Digital Publishing trends are changing as each year passes and if you are a publisher of online content, you may be wondering which trends to look out for in 2023. With the global pandemic still having ripple effects, and fast-evolving technologies emerging all the time, it can be difficult for the publisher to keep up-to-date with new trends. We know the trends are always shifting towards digital, but what else is coming? Let’s dive into some trends and predictions to watch out for this year.
1. Subscription-based models:
In today’s world, it is now more critical than ever to establish a direct relationship with users and enable a direct-to-consumer revenue stream. Subscription models over the past 20 years were something that only the really large publishing companies would entertain. However, since the global pandemic, smaller publishers are now starting to focus more on subscription revenue to help bring in a steady stream of revenue to work along with advertising costs for a balanced business model.
Consumers are used to this, with the rise of streaming services, readers are familiar with paying a monthly or annual fee to access valuable content, so it is not surprising that digital publishers would also move to this direction.
2. Increased use of interactive and multimedia elements:
Digital publications are likely to become more interactive, with the use of videos, audio recordings, and other multimedia elements to enhance the reading experience in an effort to create content that is unique and fresh to consumers.
Creating unique and engaging online content is a constant challenge, but is an extremely important aspect, unique content will not only help sell your brand/product, but it will also enhance search engine optimization (SEO). Publishers need a fresh approach when creating content. Thinking outside the box is key here. Engaging with your audience by using the likes of polls, surveys or forms will give you back vital information about your reader. Readers also love visual such as images, videos and animations. It is critical to incorporate this rich interactive media to really grasp the reader’s attention and keep them engaged. Your content may be valuable and interesting to the reader, but if it does not include multimedia elements it is likely the reader will lose interest fast! So this trend will likely continue.
3. Personalization:
The widespread availability and use of data and analytics from digital publications will allow publishers to better understand reader preferences and tailor content to specific audiences. This means readers will now expect content tailored and personalized to their needs. Personalization goes beyond adding a first name to an email, but understanding who that name and email address belongs to, what they like to read or browse on the web, what stage of the buying journey they are in, and what next step would they benefit from to push them over the line. The concept of personalized content views each individual as unique, and publishers need to be able to define and dissect their “target audience” better than ever before in order to keep their readers engaged.
4. Cross-platform distribution:
Previously, publishing on PDFs or ePub formats was sufficient to distribute content, but for the reasons outlined above, and more and more readers being online and preferring digital, it is not good enough anymore. Publications need to be widespread and available to the reader wherever they are, so distributing across multiple platforms is key like e-readers, tablets, smartphones, and web browsers, making them accessible to a wider audience will increase readership and engagement.
4. Responsive nature:
Piggybacking on the cross platform distribution, point having a responsive design is probably the most crucial part of evolving your digital content. It is something that should have already been checked off your to-do list long ago, and if you still have not made your digital content responsive across all devices at this stage, then you need to do so now! Time and time again, I still come across published content that seems to still be tailored to desktop viewing only. As an avid reader of online content myself, whenever I do come across these non-responsive articles, I will head for the exit immediately. Responsive Design is no longer the future, it is here and evolving fast. Your content must be optimized for any device the reader is using and the best way to do that is through a responsive format. For more on responsive design read 20 reasons your content needs to be responsive.
Key Takeways
The future of digital publishing is likely to involve a continued shift towards digital formats, with an increasing number of books, magazines, and newspapers being read on electronic devices such as e-readers, tablets, and smartphones. Additionally, there may be an increase in the use of interactive and multimedia elements in digital publications, such as videos and audio recordings, as well as the use of online platforms for distribution and access. Another trend is likely to be the use of data and analytics to better understand reader preferences and tailor content to specific audiences. And to tie it all together, your content needs to be responsive in nature in order to handle the multiple platforms, the interactivity features and personalization, the time is now to move to responsive formats.
About Experios
Experios is 3D Issue’s all new Content Experience platform that produces stunning responsive digital publications in a magazine type format. Build and design your publications from scratch, publish anywhere and track your performance with a full tracking and analytics package that can link to your Google Analytics so you can always measure the success of your digital content. You can get started with Experios for free today, schedule a demo or start your free trial.
