Digital publishers have gotten used to seeing huge trends arrive every couple of years. In 2013, traffic from social media networks was the biggest news in digital publishing. By 2015, it was the pivot to video. After that, paywalls came back in style and in 2019, everybody loved podcasts. So what’s next for 2020? Digital publishing strategy trends that get back to basics and put content first.
Read on to learn which strategies will help define digital publishing in 2020. Plus, discover how they can help your business achieve its goals.
CONTENT MARKETING
Our top trend pick for 2020 is not exactly new. In fact, content marketing has been part of the digital publishing conversation for more than a decade. But that’s because content marketing has proved to be a valuable tool for many types of businesses. Over 80% of brands are making use of online content in their marketing strategies and 96% of marketers think it is effective.
One reason that digital content has become such a popular marketing strategy is the growing dislike of ads. Unlike traditional ads, the content that businesses publish online aims to inform their audiences about relevant subjects as well as entertain and inspire. From funny GIFs to white papers, content marketing will continue to be a key digital publishing strategy trend in 2020.
INSIDER INFLUENCE
A major success story in 2019 came from food magazine Bon Appétit’s digital strategy. Emphasizing video, its set of Test Kitchen series have become an internet phenomenon. Fans have favorite Bon Appétit editors, celebrate the “Cinematic Universe” featuring their teamwork and rank every episode. As a result of that engagement, subscriptions have risen 64% this year from digital channels.
While you may not want to commit to a full-on video strategy, there are other ways for digital publishers to adopt the “editors as influencers” trend. For example, try showcasing the people behind your publications on platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn. Because audiences there are drawn to authentic personalities, they’re smart places to build connections between your contributors and your audience.
SUBSCRIBERS FIRST
Speaking of platforms, digital publishers won’t stop using them in 2020. But another top strategy trend focuses on subscribers over followers. Although platforms like Facebook still provide opportunities for clicks and views, it can be difficult to take advantage of this audience. Many publishers say they don’t see significant value from posting their content to social platforms.
On the other hand, readers who visit your site and sign up to follow you there offer digital publishers a lot of advantages. It’s a great way to learn more about their interests and stay in contact. And creating a direct relationship with your subscribers doesn’t have to mean selling your publications. For example, you may want to develop newsletters, target promotions or send exclusive content to subscribers.
ECOMMERCE EVERYWHERE
In 2020, digital publishers will find new ways to connect ecommerce and digital publishing. It’s clear that internet users are tired of ads. But they’re also less likely to sign up for paid subscription services than they used to be, thanks to “subscription fatigue.” Despite this slowdown, online sales keep growing: revenues over $4 trillion are projected next year.
Above all, these trends show that digital publishing strategy can benefit from including sales. There are lots of possibilities to test. Consider producing shoppable content, branded content and free content to attract customers and encourage them to buy while they browse.
PRIVACY RISING
The last digital publishing strategy trend on our list for 2020 is respecting online privacy. Over recent years, protecting the digital data of internet users has been in the spotlight. And new standards are helping to change how businesses communicate with users online, from ads to email.
Although it’s too soon to know exactly how those changes will look, digital publishers can already anticipate a few best practices. The first is to keep privacy in mind when working on strategy in order to be prepared. The second is create great content that readers will find useful, connect with, sign up for and even shop.
The one thing that all of these digital publishing strategy trends have in common is strong content. If you’re getting ready for 2020, give your publications a boost with Calaméo. Publish in a snap, customize and embed your content anywhere. Create your free account and get started today.
The first thing you need to know about digital publishing is that it’s simple. So simple, in fact, that you might already be doing it! Professionals, teachers, entrepreneurs, aspiring creatives, students, freelancers and people everywhere with something to share online turn to digital publishing every day.
That’s why the second thing to know about digital publishing is why it’s such a popular choice—and how to do it better. In this article, we’ll explain all the most important basics, tips to help you find the right solution and a few special extras to make the most out of your publications online. Read on to learn more about:
Digital publishing means using online tools to make media of all kinds available via the Internet. Instead of traditionally printed books, magazines and newsletters, digital publishing makes ebooks, blogs and online publications. Readers access this content on computers, smartphones or other digital devices. In short, anyone who has documents to distribute online can benefit from digital publishing technology.
Because digital publishing covers many genres and formats, there are plenty of different options to consider. From specialized content management systems to bespoke applications, there’s something for everyone. However, digital publishing platforms stand out above the rest: They offer a convenient, fast and easy way to convert your files to online publications.
