To Digital or Not to Digital

Lunch and Learn22 January 2014

Association Survey Data• 67% of associations publish a digital edition

……… of something• Print is 57% of all revenue• Paid subscriptions are 22% of all revenue• Online/Emedia is 9% of all revenue• Some associations have gone totally digital• Others offer a mix of products

What is Digital

What is Digital?• Website• Apps, responsive design• Outreach options- Newsletters, alerts• Journals, magazines, newspapers• Webinars• Hybrid options – QR codes, Layar, Netpage

Why Digital?• Media agnostic - reach readers anywhere,

anytime, on their terms• Digital production is easy (relatively)• Environmental concerns• Saves money• Offers new revenue options

Going Digital• Physics Today started a digital edition in 2012• $2.5+ million print ad revenue at risk• Offered only to non-US subscribers –

approximately 11,000• Open rates ranged from 18 – 21%• We consider this bonus circulation –

advertisers still on the fence

New Subscriber Actions• Offer to a society whose members no longer

receive a subscription to Physics Today• Over 500 new subscribers• Two offer options: print + online

digital + online• Both options were offered at the same price• ?????

Why Digital? Experiment! Experiment!

Don’t be afraid, be prudent

Experiment! Experiment!

Why Not Digital?

Q&A

Content & DesignConsiderations

Design and produce pages that are intended for the

medium you chose

Tablet viewing Desktop viewing

Use data to drive editorial decisions

Develop a menu of interactive elements and stick to it

Create an icon set and a “How to Navigate” page

Sync icons back to print edition

Plan content to work in both print and digital

Dynamic versus Interactive

Be cognizant of how to best use both

Create a magazine experience.

How do you define your association magazine’s reader experience?

More ideas!

Thank you!

Randolph NannaPhysics TodayRnanna@aip.org301-209-3102

Jen SmithNetwork Media Partnersjsmith@networkmediapartners.com410-584-1910