How digital publishing helped businesses adapt during the pandemic

In PUBLISHING
22 July 2021
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Well before the pandemic arrived, many companies were already using digital publishing in their strategies. However, practically all business activities were compelled to adapt to online-only in the early spring of 2020. Businesses quickly pivoted to using digital publishing in creative ways. Here we’ve compiled some of the ways that digital publishing helped businesses adapt during the pandemic.

Touchless menus

Due to the risk posed by people touching the same menu, many restaurants and bars turned to touchless menus. And while posting menus online is not a new phenomenon, the pandemic was the catalyst for more restaurants to start publishing their menus digitally. More specifically: a digital format available for diners to consult instantly on their mobile devices while at the restaurant. 

How it works: using their own mobile device, diners scan a QR code on their table. They are then redirected to the digital menu that is posted on the restaurant’s website or a digital publishing platform such as Calaméo. No need to touch a physical menu!

Thanks to digital publishing, restaurants are able to update their menus easily. Also, the public appreciates the convenience of reading the menu without coming into contact with a high-touch object like a physical menu. Our prediction? Digital menus are here to stay! 

Digital business cards

Gone are the days of trading paper business cards with a new contact, only to lose them in the shuffle of countless other business cards in your possession. And as businesses moved online during the pandemic, there weren’t opportunities to meet face-to-face and trade business cards. Now it is easier than ever to create and publish business cards digitally. Consider switching to digital business cards so that contact information can be saved digitally in one place and there will be no risk of cards going missing.

Services

Limiting time in an enclosed space where other people are present is essential for stemming the spread of the virus. With this in mind, many businesses decided to upload their services onto digital publishing platforms. Now, customers can choose what they want before they come in person to receive their service (think: salons and spas). This avoids unnecessary time spent together inside. It also means that more time can be devoted to the service itself rather than discussing and deciding. 

With many in-person businesses limiting the number of appointments they provide per day, posting their services on a digital publishing platform where customers can read and decide in advance eliminates the need to have long buffer periods in between appointments; therefore the business can accept more clients every day. It’s a win-win!

💡 TIP: Platinum members can use the “Overlay” option which inserts forms that open in your publication, useful for implementing pre-booking and virtual check-ins, for example

Digital flyers, brochures

In-person events are slowly coming back, but enthusiasm for the printed materials that come with them is not. Much like paper business cards, printed materials such as flyers or brochures are going out of fashion. Whether it’s a company brochure or a flyer announcing a new event, it’s likely that the printed materials will just end up in the trash. In addition, due to the risk of community spread, sharing materials digitally is a safer option. Not to mention the resources saved when you opt to go digital! 

By using Calaméo’s platform and optimizing your content, your digital publication will wow potential clients. They won’t even miss the paper brochures and flyers of the past!

💡 TIP: Don’t know where to start? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Digital Publishing  and you’ll be a digital publishing whiz in no time

Digital publishing became a crucial tool that helped businesses adapt during the pandemic. The events of 2020 and 2021 have shown the world that digital publications are an efficient and safe way to distribute information. Now individuals and companies alike have adapted to this new way of consuming, creating, and sharing content.

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PUBLISHING

Updated: Digital Publishing Trends in 2020

In PUBLISHING
20 May 2020

Since the beginning of 2020, much of the world has undergone rapid changes in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. With more than 30% of global population under some form of lockdown in April, everything from doing business to keeping busy has been turned upside-down and everyone is being forced to innovate.

That’s why we decided to update our list of digital publishing strategy trends for 2020. Although the strategies we discussed back in 2019 are still important, we wanted to highlight trends that have emerged this spring. Read on to learn how businesses are adapting digital publishing to meet new needs during the coronavirus pandemic.

DIGITIZATION

A main concern for companies across all industries has been getting their business up and running online. Of course, having an internet presence and even offering online sales are already key for modern organizations. However, when stores are closed and potential customers are quarantined at home, digital platforms are vital for staying in touch. One recent survey showed more than 85% of marketers anticipate bigger demand for online services, while 70% expect increased e-commerce.

In addition to serving customers online, businesses are also figuring out how to enable remote work for their teams. For many, the shift from office life to working from home was sudden. Overnight, thousands of companies have had to adjust priorities and adopt new ways to collaborate. In the US alone, the number of people working from home jumped from 4% of the workforce to 34% during the first week of April 2020.

This unprecedented move to the web means companies are racing to digitize documents of all types. From internal memos to product catalogs, their materials need to be available for customers and employees online. And due to production and distribution difficulties, the trend is even stronger for businesses with print publications. In challenging conditions, digitization is helping to provide critical publishing solutions.

SOLIDARITY

Another publishing trend to come out of the pandemic is more widely shared content. Digital publishers quickly recognized the need for people at home to stay informed, entertained and learning. Overwhelmingly, they have responded by making content that is usually paid available for free online.

Here at Calaméo we have seen inspiring examples of publishers showing solidarity with their readers. We rounded up some of the educational resources that our publishers shared to help quarantined parents and children on the blog in French. We’ve also noticed special journals, activities and more being shared on our platform for everyone to enjoy.

💡 TIP: Published something on Calaméo that you’d like us to check out? Don’t forget to tag us @calameo when you share it on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Indeed, this is a trend that’s become clear among publishers all over the internet. Newspapers and magazines like the New York Times and Vanity Fair are letting readers without a subscription access their coverage of the coronavirus. As a result, views were 30% higher on average in March 2020 than in 2019. Some sites have even reported doubling their traffic due to free content initiatives, demonstrating a strong connection with audiences online.

E-BOOKS

The last publishing trend we’ll highlight today is a bit unexpected: e-books. After a decade of highs and lows, by 2019 e-books made up about 20% of all book sales. But as more and more businesses turn to online tools to digitize and share content, e-books have gained new popularity amid the pandemic.

Offering readers the opportunity to download digital copies of their material is an important option for publishers in lockdown. Booksellers are reporting increased demand, while libraries have experienced a surge of e-book borrowing. For example, digital library book checkouts climbed by 30% during the first weeks of quarantine in the United States. And in France, e-book sales rose up to 200%.

Businesses in every industry are working hard to adapt to the extraordinary circumstances created by the coronavirus. However, the immediate future remains uncertain. Some experts predict, for instance, that 25-30% of people may still be working from home in 2021. Others wonder whether advertising will continue to support online content as usual.

We don’t know yet how these digital publishing trends will evolve over the coming months. But one thing seems clear: the best strategies in 2020 will focus on being useful in a changing world.

To learn more about digital publishing on Calaméo, check out our Guided Tour below. Write to us with your questions any time at contact@calameo.com.  

PUBLISHING

Publishing : 5 must-use integrations on Calaméo

In PUBLISHING
3 October 2024

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.

READ MORE: How to integrate Embedly to my Calaméo account?

2) YouTube: add videos

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.

READ MORE: How to integrate YouTube to my Calaméo account?

3) Typeform: gather feedback from your readers

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.

READ MORE: How to integrate Typeform to my Calaméo account?

4) Matomo: track your publication metrics

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.

READ MORE: How to integrate Matomo to my Calaméo account?

TIP: if you use Google Analytics, Calaméo also offers a Google Analytics 4 integration. How to integrate Google Analytics 4 to my Calaméo account?

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.

READ MORE: How to integrate MailChimp to my Calaméo account?

Conclusion

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, and MailChimp 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.

READ OUR CASE STUDY : Building audience loyalty with Calaméo

Integrations are a new feature reserved for PLATINUM accounts. Ask for your free 14-day trial of Calaméo PLATINUM.