Our new marketing campaign looks to expand the meaning of the riddle from days gone by. Instead of disappointing readers with basic page replication which requires constant manipulation provide them with the fluid experience they expect.
Viewing entries tagged
digital editions
This casual review of how digital magazine and newspaper editions are created and distributed, along with studies which purport reader’s preferences of the medium, has lead to this comprehensive list of ‘Deadly Sins’. The items mentioned represent significant factors that prevent a digital edition from initial or continued success in the marketplace.
The role of a print magazine or newspaper is to inform, educate, and potentially entertain the reader. This purpose is accomplished via carefully curated content in the form of articles and images artfully displayed on a page.
Consider what percentage of a digital audience is consuming content via a mobile web browser.
Recently we captured a snap shot of the operating systems being used to access Flip Page content across all of our partners and clients. For further understanding, the operating system is the software that a computerized device uses in order to handle tasks. As an example, a new desktop computer is likely operating in either a Windows or Mac OS X environment. Mobile devices tend to operate on different software due to the complex nature of their usage. For example, most mobile devices require an operating system that supports touch screen commands as opposed to keyboard or mouse input. Since operating systems are unique to the type of device (desktop vs. mobile) it is easy for us to extract this information with our analytical tools.
We have improved the digital reading experience for your audience!
Flip Page Publishing has launched a new tutorial designed to walk readers through the various features and functions of your HTML 5 digital edition.*
In the first part of the series ‘Taking a Stand on Digital Newsstands’ I suggested that there are implementation and promotional issues related to digital newsstand efforts. The drawbacks that were discussed included: discoverability, attracting readers, business models, and fragmentation.
In the second part of the series I am going to look at a few more oversights that purge the air out of the digital newsstand balloon.
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Our new feature 'Zuul' is aptly named after the demi-god which took over Sigourney Weaver's mind and body in the 80's classic film 'Ghostbusters'. Zuul referenced itself as 'The Gatekeeper' and that description is a befitting title for our new release.
This new feature empowers the publisher to serve as Zuul by erecting a virtual gate around their readers online experience. Readers are able to access external web content from within the Flip Page edition but the interaction is gated within a lightbox window.
What is a lightbox?
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Flip Page Publishing is pleased to announce that our digital edition software, specifically the HTML5 viewer, has been certified by a third party as compliant with Level A and AA of the WCAG 2.0 standards.
What is WCAG? WCAG is an acronym for ‘Web Content Accessibility Guidelines’. It is a set of standards that was developed by the World Web Consortium with the goal of delivering web-based content to users with accessibility issues. This includes, but is not limited to, the nearly 300 million visually impaired people in the world.
In a very basic sense it is not much different than TV channels that offer 'closed captioning' or a film that provides 'described video'. WCAG 2.0 standards are intended to improve the online experience for those with accessibility concerns.
How is this relevant? Most governments (federal, provincial/state, municipal/local) are working towards WCAG 2.0 compliance. All online communications, including websites, digital editions, and PDF’s have compliancy requirements.
Flip Page Publishing has also expanded our WCAG 2.0 compliancy capabilities beyond our digital editions. We now offer PDF revision to meet WCAG 2.0 standards as a value added service for partners and clients.
Need more information? Contact us!
Province of Ontario WCAG 2.0 information - http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/accessibility/info_sheets/info_comm/website.aspx
Constant connectivity, endless to-do lists, and minute-by-minute planning (as opposed to hour-by-hour) puts an enormous amount of pressure on publishers, marketers, content curators and so on to produce quality efficiently. Automation has not generated the ample free time as it was expected. It has helped reduce the number of resources required for production but has not lessened the burden of time.
It is evident, when viewing digital editions across a number of platforms, that in many cases the final product falls flat. Let's define 'falls flat'. When we say 'falls flat' we are not referring to a digital publication that over-saturates the pages with multi-media such as video, audio or image galleries. We are simply referring to a website URL not being linked within an advertiser's ad space. This is a lost opportunity for both the publication and for the advertiser.
In discussions with other similar technology vendors we often resolve to a similar thought - the tools and features available are disproportionately underutilized. But is that really a surprise based on the opening paragraph? Time is of the essence. There is no time to read the email where the tool is introduced, learn about benefits of the tool, learn how to implement the tool and then to actually implement the tool into the digital edition. We get it.
