Do you remember the time when people would sit in coffee shops holding up newspapers and magazines? In recent years, we have been seeing consumers engrossed in their iPad, smartphone, and laptop instead. This is because almost all forms of media have already transitioned to digital.
A lot of people think that digital publishing is just about e-books and blogs. But in this age of technological reliance, almost everything we read and write is directly published digitally.
As of today, every business has its own way of growing content marketing through digital publishing. Here, we’ve curated all you need to know about the advantages of digital publishing and how it can grow your business.
What is digital publishing?
Digital publishing is the act of creating and publishing all forms of media content using digital channels. It involves the use of technology and other social networking sites to distribute online content.
In a general sense, media refers to all mediums of communication (both printed and digital). These include books, newspapers, magazines, videos, speeches, films, commercials, campaign ads, and many more.
In this light, it’s important to clarify the differences between print media and digital media and how digital publishing works.
Print media vs. digital media
Many people grew up surrounded by print media—books, catalogs, brochures, yellow pages, postal mail, scholarly journals, and other printed materials are just some examples.
Businesses had their own publishing and printing press to keep up with the demands of the public for print media–which was also their main tool for advertising. As the years go by, these media have become digitized.
As electronic channels became rampant, digital media also became more and more prevalent. With the transition from traditional newspapers and printed magazines to online articles and news available on the internet, the digital publishing industry has been able to deliver faster and more accurate information to the public.
Benefits of digital publishing
The transition from print to digital media publishing has revolutionized the world’s businesses. With 5 billion active internet users worldwide, millions of business endeavors have sprouted in the digital landscape.
That’s why even if for many publishers the rise of digital media is undeniably a big adjustment, digital publishing has also offered many advantages.
Online branding domination
The moment you step into the digital space, your content is no longer sitting in one encapsulated place. It can be re-shared by many people on different online platforms.
Digital publishing is also not limited to only one type of content. When you create a feature article, it can also be put into journals, videos, ebooks, podcasts, and even visual infographics, depending on your target audience.
Not only will you get to choose the media that works best for your brand, but it can also diversify your content. This enables you to come up with your original, trademark content.
Social media exposure
In this digital age, almost everyone holds a social media account. There are so many apps to participate in. One user can create their own Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter account. So, imagine how many accounts are created by millions of web users?
Publishers can upload their digital content to these platforms and increase their visibility. These social media apps also offer instant sharing, commenting, and other modes of interaction that can build brand awareness.
If there are more people visiting your website, then you’ll attract a larger audience, higher views, and new subscribers.
A larger audience
Since every content is easily shareable on digital platforms, the distribution of digital publishing can reach a larger audience all over the world. In a matter of a few clicks, one user can already share your content across groups and pages that have hundreds and thousands of followers.
It is much easier to reach and connect to other audiences in line with your target demographic because the same set of internet users are also sharing them.
Cost savings
Traditional publishing and printing undeniably cost more, with the printing materials, ink, and machines you need to print your chosen media. Not to mention, you have to pay agents and publishers to conduct the proper printing process and delivery expenses.
Digital publishing, on the other hand, can be done by anyone for free. Anyone can post their own content and material—all you need is an internet connection.
If you want a dedicated team of writers, proofreaders, and publishers to create high-quality content, you also have to hire them and pay them. But it still costs significantly less compared to the costs associated with printing.
Switching to digital publishing
The digital publishing industry offers a lot of benefits for both businesses and media consumers. When your publishing process is not constricted to one flow, you can explore more on the dynamics of your content.
Digitally, it would be easier for publishers and content creators to make changes to the content they produce. They don’t have to waste tons of time and resources printing materials only to be discarded when changes are made.
These are just some of the major opportunities that digital publishing offers in the world of content distribution and production. Switching to digital publishing will liberate you to experiment more and be more creative with your content—something you should take.
