3 Quick Data Tips

In the last few months we have noticed a strong trend towards giving subscribers access to data and information via digital apps. While it is necessary to design content specifically for smartphones and not simply replicate print versions on digital devices, the real challenge is how to allow subscribers to easily access the data and information that most publishers possess. Below are some suggested ways of leveraging data to improve your publication.

Do you publish a resource guide? 
If so, your app could allow subscribers to search it based on their own criteria. A magazine covering mergers and acquisitions, for example, can publish a listing of all M & A firms and allow subscribers to search these firms based on geography, size of deal, industry and other criteria.

Do you publish summary financial data? 
Your app could give subscribers results based on individually specified criteria. A publisher covering commercial loans can allow subscribers to get summary results by geography, currency, underwriter, trustee and other parameters.

Do you publish technology trends? 
Your app could let subscribers get data for specific time periods and devices. A publisher covering mobile technology trends can allow subscribers to get usage data by region, platform, price range, etc.

PixelEdge not only offers a convenient publishing platform on which to leverage your content. Our software expertise can help you leverage the information and data in your servers, enabling your publication to offer readers what they value most.

Monetize with Mobile Advertising: What are the Options?

Despite a projected decrease in print ad revenues for the trade magazine industry (about 4.4% annually), digital ad revenues are expected to grow at an annual rate of 12.8%, reaching almost $2 billion in 2018. Changing trends have pushed gaudy pop-ups out of popularity. Now, advertisers can be more creative when engaging readers. Options like sponsored content and rich media build high levels of ad engagement without annoying readers. Here are some digital advertising options that could work for you:

Location-Based Ads: Sell mobile ads based the on the location of your subscribers (if the subscriber approves this feature). This is particularly effective because it enables advertisers to target their audience geographically.

Rich Media: This can mean video, sounds, or games. You can cater what types you choose based on your audience and their interests. The most effective types of rich media advertisements are interactive, complementing the surrounding content and always giving readers an option to close out. As long as these ads don’t interfere with the content of the app, they are a smart option.

Sponsored Content Ads: As a relatively new concept in advertising, sponsored content is also what's known as a "native" ad. This term, which according to Mashable was accidentally coined by the investor Frank Wilson, indicates that an ad matches the content and user interface of where it is placed.  This is most commonly seen on news and video sites, where advertisers display articles or videos that are of interest to the audiences of these sites. These ads gear content to readers' interests while still being promotional in nature. Content for sponsored articles or videos can be created by your staff or your sponsors. 

At PixelEdge, we are always exploring new, effective ways to monetize your app. Contact us to learn more about the advertising and app publishing possibilities available.

How PixelEdge Could Benefit Your Publication

If you work in the publishing industry, chances are you're considering digital publishing. You may have even looked at various digital publishing solutions. Rather than recite a bunch of familiar buzzwords, I want to present two straightforward reasons why PixelEdge is the solution you've been looking for.

1. Adaptability

Developing an app is expensive and complicated and, if you haven't done it already, I'm willing to bet cost is the number one limiting factor. While there are cheaper options, most lack adaptability. Their features sets are neither versatile nor customizable to your publication or your readers. They require that you do all the design work yourselves, which (if you lack digital design expertise) means that you are simply taking your print content and publishing an exact replica to a digital platform. This may sound fine, but consider the fact that most of your print content is probably not optimized for digital devices and their varying screen sizes, and may also take an absurd amount of time for users to download. Finally, these solutions will not offer your readers any technical support should they have difficulties using the app. All these factors combine to create a low-quality reading experience. This is not the way you want your brand to be represented to your readers, but don't just take my word for it.

At PixelEdge, we've developed an alternative that is affordable and effective. We start by developing a basic app for you and then enhance it based on your needs and opportunities. Plainly, this means that we can adapt your app over time at no additional cost to you. For a fixed monthly price, your features set is always customized for your audience and your content is optimized for all of your readers' digital devices. Finally, we offer full technical support and expertise. Your continued partnership with us ensures that your app gives readers an optimal reading experience that is an impressive representation of your brand.

2. Convenience

PixelEdge wants digital publishing to be as convenient as possible for publishers. Our team executes all the technical work so you can focus on the content. Simply submit your print design work in any file format and we will optimize it for your digital app. We can even take the content straight from your content management system so there is no added burden on your team. Below is an example of what our conversion process can accomplish:

The image above is a client's print design in a .pdf format. Notice how the graph is detailed, small, and difficult to read. In cases like this we can actually take the raw data to create a new graph for your digital version that is much more visually appealing, easy to read, and engaging:

This is just one of the many ways our convenient conversion process can work for you. We can also add interactive elements to charts and graphs to make them even more engaging. If you're interested in learning more, please don't hesitate to contact one of us. We would be happy to set you up with a demo, answer any of your questions, and even do a mock-up of what your app could look like.

At PixelEdge, our business model is focused on long-term partnerships with our clients. We are committed to finding you new ways to generate revenue with your digital publication while enhancing reader engagement with each iteration. Our philosophy is very simple: add value to our clients' publications, month after month and year after year.

Interested in chatting? Send me an email at sean.monaco@pixeledge.io and I will be happy to schedule an appointment. Or, simply visit our website at www.pixeledge.io today!