And it is not uncommon to find out that a Flip Page edition is being circulated through one channel - a website. A website that has failed to generate recurring traffic due to it's static nature. No fresh content, no outgoing emails, no social media interaction, no digital advertising and essentially no chance for success. All of those things take time. Time is of the essence. We get it.
That is why Flip Page Publishing has expanded our solution set. With our extensive knowledge and experience we can help lessen the burden of time. Instead of missing opportunities with your Flip Page editions let us handle them entirely. We'll consult with you to maximize return. We'll help you generate a new audience. We'll help you communicate with your existing audience. We'll prolong the interaction between your audience and your brand. Time is of the essence. We get it.
Contact us for more details!
Limited User
Flip Page Publishing has added a second tier user for each Flip Page account. Previously, any user login and password that was applied to the dashboard login page would provide access to the dashboard. However, with the new ‘Limited User’ option it is possible to setup an account which provides access solely to the analytical data with no access to the editing dashboard.
How do I create a Limited User account?
A ‘Limited User’ account can be setup as follows;
1. Login in to the dashboard 2. Click on ‘My Account’ in the header 3. Click on ‘Edit Users’ in the Account Preferences panel 4. Fill in the required user fields 5. Under the ‘Type’ field select ‘Thermostats’ from the drop down menu 6. Click ‘Save’
Flip Page Publishing announced today that they have expanded the output capabilities of their HTML5 publication viewer. Originally slated to be the mobile viewer of choice for Flip Page readers the HTML5 build has now been expanded to desktop viewing as well.
“Sometimes it is just a matter of meeting demands” replied Sean McKenna - Flip Page Publishing’s Sales Manager.
Flip Page Publishing had released its new HTML5 mobile viewer just weeks earlier but was already receiving requests to make this a desktop option as well.
“The mobile viewer has been really well received” stated Flip Page Publishing President Brent Palmer.
Previously, the HTML or Flash based editions would ‘switch on the fly’ to the new HTML5 mobile viewer when a mobile user attempted to access a Flip Page edition. However, content publishers are now provided the ability to put the HTML5 version into non-mobile reader’s hands as well.
When asked how the new HTML5 desktop version is received on desktop browsers Flip Page Publishing’s Sean McKenna remarked “It is really slick. The toolbar overlay in the HTML5 version, which removes the visual toolbar, offers an expanded layout compared to the standard Flash and HTML based versions. It just means that paginated content occupies more of the display’s landscape which is what you want”.
Flip Page Publishing maintains that current versions of all of the major internet browsers (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple’s Safari, and Internet Explorer) support HTML5. “An upgraded programming language for browsers is long overdue” stated IT Consultant Mark Reynolds. “As the HTML5 language continues to expand, the browser support for this language will follow suit” he concluded.
Flip Page has stated that the HTML5 desktop viewer renders exactly the same as the HTML5 mobile version and includes the same toolset as the mobile product.
How does a publisher take advantage of the new HTML5 desktop version? Flip Page Publishing has made it very simple. There is a new option in the Issue Settings ‘Viewer Version’ dropdown called ‘HTML 5 Viewer’. Select this option during issue setup to offer your Flip Page editions in HTML5 to both mobile and desktop readers.
About a month ago one of our top account executives in the advertising sales department was asked “What else can you offer me?” Our account exec. paused for a moment and made his client aware that his print advertisement in ‘The Flip Page Times’ was also prominently displayed in a banner ad on the Flip Page Times website.
“Yeah, I know” replied the client. “What about the digital edition?” The ad sales rep. recoiled. “Your print ad is also accessible in the digital edition of the ’Times” responded the confused salesperson. “Yeah, I know” replied the client. “But isn’t there something else we can do with my ad in the digital edition? I want my ad within the digital edition to stand out” confessed the client.
Upon overhearing this conversation one of the junior reps from the ad sales department walked over and asked if he could provide some insight. “Sure” was the dual response. The junior rep was new to the print side of things but was very familiar with the digital offerings available at ‘The Times’. “Let me show you some of the basic interaction we have available and then I will show you some incredible multimedia options” stated the junior ad rep. He pulled up the current issue of ‘The Times’ from the desk beside him. “Well, a simple start would be to provide your website address in text format” he proclaimed. “That would allow us to link your website from the digital edition” replied the rep. “And, we could provide you with analytics data that demonstrates how often ‘The Times’ readers are accessing your website from our newspapers digital edition”. The client’s eyes lit up.
