The birth of the internet in the 1980s resulted in a drastic transformation worldwide. People started sharing information in new ways. The face of communication changed everything, Traditional industries had to adopt the digital means of communication. This is true for the publishing industry as well.
Earlier, the publishing industry which mainly published printed copies of books are now going for digital publishing of books. With digital publishing, a publisher can share content quickly and easily without any hassle to the readers. