide value to them? Are you already using a mobile version of your publication to expand your audience reach?
The The Power of Walsworth Apps blog series details the benefits of utilizing a publication app to generate additional revenue while delivering a rich and interactive reader experience.
And, as mentioned in the Using An Integrated Content Marketing Strategy article, a publication app can provide more in terms of tracking and marketing potential, and is a perfect fit in the context of a larger integrated content marketing strategy.
The Purpose of Publishing Apps
Having your own publishing app is huge in terms of getting people to read more of your content. More than 25 percent of people read more, both in terms of print and digital versions, when they subscribe to the digital version of a publication.
That extra time is huge. More reading time means more time spent looking at your digital ads, which have a significantly higher response rate than print ads. The end result is an increase in ad revenue, making your publication that much more valuable.
A Virtual Presence
It’s clear that publishing apps can boost your bottom line. But how do they work within an integrated content marketing strategy? The answer, of course, is that publishing apps can be key contributors to your strategy.
A print publication can be many things, but it can’t be everywhere. A catalog or magazine is useless to a reader if the publication isn’t in the same physical location as the reader. Publishing apps remove this dilemma, allowing subscribers instant access to your content, no matter where they are. Whether they’re on the train or at a coffee shop, people can read and share your content from their mobile device. The constant presence of your app on a reader’s phone or tablet also means that they’ll always have your brand in mind, immersing them more deeply into your content strategy.
A big benefit to having a publishing app, though, is trackability. Being able to track the content that’s read is tremendously beneficial when it comes to producing more content. For the first time, you’ll be able to see exactly how people behave when they interact with your publication. You’ll know which articles they read, how far they get, how often they return to the same content, and how often they are sharing excerpts of that content with others. This will help you get to know your audience even better, drastically increasing your ability to deliver quality material on a regular basis.
Creating a Digital Channel
Your publishing app not only contains great content, but it’s also a great way to push readers toward your other outlets. Since 80 percent of people who download publishing apps are motivated to take action, you should make it as easy as possible for them to learn more.
At a minimum, your publication app should encourage people to share your content with others and to follow you on social media. Slightly more complex, your publication app should provide a way to purchase your products, renew their membership with you, or explore the offers within your interactive advertisements.
And, knowing that a high percentage of your mobile readers are motivated to act, you should always include calls to action with links to the website landing pages you’ve set up to bring your marketing message home.
