In today’s digital age, the way we consume content has dramatically shifted. From traditional print magazines delivered to your doormat to dynamic online publications that have the potential to reach global audiences. Digital magazines offer an innovative way of involving your readers while establishing your brand as an authority in its respective industry.
However, creating your own digital magazine is a big decision. Where do you start? What format is a best fit for your needs? Which publishing platform delivers the features you’ll benefit from most? How can you deliver the optimal experience for online readers? Not to worry. We will walk you through some of the technical considerations for understanding how to create a digital magazine.
Curious to know more about the benefits of digital magazines? Read our previous blog "Get started with digital magazines in 2024".
What is a digital magazine?
A digital magazine's contents are similar to a conventional print magazine. However, rather than a tangible object, it's an online document that lives on the web. Its biggest benefit is that they're interactive, supporting videos, animations, and clickable links that make the experience much more engaging. Whereas a print magazine just sits on your coffee table, a digital magazine can be read anywhere at any time without taking up any physical space. Your readers can access it anywhere and at any time on just about any device they can find. The benefits are similar to other forms of digital publications, which makes sense, considering how most communication nowadays happens online. It's one of the most effective ways to reach a wide audience.
Digital magazine formats
The format of your digital magazine is a highly important decision. It determines how your content is presented and consumed and is therefore directly related to reading experience. Three of the most widely used digital formats are as follows:
The most basic implementation would be to use a classic PDF which has long been the go-to format for sharing documents online. This format is easy to make and distribute. On the other hand, PDFs are not dynamic and cannot host interactive materials like videos or animations. A format of this nature is most convenient if you are considering to also print your magazine. For that reason, research papers are often still shared through PDF formats. However, for many the PDF simply doesn’t make the cut anymore in comparison to alternatives.
Advantages:
- Ease of use: Simple to create and share.
- Universal access: Supported by nearly all devices.
Disadvantages:
- Static format: No interactivity, which can diminish user engagement.
- Non-responsive: PDF files don’t adapt well to different screen sizes.
- Outdated experience: Uploading, downloading, and manually navigating through a document can feel cumbersome and slow in an age of instant access.
Flipbook
A flipbook format offers additional benefits as opposed to the PDF. The pages of a flipbook are animated to flip - just like a physical magazine - which means that the reader can "turn" a page while reading. A format like this works well on devices that allow the user to swipe, such as tablets. While accessibility and responsiveness in flipbooks are infinitely better than the PDF, it can be a bit cumbersome to turn pages and zoom in and out of content in order to read it. Interactivity is kept to a minimum, though slightly better with the ability to implement clickable links and video. Check out this example by National Geographic to experience it for yourself.
Advantages:
- Page-flipping experience: Provides a print-like feel with the ability to swipe or click to turn pages.
- Familiarity: Users accustomed to physical magazines may enjoy the resemblance to traditional page layouts.
Disadvantages:
- Limited responsiveness: Readers will need to zoom in and out to clearly read the content.
- Minimal interactivity: Slightly more interactive than PDFs, though not as interactive as web based alternatives.
HTML5 magazine (interactive digital magazines)
Interactive digital magazines, also known under the more technical term ‘HTML5 magazines’, takes online reading to a while new level. The reason they are called HTML5 magazines is, because they are built on mark-up language (HTML) used by the web. A HTML5 magazine is not a static document but rather a collection of live web pages, providing all the same technical advantages of a website. While this type of magazine provides a navigation to read through its contents, it does not contain fully made-up pages that are animated to flip (as is the case with flipbooks). However, that does mean that navigation can be customised to accommodate your magazine.
Unlike PDFs and flipbooks, HTML5 magazines can adapt to any screen size and provide benefits for SEO.Not only can your magazine can be read from any device at any location, it is detectable by search engines like google. Being a web document, they allow for interactivity and animations that are unmatched in comparison to other digital formats, offering a truly engaging experience. For that same reason, they're a highly suitable format for glossy-style digital magazines. The only disadvantage is that HTML5 magazines require more skill to create, mostly in terms of design and web development.
