Distribution Plan

Because I plan to have a print magazine, I must first have a publisher and distributor. They will send my magazine out to book stores, grocery stores, convenience stores, etc. for people to view and physically buy. I would start locally in the US, and eventually expand to Europe, then eventually to non-English-speaking countries. (I would start with only English-speaking countries because that way we would only have to print one copy of the magazine.)

I would also create social media accounts on various platforms. The common trend seems to be an Instagram account, a YouTube account, Facebook, and a Twitter account. With constant updates to all platforms, people would never be in need of any digital content. I would post platform-specific posts to Instagram and YouTube (photos and videos respectively), but I would post links to my website to the other two.

The website, like all other magazine websites, would have a popup that offers print and digital subscriptions, and the offer to subscribe to an online newsletter. These would give way for the opportunity for people to access content in any area: print or any kind of digital.

After broadly increasing my reach, I would start making magazine editions in different languages and sell them to non-English-speaking countries. This would then necessitate more social media platforms that are specific to certain regions in the world. This reach of magazine distribution ensures that all readers have access to content.

Digital Distribution- Marie Claire

Marie Claire, like all modern magazines, utilizes a website that houses various articles on a range of topics. The website is broken into categories of fashion, beauty, love, politics, food, horoscope, etc. There is also the option to subscribe to their magazine; readers can either subscribe to the print edition or they can receive a digital copy.

Marie Claire also has a Facebook page that posts video interviews with politicians or celebrities, photos from photoshoots, and links to articles by themselves. This form of digital distribution makes access easy for those who get their content from social media. Marie Claire also uses Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest.

Revision #2

I completed my cover page and I think it is much better than the first one. I chose a different image for it, and this time utilizes my new Photoshop skills to edit Alexa's face to remove some acne and dark circles. I also had to cover the blue background that is coming from behind the curtain in the original photo, which was surprisingly difficult for me to do. 

Traditional Distribution

Traditional distribution of magazines is the distribution of magazines "to all magazine wholesalers who in turn distribute to supermarkets, drug stores, convenience stores & transportation outlets," according to PDG, a book and magazine distribution company. 

The distribution of a magazine necessitates a publisher. For example, Vogue's publisher is Condé Nast. They distribute Vogue to book stores like Barnes & Noble or grocery stores like Publix. In places like these, people can come across the magazine in passing, and decide to buy it. Or, people can go to these stores intentionally to buy these magazines.

Other than buying magazines in-store, many receive them through the mail. People buy a subscription for a given amount of time, and once a month (more or less depending on the magazine) will receive it in their mail.

Other methods of traditional distribution include non-digital advertising. Billboards, for example, are utilized by magazine companies to promote issues of their magazine. 

This is a billboard advertisement of Elle magazine which displays its various covers on its issue, Women in Hollywood.

For my magazine, the utilization of posters and billboards in public places would increase its exposure to those who have never heard of it. Also, offering a mail subscription allows for ease of access to those who want to read my magazine. I would also utilize a publishing company so my magazine can be distributed to places like grocery stores, where it can sit on the checkout isle, and coax shopper into buying it.

Digital Distribution- Elle

Elle is a french magazine that utilizes various forms of digital media to distribute their magazine. Elle uses Twitter, a social media platform based on sending limited character "tweets", to advertise links to their website. They post multiple articles every day, so they always have a steady stream of content. As you can see here, they have amassed a following of over six million on the platform.

Elle also uses a website that posts articles that commentate on fashion, politics, and pop culture. When you scroll to the bottom of their website, they have the option to sign up for their email newsletter, which links directly back to the website. 

Instagram

Marketing Plan

Based on the research of the other magazines I have done, an Instagram account would be necessary for an effective ad campaign. Similar to Vogue's Instagram account, I would upload editorial fashion posts that reflect the fashion of my target audience: female teens and young adults. On Instagram, I would also use ads to market my magazine. I would utilize ads to advertise my magazine on Snapchat, and Youtube; as well, I would make accounts for both of those platforms and post content related to the magazine.

Other types of advertisements that I could utilize are billboard ads. I like this idea because it shows people how serious a product is; anyone can advertise online. Because young people use apps to listen to music more than the radio, I would advertise on Spotify, a music distribution app.

The only other print advertisement I would use is a coupon inside of my magazine to promote subscriptions. I first saw this in a Vogue magazine and Immediately wanted to buy a subscription.

Audience Engagement- Vice Magazine

VICE Magazine, published initially in 1994, expanded their following exponentially through the utilization of video documentaries. The documentaries all provide comprehensive analysis and reports on pop culture, made for young people to enjoy. Their video content is published both to their YouTube channel and to their Vice on TV channel. The expansion of their media reach promotes their magazine and engages with audiences who would not normally read a magazine.

They utilize online advertising in order to reach a wider and more specific audience than TV advertising. Because of the niche nature of VICE Magazine, advertising to specific people is a necessity, so targeted advertising is integral. They also adapt their content based on consumer feedback. Because the magazine is online, they receive comments that they then take into consideration.

VICE's YouTube channel has an array of videos; most are mini-documentaries or news stories, ranging from three to 30 minutes. There are also some longer documentaries that are about an hour plus, and some in between those times. Because VICE Magazine is known for their video productions, their YouTube channel is extremely popular with over 12 million subscribers and over 2.6 billion views. They also have multiple other YouTube channels that include; "Munchies", created for food content, and "VICE Arabia". These two extra channels also broaden their audience.

Vice's second most viewed video at 33 million views.

Audience Engagement- Cosmopolitan

https://observer.com/2013/12/cosmopolitan-cleverly-stokes-reader-engagement/

Cosmopolitan, a racy, young reader's magazine uses methods of audience engagement to entertain its fan base. In 2013 and 2014, Cosmo live streamed pitch meetings to increase audience engagement. These live streams entertained audiences and humanized the editors of the magazine.

Cosmo also has a website, a YouTube channel, and an Instagram account. Their Instagram has over three million followers and posts about pop culture and relatable content for teens and young adults. They post memes, beauty tips, and general content just for exposure. By having an Instagram account, they broaden their digital exposure to the average young person who is constantly on Instagram.

Revision #1

For my first revision, I re-edited these two photos to cut them out and make it a little cleaner. The result is much better, yet still not perfect. I think part of the reason why it could look better is because of the quality. I originally thought the quality of the photos were poor because they saved wrong when saving my midterm submission magazine. I now realized it is actually just the photos. I used mostly the eraser tool and the quick selection tool in Photoshop, neither of which turned out to be very quick. 

Digital Distribution- Teen Vogue

Teen Vogue, a digital magazine, relies on digital distribution techniques to sell content. Teen Vogue utilizes a website to access its magazine, which, upon accessing, people are immediately prompted to subscribe. The email newsletters are sent for each update, reminding readers of the website to increase their views.

Teen Vogue also utilizes their subscribers on Snapchat to promote and advertise their magazine and YouTube channel. On Snapchat, they also post "stories" that display entire news articles that would appear in their magazine. This would be a great implementation to the distribution of my magazine because it creates an ease of access for people who want free content from their phone.