Benefits of HTML5 publications
Although a few platforms still use Flash technology, the gold standard is now HTML5 for online publications. But what exactly does it mean to make an HTML5 publication?
Let’s imagine you have a Powerpoint that you need to get online and send out to colleagues. Using a modern digital publishing platform, your PPT file is converted into a browsable publication built with HTML5 and hosted at a unique address on the web. Then to send to your coworkers, simply copy the link and share.
Effortless sharing is just one advantage of HTML5 publications. More key benefits include:
Visibility. Unlike a basic file upload, your HTML5 publications are easy to optimize for search. Help searchers find your content thanks to smart keywords, structured data and automatically indexed text.
Compatibility. Never worry about problems opening your documents again. Your HTML5 publications work with all devices, all operating systems and all browsers. Better yet, there’s no extra software, downloads or plug-ins required.
Versatility. HTML5 publications are ready for anything. You can enrich them with audio and video content, add links and images, and embed them in your own website or blog. Plus, customize the presentation with your own logo, branding and design.
Usability. Above all, your HTML5 publications are always available online. View, share and update from anywhere, anytime.
Want to go beyond email attachments and plain PDFs? No matter what type of content you have to distribute online, digital publishing can help you get more out of it.
Why businesses use digital publishing
The name might make you think it’s all about novels, but digital publishing is actually a powerful tool for a wide range of businesses. Since an online presence is essential for companies in every sector, having smart digital content matters. Depending on your goals, the best reasons to take advantage of digital publications may differ. Here are three of the most common businesses uses.
Marketing
To create irresistible online materials. Traditional marketing formats like brochures and modern channels like video work together perfectly in digital publications. Marketers can mix and match to produce content that works for their target audience. A light footprint and detailed analytics make it practical for A/B testing, too.
Communications
To connect content with people. Newsletters, magazines, how-to guides and employee handbooks need to be online. Digital publishing platforms make it easy not just to upload content, but also to manage it. Advanced privacy controls and distribution features help communications pros get their message out there, the right way.
Sales
To modernize the sales funnel. Today, content and sales are closer together than ever. Both sales teams and ecommerce operations can make good use of digital publications. For example, email a personalized prospectus for leads to browse on the go. Or transform a PDF catalogue into an interactive, shoppable experience for customers online.
Education and digital publishing
One of the biggest challenges currently facing education is adapting to virtual learning. However, online publishing offers a user-friendly solution for digitizing teaching material. All that students and teachers need is access to an Internet connection to exchange documents securely. Because the best digital publishing platforms can handle multiple file types, converting assignments, tests and more to HTML5 publications is simple.
As a result, digital publishing can be used for many virtual learning materials like:
Study guides and lesson plans
Activities and homework
Presentations and projects
School newspapers and yearbooks
In addition, educational publishers often make sections of textbooks available online as digital publications. Expect this trend to grow while virtual classrooms continue to evolve.
Independent digital publishing
Before the Internet age, a creative career usually started with finding a talent agent. But now, online tools like digital publishing have opened the ability to produce and distribute to everyone. Authors and artists in every genre can choose to publish their work independently in digital formats. For instance, portfolios and media kits help show off your projects and skills, while previews and collections let audiences sample your creations. Even a whole book can easily become a multimedia digital publication to share or sell—no agent necessary.
Advantages of an online platform
Digital publishing is an important part of the online ecosystem. So it’s no surprise that there are many options to help you make and publish content digitally, including traditional software. However, there are several serious advantages to an online platform.
First, your digital publications are accessible 24/7 on the web. Second, you don’t need to take care of hosting your publications. In other words, there are no finicky details for hosting set-up and maintenance to handle. And finally, you don’t have to deal with separate software to download, install and keep updated.
A true online platform should offer you all the features of digital publishing right on your favorite browser. To sum it up, these three advantages add up to major convenience for your content.
Choosing a digital publishing platform
Once you’ve decided to begin using digital publishing for your online content, it’s time to decide which tools are right for you. If you’re searching for a platform to produce and host HTML5 publications, start by considering your main needs. For instance:
Storage. How many digital publications are you planning to create? How large are the files that you work with?
Reliability. How fast do you want your publications to load?
Security. What privacy options would you like to have for your publications? How do you want your audience to be able to access them?
