There’s been an uptake in engagement with an information and entertainment medium over the past two years due in part to many of us staying at home more.
They’re called magazines, and more people are rediscovering the joys of spending time away from their phones, TVs and computers.
But what do magazines offer brands, and how can your brand take advantage?
Mind the gap
Magazines fill a gap, simply because the tactile sensation of turning paper pages and reading well-written and presented articles is such a juxtaposition between digital and physical, particularly if it’s content of personal interest.
Screen fatigue is a very real thing!
With magazine readership on the rise again, brands with something to say and expert knowledge are well positioned to re-engage with lapsed readers who may have given magazines away for the web and social media years ago, by placing articles and editorials in relevant magazines or even better, publishing their own.
The web is a big place with lots of loud voices and typically we are drawn to the loudest and most persistent. Because there are fewer magazines in the market today, this represents an opportunity to be different and fill this void.
Different ways
Connecting with customers through magazines can be done in a few different ways provided that the content is engaging, thought provoking and informative.
Firstly, you can make your own, if you’ve got the content and subject matter expertise to offer something new and interesting to potential readers.
The other option is to place content with an existing magazine and take advantage of their readership. Making the most of a topic or trend can make for a more affordable and less concentrated exercise than a whole magazine.
Long life
The really good thing is that magazines have a long life well after they were bought or even acquired.
That means the messages and content of your magazine content will be found in the home, office and waiting room ready to be easily picked up. They are often stored on a shelf and referred to during downtime and relaxation. Often, they will be recycled or gifted to a second-hand shop or friend.
Off the shelf
Magazines offer brands great opportunities to share and promote your message and with readership on the rise, an opportunity to reach out to lapsed readers who have picked up the habit again and rebuild relationships with them.
See also Power of Print – The best tool for reading is print.