It is especially obvious in public transport. At the bus stops, in the cafes. Publishing industry has changed. When have you seen someone reading a print newspaper lately? Those times are gone. Now, buying and reading magazines comes down to one click. It is time to face reality – not only publishing is going digital, but also selling. And people like it that way, don’t they?
Online shopping revolutionized our lives. We all love it for saving time, accessibility of things from all over the world, for making transactions while sitting on the train or lying on the couch. So it doesn’t surprise that this kind of buying went into the publishing industry by storm. It means a possibility of selling subscriptions to PDF publications starting from magazines, through comics, guides to books. And as a result, the publishers’ and authors’ income increases in a more convenient way.
Do you remember that time when you had to dress up, leave home, go to the newsstand to buy a newspaper just to discover that you hadn’t taken a wallet?
Nearly 60% of multiplatform magazine consumers say their digital edition is most important to them.
According to Mequoda sales for digital magazines has increased:
For the last few years we’ve heard abundant numbers of reports that magazine print subscriptions were down, but sales for digital magazines are up. And really, we all know why. Every type of company is seeing their online sales increase (…). Everybody in all facets of business is racing toward the digital light (…). Historically, new technology empowers entrepreneurs to launch new types of products (…). Combine it with hundreds of millions of tablets, and a handful of highly competitive digital newsstands, and you have the recipe for a digital magazine and book explosion. Develop a web magazine that doesn’t rely on newsstands at all, where you keep 100% of the profits, and you’re golden.
Selling online content allows increasing income thanks to the possibilities to conquer international markets at a global range. This solution is convenient and full of benefits for both sides – publishers and readers.
Modern publishing market is offering different digital publishing solutions when it comes to selling content digitally and creating online platforms for every types of publishers. It doesn’t matter if they have published only print versions so far, what type of publications they offer and whether it’s paid or not.
Using an e-commerce platform gives publishers and authors new business possibilities and provides a way to boost readership and increase revenue.
And that is just the beginning of the long list of benefits that online content subscriptions sales can bring.
The transformation of the publishing industry
Publishing was one of the many fields forced to consider new ways of conducting business with the advent of the digital age. Current readership needs, like buying and reading content online, are a result of the ongoing transformation process in the publishing industry – moving from traditional paper printing to digital distribution.
From the publishers’ point of view, reducing or totally eliminating printing can effectively cut production and supply chain costs. Digital publishing shortens time to market a publication, through streamlined editing, proofing, and lack of long-term traditional printing processes. Readers are glad that they don’t have to wait a long time for the new special issue of their favorite magazine, or the next part of an addictive novel.
PressPad Store
Publish and sell PDF on your website
Thinking about the paid distribution of your magazine? Start your digital kiosk online. Instant publishing, credit card transactions and the online reader of your PDF publication.
Learn more about a PDF e-commerce solution »
Online publishing has enabled consumers to buy and read publications immediately. The digital library can allow 24/7 access to purchased issues: both current and previous ones. It allows people to read whenever they want and wherever they are. The increase of digitalization in the publishing industry has also eliminated difficulties that both producers and consumers have been struggling with: lack of space in bookstores and inventories, or physical damage to the product.
The speed of today’s world and technological progress to a large extent determine readers’ habits and as a result, the direction of publishing development. Digital libraries have replaced traditional warehouses just like the online newsstands have replaced the classic ones, and finally – like pdf files that replaced paper.
Why do publishers go crazy about PDF format?
PDF is widely used by publishers, web writers, graphic designers, and everyday computer users. This format is generally accepted for universal document exchange. So naturally, every type of digital publisher and reader fell in love with it, just like PressPad that allowed selling online using PDF files.
They created PDF publishing platform called PressPad Store – an e-commerce solution for every type of publisher, based on quick and easy uploading PDF files which allows you to start selling immediately in the same browser. It enables easy access to sell subscriptions to online PDF publications and lets people read instantly across multiple devices.
Selling PDF files is a bulls-eye in digital publishing.
There’s a good reason why PDF is the most widely used electronic document format worldwide. Publishers of all kinds can sell their PDF publications online in a convenient way:
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- PDF files can be used to recreate documents irrespective of where they were originally created. It is a dynamic and versatile file format that can dramatically simplify and expedite document viewing and integration. With Adobe Acrobat Reader, virtually anyone, on any computer, with any platform, running any application version, can recognize and read identical PDF files.
- HD rendering of PDFs lets the readers enjoy your content with flexible zooming and easy navigation with thumbnails. PDF files viewed on-screen retain precise color regardless of software or hardware variation, precise clarity in magnification, as well as original style and formatting (color, font, and photos) exactly as they were intended to be seen.
- PDF content can be interactive. Digital magazine can attract readers via YouTube videos and hyperlinks that let people navigate throughout the online publication. Adding the link to Soundcloud, Vimeo, and Slideshare content is a way to sustain the attention inside the publication.
