The total number of issues of a magazine that are sold is known as
1. Planning a MagazineWe’ve come a long way since the very first American publication in 1741. Who knows if Benjamin Franklin and his chronicling competitors had any idea that their budding industry would blossom into something that has a global market size of $68.3 billion this year? Show
Thanks to both their centuries-long resilience and progressive nature to adapt, magazines continue to be a worthwhile project to embark on. If you’re looking to start a magazine or pivot to digital editions, read on. We’re outlining the basic steps of how to start a magazine in 2023. i. Choose a NicheThe first step to starting your magazine is, of course, to choose a concept. Before you venture down the path on how to make a magazine, you need to know what you want to write about in your publication. Will it handle a general topic, like business or politics? Do you want to get down to the nitty gritty of gardening or interior design? Be sure to choose a concept that you will be able to generate ideas around. Magazines have been around for centuries, so chances are that there’s already a plethora of publications on your chosen topic. How would you tackle the topic differently? Or present it in a unique, fresh way? Kinfolk is a magazine that centers around enjoying food and drinks with friends. It’s an excellent example of a publication that took a unique approach to a highly saturated concept.It’s not as simple as just choosing a topic, however; you should also consider who your primary audience would be. What type of readers are you targeting? What’s the demographic profile? Think in terms of age, interests, education level, family dynamics, and so on. Pro Tip: “It’s … important that your audience has a ‘continuing need’ for your content, so they’ll want to subscribe and read more. Think about your audience’s lifestyle and cater to the issues and ideas they care about.” Knowing your audience will help to keep you established and focused in the niche you’re pursuing. Because just as Michael Keaton’s Ray Kroc discovered in The Founder — when the McDonald’s businessman learned he wasn’t in the hamburger business, but rather the real-estate business — it’s essential to remain true to the business of The Niche even as people can’t keep their hands off the publication. Beyond your concept, other factors to consider are:
The initial stages of developing your concept will involve lots of research. However, it ensures that you’re organized and have a clear vision as you develop your publication. ii. Create a Business PlanThink of your up-and-coming magazine as a company. It’s not just a publication. It’s a brand, a business. As with any venture, you need to devise a solid plan. Using your concept research, build a business plan that addresses the logistics of starting a magazine. Priority considerations include:
Pro Tip: If you will be relying on ads for revenue, you will want ads to cover at least 50% of your publication, and closer to 60-65% if you’re relying solely on ad revenue.
iii. Hire Your StaffIn every feature film involving magazines (and newspapers), it’s all about the staff. Your team members take ideas and mold them into stories. They give a voice and visual to each individual page and to the larger brand. Because they’re so important, don’t skimp out on hiring a dream team of editorial all-stars to get your magazine off the ground. Though you may not yet have the budget to hire a full staff, you’ll at least want these essential members in your corner, laying the foundation:
Other positions to consider down the line (or on a freelance basis):
An editor’s salary can run between $40,000 and $120,000 per year, depending on factors such as experience, location, etc. When hiring a top-notch editor, focus on finding a candidate with impeccable writing skills, an eye for detail, and a knack for deadlines and organization. Have them include writing samples or a sample assignment to ensure their skills are near perfect. Tone can be taught, but basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation are necessary from the get-go. As for a salesperson, costs fall between $30,000 to $40,000 annually for a base salary, plus at least 10% commission. Hiring a dependable salesperson is a little trickier than an editor. As with an editor, you want someone with basic skills. Great salespeople hone “soft” skills like communication, customer service, and interpersonality. Ideally you want someone who also has experience selling similar products. However, product knowledge can be taught, so lower that priority. As a general business rule of thumb, hire a salesperson that you can genuinely sit down and have a conversation with. If they’re personable, chances are they’ll do great in the field. A production manager’s annual salary can range from $30,000 to $60,000, depending on their experience level. If you’re financially savvy and the rest of your staff is willing to take on whatever tasks are thrown their way those first few months, you may be able to get by without a production manager initially. As revenue and ad sales grow, however, you should definitely look into hiring one. If you’re looking to save money, outsource your writing, design, and photography needs by hiring freelancers. Costs for freelancers differ based on industry and experience:
Luckily, it’s the 21st century, and freelancers are everywhere. Any decent editor will have a stable of reliable writers at the ready, but you can fit your needs and budget with this quick list of resources available for your editorial needs:
Other websites to hire specialty team members include Fiverr, WriterAccess, and Guru (which also includes translation services if you’re producing a multilingual magazine). Pro Tip: Though not directly part of your editorial team, you also need to find a reliable printer during the hiring stage. Ultimately, a Creative Director or Production Manager will manage the issue-to-issue operations. If you’re distributing your publications, look for a printer who also distributes. This will save you the time and money of hiring two separate companies. When your magazine is more established, you should look into hiring a digital marketer. They’ll promote your publication and manage your social media channels. iv. Make Use of All PlatformsOne of the most important considerations for starting a magazine in 2023 is making use of all possible platforms, particularly in the interest of marketing. This means taking advantage of all channels to post and promote your magazine and engage with your readers.
