Three Tips to Increase Reader Loyalty and Expand Online Readership
Today, virtually everyone is capable of digital publishing on some level. Maybe that’s why so many publishers fail to take the medium as seriously as they should. But by not treating digital publishing with the consideration and forethought it deserves, publishers may be missing a great opportunity to increase current reader loyalty and grow online readership.
Publishers who are looking to expand readership and find new ways to interact with existing readers should consider embracing digital publishing as it’s an excellent way to get new readers’ attention and reach current readers in a fresh venue. It’s not enough to just upload a PDF of a print publication to a website; publishers should commit to investing in quality digital publishing if they’re serious about the medium.
For those who are ready to increase reader loyalty and expand online readership, here are three tips to keep in mind when launching a digital publishing initiative or improving an existing digital publishing strategy:
1. Reach out to readers on multiple platforms and operating systems
Today’s consumers access media content on multiple screens, including laptops, smart phones and tablets. Although some may be brand loyalists, millions access content via multiple operating systems too – an Android smart phone, a Microsoft-powered laptop and an iPad, for example. Publishers should find a digital publishing solution that supports the many ways consumers access content so they can reach the maximum number of readers at home or on the go.
2. Create multiple touchpoints
As any good brand manager knows, a multimedia outreach strategy tends to be more effective than an approach that relies on a single mode of communication. Publishers who are promoting a new or enhanced digital publication should consider multiple touchpoints to reach new readers and expand loyalty in the current customer base. Touchpoints can include newsletters, subscription prompts, contests and other creative ways to grab and hold readers’ attention via compelling messages.
3. Promote the digital identity online and offline
Although it’s tempting to think of the digital publication as an extension of a print edition, it’s a separate publication with its own unique features. Publishers who are looking to engage new readers should promote the publication’s digital identity, providing information to encourage readers to access the digital publication via online and offline venues such as the print edition, email and website links. They should also make advertisers aware of the new possibilities a digital publication opens up, including the potential to reach readers worldwide and exponentially increase advertiser exposure.
For publishers, investing in a quality digital publication makes sense: It’s a great way to reach new readers, and it provides existing customers with an opportunity to access the publication in new ways. By making sure readers can access the publication from multiple platforms and operating systems, reaching out to readers via multiple touch-points and promoting the digital identity online and offline, publishers can significantly improve reader loyalty and grow readership worldwide.
Mik Stroyberg
Mik Stroyberg is Director of Consumer Engagement at Issuu, the world’s fastest growing digital publishing platform, with more than 4.5 million publishers and host to over 8 million publications.