Support. What guidance would you like to receive? What kind of assistance is available if you need help with your publications?
Of course, there are many other potential questions you might ask according to your specific objectives. Say that you have high-quality video content to include in your digital publications. In that case, you may want to make seamless integrations with YouTube a priority. When you have a good idea of what you’re looking for in a digital publishing platform, you’ll be well prepared to find the best fit.
Digital publishing UX
A good digital publishing platform will provide you with smart options to optimize the UX of your online documents. An important part of web design, UX or user experience covers everything that shapes how people interact with digital products.
In this case, there are key UX elements to consider in the publication viewer. Most of all, you want to ensure that your audience can read your publications comfortably. Choices like Right to left reading, scroll and slide views, sharp zoom and full screen availability allow you to always define the right UX for your publications.
But another big factor to keep in mind is how flexible these and other UX options are. Since everyone’s needs are different, watch out for platforms that limit you to a “one size fits all” solution. In fact, with just a little basic tech know-how you should be able to customize the UX of your publications. From the viewer to embed options, online publishing gives you an incredible opportunity to enhance the reading experience for your audience.
Publishing in multiple languages
Thanks to the Internet, the world is growing more connected every day. Even small businesses can serve global customers with ecommerce tools and online communication. However, it can take some extra effort to make sure you’re speaking your audience’s language.
For successful multilanguage publications, prioritize platforms whose features help you organize and manage your online documents. Double check that the languages you publish in are supported for display and search so that your readers aren’t frustrated by text mistakes and missing results. And don’t forget to match the viewer language to your publications—or create your own.
Ready to start?
We think you’ll love digital publishing on Calaméo. But don’t just take our word for it! You can start publishing today. It’s free, fast and easy to join.
To see great digital publishing features in action, browse our Guided Tour.
In the publishing industry, it’s essential to stand out from the crowd and capture readers’ attention. Calaméo, our digital publishing platform, offers innovative solutions to enrich your content and deliver an engaging, interactive reading experience. But did you know that by using some of the integrations we offer, you can take interactivity even further and optimize your publications? Here are five must-use integrations on Calaméo if you’re in the publishing business.
1) Embedly: offer an enriched reading experience
Our Embedly integration lets you enrich your publications by adding various interactive elements. Whether it’s videos, images, tweets or maps, Embedly offers you a multitude of possibilities to energize your content. Thanks to this integration, your publications become immersive, interactive experiences. Your readers can interact directly with the integrated elements, making their reading experience more engaging and memorable.
The integration of YouTube on Calaméo is a major boost for publishers wishing to enrich their publications with video content. Imagine being able to include author interviews, or even book trailers, directly in your documents. Not only does this capture readers’ attention, it also allows them to access additional information without leaving the page. Videos add a visual and dynamic dimension that can transform ordinary reading into a unique experience.
Understanding your readers’ opinions is essential to continually improving your publications. With our Typeform integration, you can easily integrate polls, questionnaires and interactive forms directly into your documents. This feature enables you to gather detailed and constructive feedback from your readers, while keeping them engaged. With Typeform, you can ask relevant questions, analyze responses and adjust your content according to your audience’s expectations and preferences.
If you already use Matomo to collect statistics for your website, you can now also use it to track the performance of your Calaméo publications and better understand the behavior of your readers. This analysis tool provides you with precise, detailed data on the performance of your publications. You can track key metrics such as number of views, time spent on each page, click-through rates and much more. This information enables you to identify what’s working and what’s not, and adjust your strategies accordingly to maximize the impact of your content.
5) MailChimp: invite readers to subscribe to your newsletter
MailChimp‘s integration with Calaméo enables you to turn your readers into loyal subscribers. By integrating newsletter sign-up forms directly into your publications, you can easily collect the e-mail addresses of interested readers. This not only makes it easier to grow your subscriber list, but also to maintain a constant link with your audience by sending them regular updates and exclusive content. This integration simplifies the subscription process and increases your readers’ chances of loyalty.
As a professional in the publishing industry, using Calaméo and its integrations can radically transform the way you publish and share your content. Embedly,YouTube, Typeform, Matomo, andMailChimp are powerful tools that not only enrich your publications, but also enable you to better understand and interact with your readers. Adopt these integrations and offer your audience a unique, interactive reading experience that will keep them captivated and engaged.
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TIP: if you use Google Analytics, Calaméo also offers a Google Analytics 4 integration.