There are many ways to make publishing your documents online easier, faster and smarter with Calaméo. From adding engaging video to developing a social strategy, our tools can help you enrich your publications and reach your audience. But before you start, be sure to check out our tips all about how to optimize your documents for publishing on Calaméo.
Just these five simple steps will get your documents ready to become great digital publications.
Check file type
You already know that digital publishing with Calaméo can help you go beyond the PDF. However, our powerful conversion technology handles many different file types. In addition to PDFs, you can upload text files, Word documents, Powerpoints and Excel files directly to Calaméo. Before you publish, take a moment to make sure that your document is in one our accepted file formats.
Reduce file size
When you work with high-quality images, complex layouts and other data-rich elements, the size of your file sometimes grows quickly. Since BASIC and PREMIUM users can convert files of up to 100 MB on Calaméo, it may be necessary to reduce your file size before upload. Don’t want to worry about limits? Upgrade to PLATINUM and start publishing with a maximum file size of 500 MB.
Format links
Our easy-to-use Editor is a great tool for transforming your documents into interactive digital publications with GIFs, video, audio and more. If you have external links to include in your publication, you can also take advantage of automatic link detection on Calaméo! All you need to do is add the site URL in a clickable zone on your PDF. Once your file is converted, a link will automatically appear in your publication.
Print to PDF
Most importantly, every part of your document should always look impeccable online. To ensure a flawless conversion on our platform, try printing your file to PDF rather than exporting to PDF. (We especially recommend this for Word documents with images, tables and other layout features.) As well as preventing display errors, you’ll also benefit from a reduced file size by printing to PDF.
Prepare images
Our cutting-edge conversion technology offers vibrant, clear images for publications that are works of art. But for those times that you need ultra-high resolution, consider adding image files to your publication with our Editor. First, make sure that your file (.JPG or .PNG) is hosted securely online. Next, leave a blank space in your original document where you wish to place the image. Finally, insert your image and save. You’ll enjoy perfect quality, even at the highest levels of zoom.
Keep these tips in mind to optimize your documents for digital publishing on Calaméo. By taking a few minutes to prepare your files, you’ll get the best results faster than ever. And if you’d like to learn more about ways to optimize your publications, check out our guides to SEO trends, making a virtual library and more.
Our PLATINUM plan is packed with great professional features. To request your free, two-week trial, visit our Pricing page now!
Have you ever wanted to start your own magazine? We here at Calaméo did—way back at the beginning of last year, when we had the idea to create our CALAMEO Magazine. Since that first issue was released in February 2019 we’ve learned a lot about how to start a magazine from scratch. For example, what you’ll need to get organized, get creating and get out there.
Keep reading to find our complete guide to start your own magazine, plus three great reasons to opt for digital distribution.
Big-Picture Planning
The first and most important step when you start a magazine is to decide on your subject matter. Maybe there’s an idea you’re passionate about and want to share with others. Or maybe you’re part of a group interested in exploring new ways to communicate. No matter where you’re coming from, take a few minutes to write down the main topic for your magazine. Some possible topics are:
A
hobby or activity, like birding
A
place or institution, like a town or local museum
An
industry, like higher education
An
organization or association, like a sports club or charity
A
business or institution, like your company
For example, we decided right away that CALAMEO Magazine would be about the digital publishing sector as well as about our company. We wanted to give readers a deeper look at Calaméo’s history, people and news. But we also knew that we wanted to provide insight into the digital publishing world and analyze key trends.
Once you’ve defined your subject, it’s time to consider the goals you have for your magazine. These can be business goals, such as selling advertisements or making new contacts. They might also include personal goals like challenging yourself creatively and growing a collaborative community. In other words, write down the reasons why you want to start a magazine. This will help you focus on what’s most valuable and, a little farther down the road, help you evaluate your success.
Finally, think about the scope of your project. Some magazines come out once a week and have hundreds of employees; some magazines only put out one issue every six months. Here at Calaméo, we chose to make four issues of CALAMEO Magazine during our first year of publication. How many times would you ideally like to publish this year to work toward your goals? Pick a number before you move on to planning the actual content of your magazine.
Building Your Team
Now the fun part of how to start a magazine begins! That’s right—it’s the “getting the team together” stage of the project. The size of your team can vary depending on the resources that are available for your magazine. But even limited resources don’t mean you’ll have to sacrifice on quality. At a minimum, you should count on filling three primary roles: Editor, Lead writer and Designer.
Each of these three roles comes with a different responsibility that is essential to creating your magazine.
The Editor is in charge of decision-making. He or she has final say on the topics to cover, assigning stories and approving design.
The Lead writer is generally asked to produce the text content of the magazine, including features, interviews and opinion pieces.
And last but not least, the Designer creates the finished publication. This can involve making page templates, developing a graphic identity for your magazine and illustrating its content.
Finding collaborators to help you start a magazine can mean getting creative. For instance, you may want to put out a call for volunteers, either within your organization or your community. If you have a budget, you can get in touch with freelance writers and designers on platforms like Behance and Fiverr. On the other hand, if you plan to be your own designer, the templates available in sites like Canva allow you to handle basic graphics and layout.
