Simply having an online presence is not enough - it also must produce results. With an unequaled level of partner support, Texterity distinguishes itself from all other digital content providers.
In this interview, Hensel discusses the attributes that distinguish Texterity from its competitors.
Q: Quite a few companies have entered the digital edition arena lately. What makes Texterity different?
MH: First and foremost, while we have terrific digital technology - we're in the publishing business. Our roots are deep in the publishing industry and that's where the majority of our employees come from. Anyone can create a digital edition using PDF or Flash. It's another thing to make it work for the publisher – to build circulation, increase revenue, improve renewal metrics, build brand loyalty. Our clients aren’t so much our customers as they are our partners.
We are very hands-on, very involved, and we offer support every step of the way. It's also significant that we've been around since the beginning of the digital publishing industry. We have roughly 1,000 clients, each one with some kind of customization. Just from a trial and error perspective, we've seen everything. We know what works and what doesn't. We know what not to waste time on, and what enhancements will be revenue-generating.
Q: How can digital editions, as you said, be tools to build business?
MH: All publishers need to transition their readers to digital to reestablish profitable business models. B2B and professional association publishers will go 100% digital before consumer publishers because the B2B/Association audience reads these magazines to do their job better. They often read the magazine at work or certainly when they are in a work frame of mind. Digital editions are the most productive way to consume magazine content so B2B/Association readers opt for digital in growing numbers.
Digital editions can be powerfully combined with detailed knowledge of the reader to offer new features to advertisers. Examples include lead generation tools (whitepapers, webinars), precisely targets offers (event registrations, geo-targeted specials), as well as subscription/renewal offers.
Increasingly digital editions are used by consumer publishers to avoid the cost of sending ‘bill me later’ copies. This can save millions in ‘bad pay’ costs, and open up new sources that were previously not profitable.
Q: Aside from service, what makes Texterity different?
MH: Texterity focuses on both the publisher and the reader. For the reader we provide features designed to enhance their enjoyment of the magazine. In fact, our goal is to create a compelling reading experience. These features include the ability to clip any page and save it in custom folders, share any page or article with a friend directly or via social networks, high resolution printing, and quick searches across all back issues.
Our new Coverleaf Reader features one-click social networking, dynamic ads, and i-framing which incorporates your digital edition into your website. That helps publishers integrate their channels and boost brand awareness.
Of course, these strategies only work if the digital edition, email list, deployment tactics and value-added features are properly planned and executed. It's not just a matter of posting a digital edition. Circulation marketing strategy is where Texterity excels.
Q: Who does the strategizing?
MH: Everyone in our company contributes to some aspect of creating the best solution for the individual client. On the sales side, our business development directors serve as personal consultants to our clients, assessing their needs, recommending effective solutions, and training them in Best Practices. To further expand ‘Best Practices’ we’ve just merged our account managers and project managers into a more cohesive service department.
On the Operations side, we have people who prep the files, activate and check the links, deploy the e-mails, and of course, track and report usage in a way that complies with audit requirements. That’s in addition to our teams of product developers, engineers, programmers, and QA experts.
Q: That's a lot of people invested in helping one client. How can that be cost effective?
MH: We make every effort to do it right the first time, rather than do it over. Many publishers have similar needs but everyone's business is different and needs custom configurations to make digital editions work best for them. So we invest time on the front end to get it right from the start. That's far more cost-effective than scrambling around after the launch, trying to figure things out at the expense of the client's brand image.
Q. What happens after a client signs on?
MH: We have a formal set up call with each new customer or each new title. This includes a dedicated account manager and private FTP facilities for each publisher. Once started, we maintain each digital edition, interface with their fulfillment firm to handle email address issues and subscription starts/stops. We also provide timely responses to requests for multimedia enhancements, split content, or particular e-mail messaging instructions – and we do an internal ‘best practices’ audit of each client’s account at least once per year. We also love to brainstorm with customers about new ideas. This is an ongoing partnership: we approach them with ideas as often as they approach us. We're both invested in the success of the program.
Q: If strategy is so important, why does Texterity place so much emphasis on technological excellence?
MH: As I said previously, we're in the publishing business and we want readers to have a compelling reading experience. That takes technology and a commitment to quality. We love magazines and their content - the beautiful photography, the page layouts, the arc and flow of the publication. We work hard to replicate that experience as faithfully as we can but then to go further and significantly enhance the experience beyond what was in print. We have brilliant IT talent on staff, and we have always been the technological leader in digital editions. We hold two patents for technology and operational processes. Yet technology has always been merely the tool to facilitate what we really do - help publishers reach larger audiences and build stronger brands.
Q: Will digital editions eventually replace print magazines?
MH: I believe that print magazines will be replaced in B2B and Association markets. Readers want this. The economics favor this. Advertisers will welcome it -- due to the higher click through rates coupled with the BPA’s new focus on audience engagement transparency. In the Consumer markets we see digital as a companion to print because readers enjoy the escape provided by print editions but they also value search, clipping, and sharing which are unique to digital editions. We see tremendous potential in the mobile arena, and are currently developing a new iPhone application platform to help publishers maximize that channel.
Q: Is Texterity doing anything in particular to help increase clients' circulation?
MH: Yes, Coverleaf -- www.coverleaf.com -- is an online newsstand with more than 50 titles that readers can browse anywhere and anytime. If they are paid subscribers to these magazines, they have full access to the digital editions absolutely free, and they will get notifications about new issues as long as they remain an active print subscribers. If they are simply browsing new magazines, they can sample pages and then are encouraged to subscribe or buy a single copy. Subscribers love Coverleaf. We see it changing the definition of a subscription to be both print and digital. Publishers love Coverleaf because it a great source of subscriber email addresses and improves renewal rates by boosting subscriber loyalty.
I believe Coverleaf spotlights the best of what online technology has to offer everyone - publishers, readers and advertisers - and proves that the future is still very bright for the magazine industry.