70% digital readers prefer a digital magazine due to features that the print edition doesn’t have.
Upload your PDF and start selling online
Benefits of selling via digital publishing platform could be enormous. E-commerce based on pdf allows global content sharing, saving your time and money.
If you were to describe a modern reader, what would you say? Is he demanding? What devices does he use to read? What is important for him when he reads?
Of course, you are a person who knows your customers best, but… let’s be honest – people today are more tech-savvy and demanding than a few years ago. Attracting them requires using digital solutions. Look at this statistics:
Whereas before people were reading paper books and magazine, they are now turning to e-books and e-magazines. In a 2017 survey, 20 percent of respondents stated that they read more e-books than print books, and a further 23 percent said that they read both equally.
E-commerce solution for publishers and authors makes people buy and read publications immediately in the same browser.
Firstly, it guarantees access to content right after publishing and people can read in any place they want. If you want, you can encourage people to buy the full issue by providing a free preview of a few pages or articles.
Secondly, a digital platform allows for selling not only the latest issues but above all – the old ones. The ability to share an old-issues library is a huge advantage over print publishing.
You know what I am talking about if you’ve ever tried to buy a paper issue which has just been sold out.
An online newsstand is a direct road to boost readership and sales today.
Opening up for digital channels of publications distribution and selling brings you closer to modern readers, increasing revenue. Look at this simple equation:
more readers → more buyers → more money from sales and advertisers
When selling magazine subscriptions digitally you can offer online payments with a credit card – it is so comfortable! What is important, when you sell online, you don’t incur costs and losses by unsold issues, in contrast to publishing only print versions.
Hint: subscriptions are worth more than a one-time purchase. Sell single items and auto-renewable subscriptions and get loyal readers which won’t forget about your content.
Double selling
So far, many publishers and authors used to maintain their websites only for promotional purposes and not yet as distribution channels. Now it has also changed.
E-commerce platforms can be created as a separate place to sell or can be a support to the store on a publisher’s website.
Why is it worth to embed your store at different places on the Internet?
Effective growth sales
Profit and success can be brought when selling content is done through a newsstand, but also through the website, integrated with this kiosk. In fact, you can embed your store anywhere on the Internet — where your readers are hanging around, e.g. your website or partner websites and blogs. It hugely increases vithe sibility of the content. In the line with the principle: the more people will see it, the more will read it and the more will buy it.
Access to customer data
An e-commerce website facilitates the collection of data to enable email marketing. A customer visits your site and leaves his email to subscribe to your promotions. So you can send notifications or a newsletter to the customer. Email address can be used to build a loyal fan base and… your development direction. You can easily keep a constant eye on consumers’ buying habits and interests to tailors their offer suit to consumers’ requirements. By satisfying their needs constantly, you can build long-lasting relationships with them.
Connecting with readers
If you have an eCommerce website, you can connect it easily with social media. Such a kiosk can then be shared among thousands of customers within a minute by the customer himself. As a result, you can reach out to new customers worldwide every single day. The store on your website makes it easier to get feedback, opinions and contact the users directly.
What if I am a book publisher?
Do you know that indie authors are closing in 45% market share of ebook sales? That shows two things:
- self-publishing is more and more popular
- readers prefer reading on screens
Digital platforms are opening the way for publishers to independently publish and sell their content, without the participation of the publishing house. Indie publishing lets authors achieve a much greater earning potential and allows them to write whatever they want and find niche audiences for their books.
The solutions like PressPad Store suits book publishers perfectly. They can publish and sell their online content in a similar way to magazines publishers. An online book-store with online payments and pdf uploading allows you to sell easily, without the print cost and problems with realizations.
What are the main advantages of having your own independent online bookstore?
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- Impact on content and design, independence of making decisions. If you decide to go to self-publishing, you should know that you have control over everything: from editing, through price, ending with distribution.
- Online bookstore means global distribution without distance barrier – it increases popularity and eliminates waiting for second printing. One’s thing for sure – your readers will be grateful for not being forced to queue at the bookstore on the day of the release.
- More money. The publishing house in some part bears the cost of editing, proofreading, typesetting, printing, binding, cover art and design, promotion, advertising, warehousing, shipping, billing, and paying author royalties. All these steps take time. Self-publishing means not only reaching the market faster but also more money for the author.
Publish online, sell online, earn online
The publishing technology has changed over the years. As many different parts of life, it also moved to the digital world making publishing and selling easier than ever before.
Every type of publisher wants to have more reach, more readers, more earnings and more popularity. And your readers need your content to be easily and quickly available. Achieving these mutual benefits is possible thanks to using e-commerce solutions. It has become a vital part of the publishing industry. Digital platforms help publishers grow audience and revenues and have proven to give many publishers and authors a jump start in their career. Especially when they have published PDF files.