If you see growth from your magazine, your content is likely valuable enough that people would be willing to pay for it. Consider introducing a fee or capping your content off at a certain number of articles. This is called a journalism paywall, as
evidenced by Vanity Fair:
Businesses with waiting rooms, like doctors’ offices, and colleges and universities are also great places to distribute your publication.
All of these tactics will bring awareness — and thus, subscribers — to your new magazine. 2. Launching Your First IssueSo, you’ve ironed out most of the initial kinks and are ready to create content for your magazine. You want your first issue to be palatable, welcoming enough to draw in a readership … but with all of the magazines that exist, your launch must also stand out. Creating content is not a linear process, so reading a step-by-step guide will not be helpful. It may even distort your creative process. But the basics are hard to argue with. Stay up to date not just with other publications that cover your topic, but with specific keywords and conversations being had across all social media. And participate and be active in those niche sectors so you can get a better sense of where people’s interests are currently and where they might be headed. Along with active listening on your topic, make sure to get feedback on your efforts as well. Here are some additional suggestions to keep in mind:
As mentioned earlier, it is recommended that you plan out your editorial content at least one year in advance. You can always adjust editions to reflect relevant events and trends, but planning out your content all at once will save you lots of time down the road. For their first issue (1967), Rolling Stone kept it simple, centering their cover around an image of John Lennon. This served as the blueprint for all issues to come, as they continue to feature images of prominent figures on their covers.i. Rounding up content and creating a mock-upOnce you’ve chosen your topic, you’ll need to create a mock-up of your issue. While your content doesn’t have to be finalized in this stage, it is important to have a general idea of what your issue will contain. Plan to include a variety of content. Aim for a good mix of articles, interviews, and opinion pieces. Above all, make sure your content is helpful to readers by providing actionable information. Article, design, and photography assignments should be given well before the mock-up is finished. This will ensure that you will receive all of your content in time for your launch. Though you may want to keep your costs as low as possible, do not cut corners on content acquisition. High-quality content is well worth the investment. If you outsource your content, it would be a good idea to create a style guide. This will ensure that your content is consistent, even if your creators are not. Pro Tip: “A copy editor will take your magazine from good to high-quality … This person provides a fresh, outside set of eyes to go over what you’re creating, and offers insights you would likely miss … Copy editors police your use of grammar, spelling, and punctuation [and] ensure a consistent writing style for your magazine.” The tasks of writing the articles and curating the images would likely be left to your staff. However, as the founder, you should work hand-in-hand with your designer(s) to create a mock-up that fits your vision. From title treatment and cover concept to the layout of articles and ads, this mock-up will serve as the blueprint for your issue. As you receive finalized content, your graphic designer will stylize it and replace the fillers. Mock-ups should also be included in your media kit, a package of information and content with which you pitch your magazine to advertisers. A well designed mock-up will make your pitch that much easier to sell. Pro Tip: To visualize your issue without finalized content, use Lorem ipsum text (aka greeking) to fill in empty text boxes and images from the internet as placeholders. ii. Tools to create your issueOf course you can’t create your issue, or even the mock-up, without the right tools. Luckily, there are tons to choose from. Here are a few suggestions: InDesignInDesign is an offering from Adobe’s Creative Cloud (www.adobe.com/creativecloud) that allows graphic designers to create posters, brochures, magazines, and even interactive eBooks. InDesignPros:
Cons:
Price: Adobe offers a 7-day free trial of InDesign. Otherwise, it is available as part of a subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud. It will cost either $20.99 for the single app or $54.99 for the entire design suite. DigitalStudioDigitalStudio is a flat-planning and pagination software by Mirabel Technologies (www.mirabeltechnologies.com), created specifically for magazine publishers. DigitalStudioPros:
Cons:
Price: A subscription to the magazine management software costs $65/month/user with an additional $250 initial setup fee, and includes DigitalStudio, access to a powerful publishing CRM (with full publishing ERP software capabilities), electronic invoicing to bill advertisers, and top-tier support services. Considering the large scope, it’s the software magazine designers, production staffers, and sales teams alike can utilize together. Microsoft PublisherMicrosoft Publisher is a design program that comes exclusively with a Microsoft 365 (www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365) subscription. If you use Microsoft, as most businesses do, this might be a great option for you. Pros:
