Traditional Print Publishing versus Online Publishing
- Date: 2007-06-24 - Word Count: 743
Share This!
Most print publishers want to expand their businesses online. Some already have websites, whilst many others plan on launching them soon.
However, to be successful, traditional publishers must understand the differences between the two mediums.
Most believe they do, but if you look at what many of them are doing online, they clearly don't. They end up trying to replicate what they do offline on the internet.
This doesn't work. Never has. Never will. Online publishing is very different from print. Those who understand the differences and structure their activities accordingly will thrive. Those who don't will fail.
Here is a checklist of the most important differences.
* Online publishing strips out many of the costs associated with print publishing (typesetting/DTP, printing, paper, postage, and fulfilment). Because of this, online publications become viable with far fewer subscribers than offline publications. This makes the start-up process cheap, quick and easy.
* The cost of delivery on the internet continues to fall as storage, hosting and bandwidth get cheaper. Distribution in the offline world continues to rise as paper costs, overhead and postage continue to increase.
* All content can be archived in a searchable database, which can be accessed at anytime by members. This is a superb and valuable resource for subscribers that builds loyalty and repeat visits.
* With online publishing, news and information are provided in real time. In a world of rapid change and instant gratification, the information sources that react quickest to events will become the most popular. Print cannot compete with the speed of online publishing.
* While online, members can interact with each other through discussion groups, forums, online seminars and classified ads. This turns passive readers into contributors and community members. Print publications have no way of enabling real-time interaction.
* Content can be provided in audio or video format. Amongst the digital generation, there is an expectation that they can consume their content in many different formats. The web makes publishing multimedia content simple and cheap.
* A specialist website can cost-effectively reach a worldwide audience. This can make niche subjects commercially viable. For a print publication, going global has significant cost implications.
* Online publishing implies excellent customer intelligence. It is possible to see what every visitor has looked at on a website, giving you the ability to track which articles are most popular and create new content based on what you know your visitors are reading. With a print publication, the editor has no idea which articles and what content are being read.
* On the internet, a lot of the marketing is free. A good website will automatically be indexed by the search engines and drive qualified traffic. New subscribers can be acquired for zero marketing spend.
* On the web, new offers, pricing plans and incentives can be quickly and easily tested and the results presented in real time.
* Most of the administration processes can be fully automated. Sign-ups, renewals, credit card processing and member database management can all be handled via a website with minimal human intervention.
* In a world of instant gratification, online publications deliver deep and rich content to new members within minutes of signing up. This content is available to them 24 hour a day, 7 days a week, with new articles continually being added.
* Free gifts, such as eBooks, can be digitally delivered as incentives for new customers to sign up and for keeping old customers loyal. This can be done at zero cost.
* It is possible to launch an entirely new online publication in less than 30 days. In the traditional print world, it can take many months of planning and preparation to get a publication to the point of launch.
* A website is always on and available 24 hours a day. There are no publication date restrictions on access.
* Printable newsletters can be sent digitally by email in a format ready for printing so that people who prefer to read from paper can still do so.
Within the next five years, online publishing will do to offline publishing what email has done to traditional mail, and what online music downloads have done to the CD industry. It is not a matter of 'if', it is simply a matter of 'when'. The internet now presents both the biggest threat and the biggest opportunity that the magazine and newsletter industries have ever faced. Publishers who embrace the opportunity will be able to use their knowledge, resources and skills to expand faster than they ever imagined possible.
Those resisting change will wither and die.
However, to be successful, traditional publishers must understand the differences between the two mediums.
Most believe they do, but if you look at what many of them are doing online, they clearly don't. They end up trying to replicate what they do offline on the internet.
This doesn't work. Never has. Never will. Online publishing is very different from print. Those who understand the differences and structure their activities accordingly will thrive. Those who don't will fail.
Here is a checklist of the most important differences.
* Online publishing strips out many of the costs associated with print publishing (typesetting/DTP, printing, paper, postage, and fulfilment). Because of this, online publications become viable with far fewer subscribers than offline publications. This makes the start-up process cheap, quick and easy.
* The cost of delivery on the internet continues to fall as storage, hosting and bandwidth get cheaper. Distribution in the offline world continues to rise as paper costs, overhead and postage continue to increase.
* All content can be archived in a searchable database, which can be accessed at anytime by members. This is a superb and valuable resource for subscribers that builds loyalty and repeat visits.
* With online publishing, news and information are provided in real time. In a world of rapid change and instant gratification, the information sources that react quickest to events will become the most popular. Print cannot compete with the speed of online publishing.
* While online, members can interact with each other through discussion groups, forums, online seminars and classified ads. This turns passive readers into contributors and community members. Print publications have no way of enabling real-time interaction.
* Content can be provided in audio or video format. Amongst the digital generation, there is an expectation that they can consume their content in many different formats. The web makes publishing multimedia content simple and cheap.