Inside this Issue
After you’ve
assembled your core team, it’s time to work on the first issue of your magazine! Above all, you’ll want to think carefully about the way your content is structured. That’s because you can use this same structure in every issue of your magazine. As a result, you’ll save yourself time and the stress of making such fundamental decisions for each new release.
Begin with your ideas for the main rubrics, or categories, of content that you would like to feature in your magazine. Be careful not to confuse content categories with actual, specific stories that you might already have in mind! For example, our CALAMEO Magazine has nine rubrics: our Editors’ Note, a table of contents, Stats, News, Highlights, Interview, Tips and Editors’ Picks. While the subjects change from issue to issue, the structure stays the same.
With your magazine’s rubrics figured out, the Editor can begin to assign topics to your contributors. Your Lead writer should take on the most important stories, but you can consider asking additional writers and creators to contribute content or even ask for submissions. (Just make sure to explain the topic well enough to receive relevant responses!) Meanwhile, discuss the upcoming issue and its subjects with your Designer so that he or she can prepare layouts and other graphic elements.
Now all that’s left is to set some deadlines! The Editor of your magazine should let everyone else involved in its creation know when their content is due. Plus, the Lead writer and Designer will need a schedule for completing the layout, making edits, finalizing the publication and the planned release date. Stick to your schedule as closely as possible and voilà—the first issue of your magazine is done!
Getting to Readers
There are still a few more choices to make before you get your publication in front of readers. Perhaps the most crucial question when you decide to start a magazine is whether to publish in print, online or both. In the past, print was the only option for new projects and came with lots of built-in costs, from paper to postage. However, it’s now both easy and common for magazines to be available in a digital format.
Besides the lower costs associated with online publication, digital magazines can benefit from incorporating interactive content. You can add links to other websites to cite sources, promote products and events or support advertisers. Spice up your stories with videos from YouTube, audio tracks or even GIFs. Thanks to digital publishing platforms like Calaméo, it only takes a few minutes to make your magazine fully interactive online.
Plus, a digital magazine offers you key information about your readership that print distribution can’t match. Instead of relying on the number of printed copies you’ve ordered, you can effortlessly access analytics showing how many views your magazine is receiving online. (And if you need further details about how readers interact with your content, advanced statistics can provide insights.) This data will help you evaluate the progress you’re making toward your goals as you create the next issues of your new magazine!
We hope that this practical guide to how to start a magazine has given you the right tools for taking on such an exciting project. We loved creating CALAMEO Magazine and are happy to announce that a brand-new issue will be coming your way this spring. Ready to try out publishing your own digital magazine? Join Calaméo today and publish for free.
Digital publishing is a great way for companies to communicate with their target audience. However, the internet is saturated with brand-created content, and it can be difficult to stand out and reach your desired audience. In this article, we’ll share three tips to improve your digital publications and help you attract more readers.
1. Create interesting and engaging content
Content is king, and that applies to digital publications as well. If you want to get your audience’s attention, you need to create interesting and engaging content. That means it should be informative, useful and entertaining. Be sure to use simple, easy-to-understand language so that your audience can follow your message. Also, don’t hesitate to use images and videos to make your content more engaging and easy to digest.
It is important to note that the quality of your content is crucial to attract readers. Indeed, if your content is not relevant or interesting, readers will not stay on your digital publication and will not come back to read your other content. So take the time to do your research and write quality content that meets the needs of your target audience.
2. Design your digital publications with care
In addition to content, the design of your digital publications is also important. It should be visually appealing and easy to navigate for your readers. Use a clear and organized layout to make it easy for them to find the information they are looking for. Also, make sure your design is responsive, meaning it adapts to the different screen sizes of mobile devices. Indeed, the majority of Internet users consult content on their smartphone or tablet.
It’s important to consider current design trends to create a modern and appealing design for your target audience. Don’t be afraid to use design elements such as specific images, colors and fonts to enhance the look of your digital publications. However, it’s important not to overload your design and to stay consistent with your company’s corporate identity.
3. Share your digital publications on your websites and social networks
Finally, to attract more readers, you should share and promote your digital publications on social networks. This is because they offer you a wider audience and allow you to reach people who may not yet know about your business. Make sure you choose the right channels for your target audience. For example, if you are targeting a professional audience, LinkedIn may be a good choice. If you want to reach a broader audience, Facebook or Twitter may be more suitable.
It is important to note that promoting your digital publications is not limited to social networks. Indeed, digital publishing also allows you to embed your publications in your website or blog very easily. With Calaméo, you can even create Calaméothèques. These are online libraries that gather the digital publications of your choice and that you can embed in all your websites.
In conclusion, to improve your digital publications, you need to create interesting and engaging content, take care of the design of your publications and promote your publications on your social networks accounts and websites. By following these tips, you can attract more readers and stand out from the competition. Take some time to think about what works best for your business and your target audience, and adapt these tips accordingly.
