Important Information on Selecting Digital Publishing Software Vendors
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010Producing an electronic brochure is a great deal of effort, therefore no one wants to spoil all the work with the wrong e-brochure software. Once you’ve chosen to make an online magazine the essential decision is to select your software supplier. This isn’t a case of merely formatting your newsletter prettily – indeed this decision is important because it can easily make or break your overall venture. Out of the potential features, simple usability is the main one. Because of course, it doesn’t matter how wonderful the package is if you or your staff can’t use it… The e-brochure you’re creating should matter enough to you that you try out several providers. In creating an e-brochure you also want to think about protective measures. What measures are taken securing your account? Does the package supplier have something to keep the general public copying and pasting the words? When you’ve made an interactive brochure you need to make up a commercialization timetable. Has networking media integration been considered? How will you deal with advertisements? Not that each issue will have to consider all of these but your overall scheme certainly should. Advertising the online brochure will likely need search engine friendly content.
Is your content solely going to be offered for free? How about the possibility of offering multiple subscription options? Also, the nature of your content – is it monetized or is this simply a not-for-profit venture? How about providing summaries to sell your magazine? What’s the availability of the brochure? If it’ll be private you’ll be able to investigate all your hosting options or is it public? In which case you will probably be best hosting directly with the provider. And what will you be doing about back-isues? Some solutions you really want to look at in advance before any emergency. What about their tech-support? Check their online FAQs. Also check whatever how-to guide they may have. If their response time isn’t published you should ask questions. How well-manned is their tech-support line or email address? Tech support’s importance really can’t be over-stated. You don’t want to discover the hard way that they’re not up to it… Think carefully when you pick out a magazine’s e-publishing software provider. Last, try googling the term “Zmags” for further useful information.