7 Surprising Applications for Your Online Magazines

Can a digital magazine also function as a website at the same time? Yes it can! Do you need to publish an online magazine on a regular basis? No you don’t! For what other purposes can you use the tool? The possibilities are endless!

In other words, let your imagination run wild. I will share some ideas with you. Besides publishing a ‘regular’ magazine, a brochure, or a staff magazine, I will mention 7 possibilities that might not have crossed your mind (yet).

1. A welcome to your new staff magazine

Does your boss send reams of paper to new employees? A copy of the current collective labor agreement, pension scheme, phone numbers, and employee manual? Boring! Most of the time people don’t read these kinds of documents anyway. Developing an online magazine might just be the solution.

Create an inspiring magazine with links to relevant yet otherwise dull information. The CEO can write a warm word of welcome or you can even insert a catching video. Introduce important employees and present your mission and vision. All your information will be right there, and new employees can consult it anytime and from any device. As an additional bonus, you can easily revise and refresh information as necessary.

2. Teaser magazine for upsell to a print edition

Do you publish an offline edition periodically, but is your audience to be found online? Then you can ‘tease’ your readers with a digital magazine. Give them a sneak preview with an article from your print edition. It’s an easy way to get them to sign up for a home delivery.

3. Inspirational magazine for franchisees/ customers

Would you like to promote a new collection or share new industry developments? Inspire franchisees with a special, dedicated digital magazine. Or give retailers a platform to reach out to their customers with a digital edition. This will have a bigger impact than just a regular newsletter with special offers and promotions.

4. Add-on for brochure or magazine

An online magazine can also function as an add-on for a print edition, complementing it rather than replacing it. For example, you might wish to showcase more images from a fashion shoot or other event than you have room for in print, or you might wish to provide background information to an interview. The ANWB auto club, for example, is currently creating less extensive holiday brochures, referring customers to their online magazine for more in-depth articles and further inspiration. Readers can also click straight through to the booking engine to book their holiday.

5. E-course/E-learning

Learning, training and re-training. You name it and we can turn it into an online magazine. For example: a running course including tips and tricks, workout schemes and practical diet tips. Or how about an e-learning course for doctors when a new medicine is introduced? Readers can access relevant content when it is convenient for them and from any device. You can also send a reminder following a training course containing information from the session.

6. Event report

Prior to your event, surprise your subscribers with an extensive online magazine. What can participants expect? Who will be the keynote speaker? Why is your event not to be missed? You can even include location information with directions and parking facilities.

You can also engage with your attendees afterwards with a personalized magazine. You might notify them of their marathon finishing time (Rotterdam Marathon), including a picture. A nice sharing element for social media!

7. Brand Identity guidelines

Are you looking for a place to define your logo and brand usage? To ensure 100% brand consistency, we recommend creating a brand style guideline (to consult or send to designers).

You can use Foleon to build your own brand guideline in less than 2 hours. Your guideline will not only have the same look and feel as defined in your corporate brand identity, but it will also be consistently accessible. Clever!

Author bio

Ritesh is a digital marketing manager with years of experience in driving growth. He’s currently the director of inbound marketing at Foleon. You can find more about him on his LinkedIn profile.