Can magazines win online?

Bonnier Publications in Denmarks seem to think ‘No’. They are famour for having a portfolio of websites thats almost inverse proportional to the magnitude of some of their print titles - and they are proud of it.

To them magazines should only have websites, if they drive subscriptions to the print publication. Nothing else. They proudly state so themselves. But is that really all a magazine website should be about?

Not at all. For a number of reasons.

First og all print magazines have the advantage of a loyal following. People tend to be much more dedicated towards a magazine than they are towards publications that rely on news, i.e. newspapers etc. In other words there’s a really strong potential for taking this loyal fanbase online and provide added value to them there that complements what they get in the magazine. I’m even willing to bet that subcription numbers - if the online push is applied correctly - wont suffer. Quite on the contrary. If you don’t do it, somebody else will.

Second of all dedicated websites with a base in a niche magazine commands great advertiser attention. Advertisers still like their print spread, because they have grown so used to it over the decades. But what they are increasingly starting to like even more is the accountability in the numbers and statistics that goes with online advertising. Hence more and more advertisers will be looking online for a maximum return on their marketing investment. And thus you as a publishing house need to have a strong online presence to retain your advertising revenue.

Third, having a strong niche focused website gives you all the insights imaginable into your target audience - your fan base. There is no better way of getting towards understanding their needs and wants, and what the next service and/or product, you could offer them, should be. So from an ongoing business development point-of-view, having a strong online presence also has significant value for your business as such.

Of course you could choose to ignore all three above and just do things like you’ve always done. It may be ok or even good on the short term. But are you really willing to bet on that being a winner strategy for the longer term?

Vad NU! is a consultancy company owned by Mads Kristensen and specialized in helping clients take advantage of the business opportunities created by new media. Click to learn how I can help you and your company.