May June Newsletter
“That is just the beginning” continued the sales rep “Let me show you some of the other features that we can offer”. The eager sales rep. reached into his portfolio and pulled out a sheet littered with opportunities for the client. The numerically organized list of possibilities read as so:
1. Introduction Pages – An Introduction Page (to the left of front cover) is a great placement location for an advertiser in a Flip Page edition. Since the Introduction Page can be as large dimensionally as the publication it acts as a full page ad on the landing page of the actual publication. The highest percentage of trackable page views will occur on the front cover page which denotes a prime real estate location within each issue. Introduction pages can include all of the tools (multi-media, call back cards, animation) as a standard page.
2. Margin Advertisements – Margin advertisements offer individualized ad placement locations within the browser display of a publication. The ad banners occur outside the perimeter of the publication viewer. There are multiple placement locations and ads can be set as ‘static’ or ‘rotating’. All of the banner ads are linkable to any web hosted page, promotion, offer, sale etc. Margin ads are ideal for a current print advertiser or can be leveraged to a ‘digital only’ advertiser who values the market being served.
3. Advertiser Index – The Advertiser Index is a dropdown list of advertisers integrated as an icon into the tool bar of the Flip Page edition. The Advertiser Index categorizes Advertisers by name and offers an internal link to the ad page within the Flip Page edition when clicked. The Advertiser Index provides immediate and continued exposure of the advertiser to the intended audience.
4. Custom Animated Ads – Flip Page editions offer a static replication of ads within the printed medium. However, ads can be customized to render as more than a static image on a ‘browser page’. Page animation offers the ability to add interactive components to static pages to further engage readers with a brand or product.
5. Multimedia – Flip Page editions provide the ability to build both Audio and Video into a publication page. Media formats can be embedded and offer various render options for the advertisers. As an example, an advertiser could opt to have a product video pop-up on select pages and play automatically as the reader navigates to the page. Similarly, a radio spot can be selected to play when a reader navigates to an ad page for that brand. Television ads, product spotlight videos, radio spots, audio overdubs, etc. should be used to compliment print content within the digital edition. Multi-media will further engage readers and drive product recognition.
6. Call Back and Business Reply Cards – A Call Back Card is a lead generation tool that provides direct interaction between a Flip Page edition reader and an advertiser. A Call Back Card populates as a customizable icon or graphic within an ad. When clicked, the icon renders a form which details when a reader would like to be contacted about an advertiser’s product or service. When the form is submitted an email is generated and sent to the advertiser begin the customer acquisition process. The email also states the origin (the publication name) of the call back card for the benefit of advertiser and publisher.
7. Specialty Pages – Specialty pages such as blow-ins, gatefolds, barn doors, and belly bands create unique opportunities to highlight a specific advertiser within a Flip Page digital edition. The interactive and unique nature of specialty pages provides a more immersive experience for readers compared to standard page sizes. Similarly, specialty pages offer creative design options that cannot be replicated with standard pages.
8. Page rotation – Specialty pages allow the advertiser to get creative with the dimensions of their ad in comparison to the standard page size. Page rotation furthers that creativity. An ad that rotates the entire layout of the publication tends to garner attention.
9. Direct or Hard Linking – Typically a Flip Page edition opens to the front cover of the publication. Using the Direct or Hard Link option allows you to determine the page which opens when the link is clicked. This is an excellent opportunity to highlight an advertiser or an issue sponsor within a publication.
10. Analytics – Advertisers are most concerned with how a publication is received by a reader. How many readers read the publication? How many readers return to the publication a second time? Where are these readers located geographically? How long are readers engaged? Did the reader view the page where my ad is placed? Did they interact with my ad? Did the reader watch my video? Did they click on my promotional link? These questions, and many more, can all be answered by viewing the analytics data that is captured with each issue.
As the ad sales team and their client finished navigating through the various options being showcased, the client reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. He was instantly in contact with his creative director. “Steve” he stammered. “Put an immediate hold on any art that you are doing for The Flip Page Times” he continued. Both of the ad sales team members for ‘The Times’ looked at each other in defeat. They were both under the impression that their client had been very impressed with their impromptu presentation. “No, no, no, Steve” the client blurted out. “We aren’t stopping our ad in The Times, we are figuring out how we can maximize our ad in the digital edition!”