If you've recently started a new publication, you are no doubt facing a number of challenges including the need to attract advertisers and generate revenues given a small readership. As someone with experience working at startups, I know these problems can overwhelm and draw your attention and energy away from that which you got into the business to do: produce something great.
As I've mentioned before, digital publishing gives you a great deal of flexibility when it comes to distributing your content. Once you've produced an article, the marginal cost of distributing it to each additional reader is virtually nothing. This presents a wonderful opportunity for new publications: you can now give away samples and previews of your content without paying high costs for printing and distribution. This provides an inexpensive means for you to promote your publication and gain access to new readers.
This method also streamlines the processes of content creation and marketing. Since your magazine's content is your marketing collateral, you don't need to divide resources between content creation and marketing. Through social media and other online channels you can gain access to virtually limitless pools of potential readers. Encourage them to download your app and give them some things for free. Trial issues, sample articles, blog posts, and newsletters are great places to start.
You believe in your content, so allow it to promote itself and give you a larger return on the time and energy you devote to making it great. Enable new readers to think "I like this, and I want more".
Ultimately, your readers are the lifeblood of your publication and they have more long-term value than any advertising partnership or interim revenue stream you establish in the early stages. I'm not suggesting you shouldn't pursue these things. Just don't sacrifice the quality of your content doing so.
Send me an email at sean.monaco@pixeledge.io for more information, and visit www.pixeledge.io for examples of our current work.
