To design a digital magazine it is necessary to consider certain steps that will allow you to organize your structure well and include the content you want to present to your audience.
If you have already had the experience of working for a print medium, the task of making your digital magazine one of the best magazines in the world will be much simpler for you, because you already know how it works, the only thing that changes is that the contents will be presented from a digital platform.
Undoubtedly, most of the content we consume today are on the web and although traditional media still retain a segment of the audience, they have had to evolve adapting to the new requirements of the digital format.
Currently the most used digital media regardless of sex or age, correspond to blogs, microblogging, social networks and chat.
All resources and tools are available from web 2.0, this demonstrates the great progress and transformation that this has meant for companies, advertising and consumers.
Like newspapers, magazines have evolved into the digital media using interactive tools and appropriate formats to publicize their contents.
For this reason in this article we will teach you ten practical steps that will help you to prepare your digital magazine. We hope you find them very useful.
START DESIGNING YOUR DIGITAL MAGAZINE
1. Choose your presentation
When creating your own digital magazine you should start by thinking about its appearance from the logo that will differentiate it from a blog to the structure of its contents.
It is important that the logo is striking and the colors you choose to use maintain consistency and unity with the rest of the content you include.
Usually the logo of a digital magazine is simple and visible on the home page. You should ensure that the magazine's logo is in the header and that the sections of the magazine are properly recognized.
A functional and simple design will make it easier for your users to access the content more quickly and effectively.
On the other hand you should think about the titles, the themes and the extension of your content.
The type of articles you will publish, the formats, contents, images and number of columns that you will include.
Finally, select very well the content that you will present in each edition of your magazine.
2. Use the most appropriate format
The vast majority of digital journals are alternative websites that offer different or more specific content in relation to the printed magazine.
You can design a site that presents different sections of the magazine, and articles that correspond to each section that are published on the respective page.
Another option you can consider is to distribute by email the gazette or digital magazine to reach the readers you want.
There is also the possibility that you can upload the contents of the magazine in PDF format so that they are read online or downloaded by your readers to your PC.
The "technology flip" is another alternative that you can serve your readers see your online content in a very pleasant way, as if it will be flipping through a print magazine in which it is possible to turn the pages.
3. Make the configuration of your website
If you have little experience in digital media, my recommendation is that you start by setting up your site through an easy-to-use content manager such as WordPress.
WordPress is an excellent content manager that will allow you to experiment, learn and avoid costs.
However, if you are a person with certain knowledge and experience in the subject, and prefer something more elaborate, and what you are looking for is to have your own space on the web, then the best thing is to buy a specialized software or program to Make the design of your digital magazine and if you have the financial resources, hire the services of a web designer.
4. Define the themes for your editions
It is important that from the beginning you establish what are the topics you are going to discuss and the formats to be used, that is, articles, chronicles, reports, columns or practical advice.
If you will rely on photographs, videos or infographics to complement the information.
If in each edition you will present a new topic or it will be the continuation of an ongoing investigation or the compilation of a series of specific articles for each of the sections of the digital magazine.
5. Sort by categories
Something that will help you organize your content, plan the topics and carry them out is to use categories in an identified menu that is easily accessible while browsing.
For example, it is very useful for you and your readers to find in the magazine menu the titles of each of the sections.
Remember to use tags to highlight the content you are managing within the digital magazine, these represent a practical thematic navigation option.
6. Determine the periodicity of your digital magazine
Another important aspect that you should consider before starting the production of the content, is to decide its periodicity, whether it will be weekly, monthly or quarterly.
If you are going to elaborate all the material for each edition or you will extend the content of each number for a week or month. It all depends on the time you have and the resources you have.
However, remember that on the web, users are very active and expect to see updated information on the sites they visit, so my recommendation is that you keep your digital magazine up to date.
So that the task is not so expensive and stressful, try to keep updated some sections of your magazine, which you consider more dynamic and the others update them in due time.
THE ESSENTIALS IN A DIGITAL MAGAZINE
To conclude, making a digital magazine may take some time because as you see it is a process in which you must consider certain steps.
The most important thing is that you feel passion for the communicative project that you plan to undertake, you will surely encounter some obstacles, but that is normal, everything is part of the learning.
