<\/p>\n
Magazine publishers and social media \u2013 perfect connection?<\/h2>\n
The latest research of the publishing industry conducted by The Association of Magazine Media and collected in Magazine Media Factbook<\/a> contains the conclusions showing social media as an important space for magazines:<\/p>\n The attendance on social media channels is a win-win situation for both sides: publishers and consumers. The key is to meet in the same places and\u2026 encourage the customers to relocate: to magazine’s website, company’s blog or brand’s mobile apps<\/a>.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s be clear \u2013 it doesn\u2019t make sense to create an account on every social media channel. It\u2019s better to be in the right places than everywhere.<\/p>\n What exactly is the right place?<\/strong><\/p>\n The best answer could be \u201cwhere your readers are\u201d. But what if I make risky assessments that some social media channels are predestined to holding specific types of content? Look. Is there a better place for a cooking magazine than YouTube? Or Instagram for a fashion magazine? Twitter for politics news? LinkedIn for a business magazine?<\/p>\n Even if there is some simplification in it, there is one thing for sure \u2013 every single one of the above mentioned social media channels is a solution that can provide the easy function of sharing the content on an unprecedented scale. Translating it into marketing language, there\u2019s nothing else like free PR, which is driven automatically by users. The publishers’ role comes down to getting followers and making them fall in love with the content published on social media platforms.<\/p>\n Which one to choose?<\/p>\n The Association of Magazine Media studies<\/a> shows that Facebook is the social media behemoth, and accounting for nearly half of the magazine brand industry active audience. Instagram takes the second place with 29% of industry fans and the highest registered growth rate for the last three years. Twitter is the third (24%) in terms of most liked\/followed social network and still has about one-quarter of industry fans.<\/p>\n Despite the conflict with technological giants<\/a>, publishers still indicate Facebook as the most important platform to build brand awareness and increase the audience. Half of the respondents also point Instagram (belonging to Facebook incidentally).<\/p>\n The similar situation can be observed with news consumption<\/a>, where Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are platforms dominating in getting information category nowadays. Here\u2019s how many people use these channels to consume news:<\/p>\n All the above mentioned research can be a living proof that it pays off for publishers to be on platforms like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. They undeniable dominate in the magazine industry proving that traditional newsstands are being replaced by social media newsfeeds for good.<\/p>\n These studies also show that there\u2019s only one king at the moment.<\/p>\n The rest of this article is focused on showing good practices of social media marketing on Facebook that can bring publishers enormous results.<\/p>\n Based on the popularity of Facebook, you can say that if you are not on this platform, you don\u2019t exist. Well, actually I know many people without Facebook accounts and they\u2019re fine.<\/p>\n However, this phrase can contain a grain of truth if we talk about magazine publishers.<\/p>\n Despite all controversial aspects of Facebook, the fact is that the majority of publishers choose this platform because it drives far more click traffic than any other. So it’s not about whether or not to be on Facebook, but rather how<\/i> to be there and build a loyal audience, and at the same time preserve your independence and don’t share profits with this technology giant.<\/p>\n \u2013 What exactly is the publishers\u2019 goal of being on Facebook?<\/strong><\/p>\n It might seem that the number of followers, likes, and shares is the reflection of the brand\u2019s success. In fact, this is only the first step to win. There\u2019s much more at stake \u2013 increasing the engaged audience and more visitors on publishers\u2019 own media channels. The art of being on Facebook consists of redirecting the loyal user to the website, blog or mobile app<\/a>. Facebook should be a way to achieve goals, not a goal in itself.<\/p>\n Look how Essential Magazine Australia does it:<\/p>\n Everyone who visits their Facebook profile, will first see the pinned post notifying that their magazine is available also via mobile app. This announcement appears also several times on their newsfeed among other posts informing about articles published on the website (with a link to it). Facebook is a place thanks to which users can explore the brand more, and the posts tell people what the magazine is about and how to get it.<\/p>\n There are several places on your Facebook profile (\u201cabout\u201d, \u201cstory\u201d sections) where you can place links to a website, digital kiosks, blog, app or, eventually, other social platforms. All this additional information can be shown in a graphic form or as a little text on the cover photo \u2013 visitors get the information that you\u2019re active, easy to find and reliable.<\/p>\n There\u2019s something else on the screen above that is worth mentioning \u2013 look at the upper right corner. Next to the standard \u201cSend Message\u201d button there is another one: \u201cUse App\u201d. I\u2019ll say it again \u2013 the basic rule of using Facebook is to redirect readers to publishers\u2019 channels which are full of high-quality content. The increase in traffic matters because it enables publishers to control their own fate. They have more data on user behavior, which enables them to better target readers with more content and offers for subscriptions, and encourage different actions.<\/p>\n All Essentials Australia Magazine profile speaks loudly and clearly that Facebook fulfills only the redirecting function, giving its traffic to external publisher\u2019s channels.<\/p>\n Decide for yourself who is the winner here.<\/p>\n \u2013 What if you haven\u2019t had a magazine app yet? What call-to-action button should you choose?