* A specialist website can cost-effectively reach a worldwide audience. This can make niche subjects commercially viable. For a print publication, going global has significant cost implications.
* Online publishing implies excellent customer intelligence. It is possible to see what every visitor has looked at on a website, giving you the ability to track which articles are most popular and create new content based on what you know your visitors are reading. With a print publication, the editor has no idea which articles and what content are being read.
* On the internet, a lot of the marketing is free. A good website will automatically be indexed by the search engines and drive qualified traffic. New subscribers can be acquired for zero marketing spend.
* On the web, new offers, pricing plans and incentives can be quickly and easily tested and the results presented in real time.
* Most of the administration processes can be fully automated. Sign-ups, renewals, credit card processing and member database management can all be handled via a website with minimal human intervention.
* In a world of instant gratification, online publications deliver deep and rich content to new members within minutes of signing up. This content is available to them 24 hour a day, 7 days a week, with new articles continually being added.
* Free gifts, such as eBooks, can be digitally delivered as incentives for new customers to sign up and for keeping old customers loyal. This can be done at zero cost.
* It is possible to launch an entirely new online publication in less than 30 days. In the traditional print world, it can take many months of planning and preparation to get a publication to the point of launch.
* A website is always on and available 24 hours a day. There are no publication date restrictions on access.
* Printable newsletters can be sent digitally by email in a format ready for printing so that people who prefer to read from paper can still do so.
Within the next five years, online publishing will do to offline publishing what email has done to traditional mail, and what online music downloads have done to the CD industry. It is not a matter of 'if', it is simply a matter of 'when'. The internet now presents both the biggest threat and the biggest opportunity that the magazine and newsletter industries have ever faced. Publishers who embrace the opportunity will be able to use their knowledge, resources and skills to expand faster than they ever imagined possible.
Those resisting change will wither and die.
Related Tags: online content, print publishers, online publishers, publishing content
SubHub provides an all-in-one solution to enable you to rapidly design, build and run your own content website. Publish for profit on the web.Website: http://www.subhub.comSubHub Articles Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/SubhubStartASubscriptionOrMembershipWebsite-OnlineMagazineOnlineJournalOnlineNewsletter?format=xml Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Many Different Content Management Systems Are Available ( Cms)
At this time the rule is that going to the content management system open source and a commercial. H - Establish Your Credibility Online
Shoppers are now careful these days. They are more conscious that there are fraud sellers lurking on - Make Money Online Fast - Is It Possible?!
When you see the phrase "make money online fast" you may wonder to yourself, is this for real?! And - What Is Auto Traffic Avalanche?
Many people is talking about this great tool, and that became an excellent software, that can genera - Beginners Guide To Blogging
A blog is basically an online journal wherein you can digitally pen down your thoughts, ideas, opini - Say No To Just Having Enough To Get By...look For Wealth After A Fixed Paycheck
For the last year, I am proud to say that my regular weekly salary was earned through direct deposit - How Outsourcing Works - Hiring An Outsourced Virtual Assistant
Outsourcing is a proven means of helping businesses cut resource costs while getting the same level - How, Where Should You Start And Get Paid In Affiliate Marketing?
Before internet, freelance jobs like insurance, network marketing and real estate used to be the onl - Saratoga Builders Help You Make Informed Decisions
Numerous American central heating designs implement a furnace which blows forced hot air by means of - Basic Features Of A Good Web Hosting Plan
There are a few features that you should look for when you are picking a good web hosting plan, ther
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Tools for Adsense
If you're just boarding on the AdSense train, and looking to find a quick way to make the profits yo - Information Products - Your Action Plan
If you've been thinking of writing your own information product, here are a few tips to help you get - Are You Missing Out On This Method Of Generating Instant Cash?
If you have not yet heard of Bum Marketing, you're missing out. It's a great online marketing metho - How to Find a Home Based Business Internet Opportunity Thats Right for you
Copyright © Jagraj Gill http://www.payitforward4profits.com/jaggiegill Finding the right hom - Can It Be True? Can You Really Use The Internet to Create Money?
Is it hype? Or is it real? Is dramatized and exaggerated? Or can I really use the internet to cre - How to Create a Virtual Grand Opening
Copyright © 2007 Donna Gunter Grand openings and ribbon cuttings don't have to be limited to bu - What Is The Hottest Product To Sell Online
After going through a survey from all the internet Guru Alex Mandossian, Armand Morin, Derek Gehl an - Web Based Employee Time Clock
The power of the internet is in its connectivity. Many people think that the internet is great becau - Driving Hordes of Traffic to your Site
Getting enough traffic to your site is the overwhelming problem for anyone new to Internet or Affili - So You Want to Start an Online Business Part Two - Analyzing Keywords
Analyzing Keywords Continuing on from Part One of 'So You Want to Start an Online Business'; we wil