From Print to Digital: Taking Your Magazine Online-Slides

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The presentation "From Print to Digital: Taking Your Magazine Online," by Jen Lennon, Director of Content Strategy at Kent State University, addresses the transition of a traditional alumni magazine from print to digital in response to higher education budget cuts, rising print/mail costs, and the need to engage a digital audience.

Initially, the magazine published two print editions annually, distributing around 175,000 copies per issue to over 250,000 alumni. Budget constraints necessitated shifting toward a hybrid model incorporating digital elements.

The goals for the digital magazine were to reduce costs and staff time, expand reach, enhance storytelling through multimedia, and enable tracking of reader engagement. The process involved three key steps:

1. <strong>Strategy:</strong> Defining success metrics, securing stakeholder buy-in, considering staffing, setting publication frequency, and prioritizing audience segments.
   
2. <strong>Platform and Design:</strong> Redesigning the magazine website with multimedia features; distinguishing launch essentials from scalable future additions; emphasizing visual storytelling by closely collaborating with photo and video teams; and integrating social media from the start to create social-friendly content.

3. <strong>Content Planning:</strong> Developing a content strategy that balances article quantity, class notes, and diverse storytelling formats—including photo essays and video-first stories; carefully planning far ahead; and mixing topics for varied audiences.

Key lessons learned include appreciating that digital magazines are new experiences, not mere PDFs, with flexibility in storytelling methods and schedule. Challenges include capturing digital attention, balancing creative brainstorming with production deadlines, and managing cultural shifts.

Best practices entail building mobile-first platforms, integrating multimedia, using analytics for continuous improvement, and avoiding pitfalls such as posting unedited PDFs, overwhelming launches, neglecting accessibility, or reposting generic news stories.

Overall, the digital shift is framed as a strategic opportunity to expand audience reach and create rich, collaborative storytelling rather than simply a cost-saving measure.

Keywords

Digital Magazine Transition

Alumni Magazine

Higher Education Budget Cuts

Multimedia Storytelling

Audience Engagement

Content Strategy

Mobile-First Design

Social Media Integration

Analytics and Metrics

Digital Publishing Challenges