These days, artists, designers, bloggers, and small business owners alike are practically stumbling over themselves to be featured in print magazines, but many still do not realize the full potential that online resources can have on their product lines, business ventures, and more.
Print features are amazing for social proof and they definitely bring more awareness to your brand, reaching a large audience across the country and sometimes around the world. BUT print is not the end all-be all of your marketing strategy, especially in the digital age.
Print is not growing leaps and bounds like digital content is, and as someone with something to promote, you need to be aware of that. Success for your business is all about how well you can adapt to change and work through problems and issues. Things are not what they were ten years ago (or even five years ago)…
“So are you saying that print is dead?”
Nope. Print is not dead, but its certainly not on an upswing at the moment.
If you don’t believe me, all you need to do is think back to just about a month and a half ago when ReadyMade announced the magazine would be shutting down immediately: closing of ReadyMade magazine.
The magazine was loved by many, especially in our community of artists, designers, and DIYers. BUT ultimately, it wasn’t enough to keep the magazine going.
Nope. Print is definitely not on an upswing, but…digital content is.
“Digital content is most definitely in an upswing.”
I remember the days when people relied more on the morning paper for news of the day than CNN.com and The Huffington Post. Hell, even just eight or nine years ago, I hardly used the internet outside of school. And now, almost ten years later my entire career revolves around a (relatively) thin screen and a wireless keyboard.
Times they are a changin’. Good or bad. We are living in an age where more of us hear about Bin Laden’s death on twitter than via any other source (according to a recent Mashable poll). We get our news on our iPhones and Blackberries, spend hours on YouTube for entertainment, and even take classes online.
We are living in a technology driven society. So, whether you use your phone, iPad, laptop, netbook, or home computer, digital content is here to stay.
It’s the reason why people like Michelle Adams are leaving the print magazine industry to start up digital publications that quickly reach tens of thousands of readers (Michele Adams worked at Domino magazine as an assistant. And when the company folded, she created the popular online shelter mag, Lonny).
It’s the reason why just over a year ago, Amazon announced that Kindle books were outselling Hardcover books on their site by huge percentages.
And it’s the reason why authors like Seth Godin are ditching traditional book deals and going straight to self-published electronic books and other creative ventures (well Seth has some other reasons too, but you get the point).
So, here’s my question to you…
What are you doing right now with your marketing strategy that is in line with the digital age of content?
Leave your response in the comments below.
9 comments | Click here to reply
I love this topic! I would say I’m very entrenched in the digital world of marketing. Guest blogging, video, social media, digital content, teleclasses, all of it. I love it and they are all such great mediums for sharing your message.
And Marcie above makes a great point! Digital subscriptions! We definitely digest content in a new way, but there are still ways to incorporate old models and ideas and thrive. xo
Stephenie ZamoraI think it should be noted also that while digital is definitely becoming the way to go, there are a lot of traditional print medias that are going digital. They are creating digital subscriptions of their circulated magazines and even special digital releases available only online.
Marcie A.Their requirements for being published haven’t changed, and often times their submission guidelines will stay the same.
So, I would say, the desire to be in a magazine and submitting your work to a magazine is still relative, but consider choosing publishers that are increasingly catering to a digital audience.
The digital content is in our life these days and easy to engage. Marketing in a digital world can be very affordable like a dollar a day. So it’s really a good choice to do it online as well, why not 🙂
SukiThanks for this article….and the Dylan Quote. Yes, I did one-on-one consulting for a number of years, before realizing the full benefits of an online business. I love reaching out and forming such a personable online community of creatives myself.
I also serve artists and creative entrepreneurs, and am expanding to serve contractors in the construction biz as well. Mostly I serve visual artist and purveyors of handcrafted goods.
I LOVE both my online community of creatives as well as my online community of amazing mentors, colleagues and coaches. I feel this online community is my main source of inspiration and what keeps the momentum behind all of my projects. It feels so supportive. Tuning into a 5 minute video, by one of my fav. mentors, once a week alone, can make a big difference in my inspiration and energy for the week.
In fact, I feel the industry of coaches and consultants is one of the most supportive cooperative communities in the universe…and that makes me want to be part of it even more.
I get support from my online community on EVERY level in my life and it is mind blowing and I almost want to cry thinking about how nurturing and supportive it is. I love giving and receiving both, in my online communities and could not be happier that I followed my instincts and the advice of some wise coaches and switched to more of an online business model.
Social media provides a family outside family, in an age of fast pace busy lives. I am not in a situation where I am out much meeting people in my community. I have a core base of friends, but they all work 9-5s so It is awesome to have access to a community 24-7 in all parts of the world.
Thanks again for this wonderful article.
Freea~Freea
I love your clarity in this post. So many of us in business have been thinking these things in terms of marketing, but you clearly laid them out for us. I try to develop relationships with both online sources, as well as, print for my business. Many of the print magazines produce online content too, so it’s another way for my brand, content and products to go viral. There are so many excellent relevant sources on the World Wide Web and we can easily and instantly make connections with them. It sure does make modern marketing tactics fun!
Kristina @CorporateFashionistaI agree, digital can reach many more people, and it could be better targeted.
DonaArgAfter the fall of DIY King ReadyMade it’s clear that investing in your own print publication isn’t the best idea right now. Luckily, right now it’s cheap and easy to establish an online presence and get press online.
Isn’t it funny that even though it’s an “antiquated medium” print just feels so much more official. It’s tangible, you can hold it in your hand and feel its weight. I don’t think books and magazines could ever truly die, but I’m grateful for the web and it’s never-ending opportunities it offers.
VanThanks fro sharing your thoughts Jenny. Like I said before, I think there are TONS of great reasons why entrepreneurs, shop owner,s and bloggers should be pitching to magazines but sometimes it feels like people get too caught up in print. There are so many resources online that are always looking for great content to promote as well. So it just makes sense to approach the avenues just as often (if not more).
papernstitch-Brittni
I totally agree with you – while print isn’t “dead”, it may not be the place to be putting your energy into right now.
Jenny