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cSign up” will be a great choice for most publishers. It is leading directly to an email newsletter signup form. This gets interested users immediately into a valuable interaction with you. If they click, you’ll get an email address. You can use it to build a database of email addresses \u2013 this way you would be able to stay in touch with them by sending news, sales offers and information about special events or actions.<\/p>\n \u201cThe New York Times\u201d used this tactic. When you click the \u201cSign Up\u201d button on their Facebook profile, you\u2019ll be taken to the subpage informing about the newsletter\u2019s benefits. There\u2019s an option to see a sample of the newsletter when you move to the website \u2013 that way you know what you are getting into.<\/p>\n Every publisher needs to be focused on converting casual visitors into loyal users and subscribers. Concentrate on those social referrals which are driving loyalty. Google Analytics flags this up in weekly stats. Start focusing on what content drives deeper engagement, which metrics drive a deeper relationship with your content, your brand and your business.<\/p>\n What if the number of Facebook followers is not reflected in the number of website visitors or app downloads?<\/p>\n Try to remind yourself how many times you have visited some brand\u2019s profile, then you clicked \u201cfollow\u201d on impulse and you’ve never come back.<\/p>\n When you start your journey with social media, every \u201clike\u201d or new follower makes you extremely excited. After a while, the number of impressions and website visitors ceases to rise, as well as the amount of money you have.<\/p>\n What\u2019s going on?<\/p>\n Well, you don\u2019t give enough reason for your fans to explore your brand more. The path from random followers to highly engaged users leads through creating an emotional connection and Facebook is perfect for this.<\/p>\n Social media posts are incredibly powerful. It\u2019s not only about engaging people. There is a whole scale of emotions, feelings and needs behind it.<\/p>\n The first example.<\/strong> Ask people about the next magazine number cover before the issue is ready. The post can include an easy copy with two photos \u2013 \u201cwhich one is better in your opinion?\u201d This simple idea gives people the power to decide, the expectation related to which one will win (\u201cmine\u201d or not?), and the satisfaction (when the result is be compatible with their wish). It\u2019s natural that they will follow the action just out of curiosity.<\/p>\n The second example.<\/strong> Carry out a survey related to the topics readers want to see inside the magazine in the future. It makes them look forward to the next issue. When the work on the article will be in progress, gradually heat up the atmosphere: show a moving or a little bit controversial bit of the unpublished text which will for sure generate some discussion and make people look forward to reading the full version.<\/p>\n The third example.<\/strong> Show something that readers won\u2019t find in the magazine: behind the scenes of the interview, your daily work, members of your team. People just like it! And have the impression that they get something special. It\u2019s also a way to show your brand from a different side.<\/p>\n Regardless of the post type you choose, it should look good on smartphone screens, especially when you put photos or videos \u2013 96 percent of active user accounts worldwide accessed the social network via mobile devices<\/a>. Take care not only of the parameters and readability of the post but also about catching attention during fast scrolling by a thumb.<\/p>\n Hint:<\/strong> Vertical photography looks best on smartphones because it fills the entire space in newsfeed and thanks to that it focuses the user’s attention longer. Check before publishing whether Facebook has pixelated the graphics after it has been loaded.<\/p>\n Engaging and mobile-friendly posts concepts ensure that your Facebook users will be part of your magazine, and also its creators, someone important whose thoughts, needs and habits matter.<\/p>\n Being part of a project is as much important for people as belonging to a group.<\/strong><\/p>\n On the way to getting loyal fans, you can go a step further and create a Facebook group that focuses on some topic your readers are engaged in. For example, New Yorker brought to life a group called The New Yorker Movie Club<\/a>. In the description we read:<\/p>\n In this group, one of our film critics, Richard Brody, will share weekly movie recommendations and discuss them with our community of film lovers. We also hope you\u2019ll use this space to analyze and dissect your favorite (or least favorite) movies of the season, as well as notable films from the past. Beyond Richard\u2019s contributions, other movie-obsessed New Yorker staff writers and editors may even weigh in with their own thoughts!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
The big three<\/h2>\n
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.presspadapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/The-most-popular-social-media-platforms.png?resize=1024%2C634&ssl=1\")
![\"Facebook](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.presspadapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/The-most-important-social-media-platforms-for-publishers-.png?resize=1024%2C588&ssl=1\")
![\"Facebook,](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.presspadapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/social-channels-for-getting-news.png?resize=1024%2C393&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nFacebook \u2013 best practices<\/h2>\n
![\"Magazine](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.presspadapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Essentials-Magazine-Australia-on-Facebook.png?resize=1024%2C711&ssl=1\")
![\"CTA](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.presspadapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/The-New-York-Times-on-Facebook.png?resize=1024%2C410&ssl=1\")
Move your followers<\/h3>\n
Make people feel special<\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.presspadapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Promote-magazine-thanks-to-Facebook-group-1.png?resize=816%2C324&ssl=1\")
![\"Encourage](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.presspadapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Just-the-Real-News-Facebook-profile.png?resize=1024%2C404&ssl=1\")