If you have a business a digital publication may be what you need
When I first started seeing the digital publications on the internet, I was a bit skeptical as to how the public would receive them. My thoughts were that if a person wanted to have a magazine they would simply purchase a magazine and read it. The flare and glare of the turning pages and the simulated paper did not appeal to me. Give me some scrolling text and images and I was happy. However, as more and more companies have transitioned to the digital magazine, and as the layouts for these digital productions have progressed quite a bit, I have found that not only are the digital magazines and brochures more aesthetically pleasing to read, but they are quickly becoming the business norm for product presentations, reports, and consumer engagement.
1. The comfort factor
Human nature will show you that people tend to go with what is familiar to them. Yes, we have a draw to the new and to the unknown in part. However, for the most part, we tend to stick with what we know. The 3D brochure allows for the viewer to have the experience of a book without having the physical book present. This means that those who are used to flipping through the pages of your printed brochure will have the same ability to do so. This allows for that comfort of the known to be presented. And while a person may not want to scroll through multiple icons and subpages to find your product, they may be more apt to look through your digital publication in order to find it. Essentially, you are presenting icons and pages to the client, but from their perspective they are not visiting a site and engaging in a digital website. They are conducting a product search with a physical book (although it is digital).
2. The convenience factor
Businesses which typically offer their clientele a printed publication have come to realize that there is better acceptance and demand for the digital format. Why? As mobile media and social media continues to grow, especially in shopping and in business communications, the average user can more conveniently download and access a digital publication rather than purchase or order a printed brochure.
3. Digital Productions are far cheaper to produce than physical printed brochures
Costs and ROIs are an essential concern of any business. If the costs outweigh the ROIs then the business will eventually go bankrupt. In marketing and PR, print is a high cost with little ROIs. Granted there are some investments which may have proven to drive traffic to the business, but when you consider the cost of the designer, printer, layout artist, supplies, revisions, distribution, shipping, etc. most printing costs do not see sales in an abundance enough to justify the use of funds. There is a misconception that if a company does not allocate their funds primarily to print that they will suffer. I would venture to say that those that do not allocate the majority of their marketing to digital publication, social media, and to web and app development will suffer. What medium are more people using, print or digital? Apart from the draw to the digital content, if you find a contractor that can do layout, editing, and design your costs are greatly decreased.
4. Website appeal
Using a 3D element such as a digital brochure in your website adds depth to the space. It creates an interactive element that will keep the user on the site. The longer the viewer is on the site, the more apt that person will be to invest in the products offered in the digital brochure, especially if the brochure links the viewer to the purchasing of that product (either directly or through navigation to a purchasing page.). How you present your digital brochure will play a great part in the website appeal. If you use the brochure plugin of a site such as WordPress, then the magazine can be loaded and used directly on the site. If you offer the download of the brochure, ensure that you have a 3D render of the magazine to show that it is not a PDF but an interactive element.
5. Digital Brochures are easier to share than print
Sharing content is the best way to drive traffic to your site. You could have an engaging blog with content and snippets that can be shared on Social media, but this does not really drive the viewer to purchase your products. Yet, if you have an engaging brochure, catalog, magazine, publication, or report which can be shared, this will drive the traffic directly to a call to action. Remember to include the option to share the brochure and products on popular networks such as Facebook, Google, Pinterest, and Instagram for the best results.