Cons:
Price: Microsoft offers a 1 month free trial of Publisher, through its trial of Microsoft 365. The annual subscription for Microsoft 365 Business Premium is $22/user/month, and includes all of the Microsoft 365 products, along with their secure cloud services. iii. Post-LaunchThe next step is, of course, distributing your publication. In addition to the distribution suggestions earlier, you can build your circulation and subscriber lists through traditional methods, such as cold calling, street team promotion, or direct mail. Eventually, consider a magazine subscription software, such as Mirabel Technologies’ ChargeBrite platform, to help manage magazine subscription data and recurring revenue. Obviously, your work is not finished after you distribute your publication. After distribution, you should follow up with your readership. You can do this by sending a postcard or email asking for feedback. One of your primary objectives is to satisfy your readers, so their feedback is essential as you move forward with your publication. Following up is especially important after your first issue. Keep track of the things your subscribers enjoyed. Those elements should remain consistent across your editions. If they enjoyed a specific promotion, consider repeating it in a later edition. On the same note, keep track of the things that your readers were critical of. These will be the things you should focus on fine-tuning as your publication progresses. 3. Marketing a Magazinei. Create a BrandYou need a consistent, effective marketing strategy to draw in new readers and keep existing subscribers engaged. When marketing a new magazine — or product of any kind — it’s important to create a brand. Let’s circle back to the beginning, and the very first steps we discussed in starting your publication: specifically, establishing a niche or concept that it centers around. It considers a market with a continuous interest in or need for your content, as well as:
As Small Business Chron put it: “Don’t just sell your content. Sell the benefits of reading your magazine. The more you create a niche for your magazine, or develop a specialized image or brand, the more likely you can generate an affinity for your publication with specific consumers.” It’s not enough to generate great copy and design striking visuals. A brand is the element that keeps readers coming in and coming back. ii. DiversifyAnother key strategy to get readers interested in your publication is to diversify your content. Consider adding a product or service to complement your publication. This could be as simple as creating long-form content, such as books, guides, or whitepapers, on topics that might interest your audience. It can be as complex as organizing community events or workshops that relate to your niche. For instance, the popular lifestyle magazine Kinfolk (www.kinfolk.com) hosts “global gatherings held in over 25 locations worldwide” to celebrate their magazine launches. At these events, they focus on forming genuine connections with their readers. An image from an event that Kinfolk held in Brooklyn, NY in February of 2012.This is just one example of the way that a magazine can diversify by hosting events. A restaurant/food and drink magazine might consider organizing a cooking or bartending class that their readers can attend for a small fee. A fitness magazine may hold a marathon and donate the proceeds to an athletic-minded charity. This diversifies their brand and positions the magazine positively in front of their audience. Content diversification can be adapted to a digital format, as well. A podcast that touches on topics relevant to your magazine is another way to supplement its content. It could potentially create an additional revenue stream, too, if you decide to include ads. The online magazine Digiday allows readers to listen to their podcasts. They placed a sign-up form for their newsletter right below the audio, in case readers liked what they heard and wanted to keep the content coming.Diversification can also mean giving readers a variety of subscription types to choose from. “The digital era is all about options,” according to Mag+. “Why not give your readers a range of subscription choices from a single issue to multi-year subscriptions?” No matter how you choose to provide additional value to your subscribers, it makes all the difference in marketing a magazine. iii. Develop Quality ContentWithout quality content, the readers you attract will not be retained. You need to ensure that you’re strategizing and developing high-quality content in every issue. With thousands of publications in the U.S. alone, it’s likely that many of them touch on the same or similar topics as yours. In order to differentiate yourself, or carve out a space amongst similar big-name publications, your content must set the new standard. Take it from What’s New in Publishing: “The content should be more than thinly disguised advertising. It offers compelling, valuable content focused on the brand’s customers, not purely — or overly — aimed at selling.” You want your content to organically generate new subscribers. It’s a slow long-term strategy, but it’s worthwhile because the quality of subscribers is better. So, what does quality content look like? Quality content offers readers more than words on a screen or a piece of paper. It connects with readers and gives them content that’s actionable or, at the very least, thought-provoking. This