HTML5 magazines come in many different designs. Consider this example of a corporate magazine by ICL Growing Solutions or this playful edition for ‘Yoga Magazine’.
Advantages:
- Fully responsive: Adapts seamlessly to any screen size, from desktops to mobile devices.
- Highly interactive: Supports multimedia elements like videos, animations, forms, and even gated content.
- Glossy-style layouts: Highly suitable for stylised magazines that wish to deviate from standard layouts.
- SEO-friendly: HTML5 magazines are easily indexed by search engines, increasing their visibility online.
- Measurable: Ability to track reading behaviour through programs like Google Analytics.
Disadvantages:
- More complex to create: Compared to PDFs or flipbooks, HTML5 magazines require more effort in terms of design and content planning.
More examples of HTML5 magazines.
Key features to look for in a digital magazine platform
The selection of a platform to create and publish your digital magazine with is fundamental. The right features can make all the difference in reading experience and efficiency of the creative process. Below we have listed some important features you may want to look for when selecting your digital magazine platform:
1. Publishing to a URL
An underrated advantage of digital publishing platforms is the ability to directly publish your magazine to a URL. This enhances shareability and easy access for anyone with an internet connection without the need for file downloads. Besides convenience, publishing your magazine on a standalone URL is significantly beneficial for SEO, allowing it to be indexed by search engines.
2. Balance between templates and creative freedom
Templates can significantly speed up the creation process of your digital magazine, particularly if you are new to design. However, it may also limit your originality. Eventually, what you will choose is dependent on who’s creating your publications. A marketer with limited design skills may be better of working with templates, allowing them to create responsive and professional looking publications quickly. On the other hand, an experienced designer may prefer to start with a blank canvas. Consider who will be creating your digital magazine and which option seems more favourable. A good platform should strike a balance between the two: offering professional templates for generic use with the freedom to customise, as well as create designs from scratch.
3. Extensive options for animations, multimedia, and interactivity
Speaking of creativity and originality: interactivity is where you can really make a difference in reading experience. Animations, videos, podcasts, quizzes and even built-in forms greatly increases your chances for higher reader engagement en memorability. Ideally, a digital magazine platform supports interactive elements and provides a wide library of pre-made elements that are easy to implement. Think outside the box. A travel magazine may, for instance, want to use an interactive map like in this digital magazine by ANWB.
4. (Un)limited projects
Your magazine is likely to become a frequent production. In that case it’s vital to choose a platform that offers unlimited projects and publishing. If there is a cap on the amount of editions you may have up and running, it may quickly become expensive. Hence, in the case of a digital magazine (or frequent publishing in general) it is best to opt for a platform that lets you create as many projects as you need without running into extra costs.
5. Real-time analytics
Measuring the success of your digital magazine is just as important as creating it. Some platforms have native tracking that provide you with real-time insight into how readers interact with your content. For example, how long they spend on specific pages or which sections get the most attention. This data is valuable in that it helps you optimise your magazine and understand your audience better. If you have certain CTAs (call to actions), the data can help you identify which ones may need to be improved to convert more readers.
6. Accessibility
Last but not least: providing accessibility in your digital magazine is essential if you value inclusivity. Naturally, whether a publication has good accessibility is largely decided by its format. However, platforms may offer additional modules to ensure optimal accessibility, such as providing alt text for images, using legible fonts, and supporting screen readers. Ensuring compliance with WCAG standards will allow you to expand your reach on the long run and improve overall user experience.
Conclusion
Choosing the right digital magazine platform and format most definitely impacts how you engage your audience and the overall success of your digital magazine. While traditional formats like PDFs and flipbooks are familiar and easy to create, HTML5 magazines provide unmatched flexibility, interactivity, and accessibility. Taking the the aforementioned key platform features into consideration should allow you to make an informed decision on which platform will serve you best. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, your magazine should reflect the innovation and seamless experience today’s audience expects. So choose wisely!
