Thinking about publishing an in-house or membership magazine? Read this before you make any big decisions
Get noticed
Think of creative design as your magazine publishing secret ingredient: a way to stand out, create desire and make an emotional connection with your members or audience. A carefully crafted magazine should demand to be read, support your brand, and be an item of desire.
Well-designed layouts, navigation and relevant calls to action will enhance the reader experience. In addition, a good team will be able to accommodate specific readership needs, such as design standards for neurodiverse readers. You can see some examples here
Content is king
You’re constantly competing to keep your audience’s attention. Your publication needs to inspire and connect, so it’s vital to provide authentic and valuable content.
Having a publisher with a team of well-connected, high-quality journalists and editors is key to producing great content. This could be exclusive interviews with thought leaders, knowledge-based features, guides, professional development, or simply interesting, engaging articles.
What services do you need?
Which skills do you have in-house and what do you need help with? You might want to hand over the complete publishing process. Alternatively, you may only need help with aspects such as design.
Whichever way you go, a good publisher will have the skills to manage the full process from content creation to editing and proofing, through to design, print and fulfilment. They’ll also be able to work closely with commercial partners and your in-house teams on advertising, member recruitment and events.
Safe pair(s) of hands
How you work with the publishing team is the key to success. Is your magazine important to them? Are they responsive, approachable, professional and reliable?
A good publisher will be easy to work with and feel part of your in-house team. That means understanding your audience, being proactive and providing regular updates.
Print and digital
There are good reasons why a publishing partner should be able to work across both print and digital media.
High-quality print has better emotional engagement than digital. Readers choose when they want to read a magazine and dedicate time to it – 20 minutes on average – and it’s an uninterrupted, personal experience.
Digital comms are often interruptions competing with thousands of other calls for attention. However, they do enable action in a way print can’t: they are easily measurable, where a simple click or tap can lead to a sale, a new follower or a visit to the website.
The solution is print and digital working together. Like a double act, print builds awareness and understanding. Digital is the punchline, making it easier for customers to satisfy their demands. Add your organisation’s high level of brand trust and authority and you’ve got a winning partnership.
Want to speak to Salt Media about your in-house magazine? Get in touch.