is no easy feat. It can be hard to find content that people will read, much less connect with. To figure out which content is best for your readers, a great strategy is to analyze successful existing content. Which pieces are they engaging with most? Where are they sharing it online? The State of Digital Publishing makes a case: “Data analyzing is the key to increasing promoting efforts. The better you know your audience, the easier it will be to keep them and reach new ones. Investigate what content your users read most often, what is most often shared, and what social networks your readers are most active on.” Another good strategy is to ask your readers what content they’re interested in seeing from you. Put a pop-up on your website, send a reader’s poll through email, or reach out with a survey. iv. Use your channels — all of them!Don’t limit the ways that your subscribers can enjoy your content. Use all possible mediums to your advantage:
The importance of diversifying your content and platforms go hand in hand. For example, a podcast is one way you may choose to use audio content to your advantage. If your magazine is primarily a print publication, consider providing a digital edition to reach a wider audience or vice versa. Pro Tip: If you decide to host digital content, strategize whether this content will be freely available or reserved for subscribers. A mixture of both is ideal, because a variety of options ensures that you’re reaching as many people as possible. Try to provide content that’s accessible to the general public, and reserve exclusive content for subscribers. Using this technique, new visitors/potential subscribers get a few sample articles before committing to a paid subscription. Many digital magazines ask users to provide an email address to view all your digital content. This is a great way to build an email list, which can also be used to engage with subscribers. Beyond digital and print versions of your publication, it’s a good idea to supplement your content through social media. Content on social media is easily shareable, making it an ideal place to reach new readers. There’s a variety of content to post on social media, including:
You can also use your social media to promote upcoming issues. Per the State of Digital Publishing (www.stateofdigitalpublishing.com): “Before film producers release a new project, they present a movie trailer. The goal is clear – encourage people to go to the cinemas, buy tickets, and watch the film. My tip for you is to be like a movie producer.” Social media may also be a place to further promote your brand itself. Twitter and Instagram, for example, are great places to showcase the personality behind your publication. The Riveter, a magazine focused on empowering women in the workplace, used a GIF on their Twitter account to share social commentary in a way that resonates with their audience.Similarly, LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) is a great platform to showcase your brand professionally. LinkedIn “drives 46% of social traffic to B2B sites and is considered the most credible source of content.” When sharing content to LinkedIn, keep in mind that it’s more likely to be clicked if it includes an image. Also, consider posting video content, as it’s the most commonly shared on the platform. As we mentioned above, you may choose to require users’ to provide an email address in order to view your digital content. This is because an email newsletter is another great way to keep subscribers engaged. Use it to share updates, as well as new or relevant content based on a user’s past interactions with your articles. You can send them more of your free content, and perhaps include an exclusive article or two to entice them to subscribe. Ultimately, marketing CRM software can help not only create this engaging content, but automate how it gets to your audience effectively as well. National Geographic sends out a newsletter to give subscribers a round-up of their content for the week.It may take time to garner a large audience, but it’s a numbers game. The more variety you afford readers to view your content, the better your chances are. ConclusionIt takes the strength of multiple tactics to effectively create and market a magazine. These tips are really just the beginning. However, by incorporating these elements into a strategy that suits your vision, you’ll be well on your way to a loyal readership and a publication to be proud of. If you’d like to learn more about Magazine Manager, Mirabel’s Marketing Manager, and/or Mirabel’s DigitalStudio, request a free demo. What are three types of magazines quizlet?Contemporary magazines are typically divided into three broad types:. Trade, professional, and business magazines.. Industrial, company, and sponsored magazines.. Consumer magazines.. What is magazine circulation quizlet?Circulation. The number of units of the magazine sold or distributed free to individuals in one publishing cycle.
What is a magazine quizlet?Today's magazine definition. collections of articles, stories, and advertisements appearing in nondaily periodicals that are published in the smaller tabloid style rather than the larger broadsheet style.
What are single sponsor magazines?What are single-sponsor magazines? magazines that have only one advertiser throughout an entire issue. By the 1850s, cheaper printing and growing literacy had fueled expansion of the magazine.
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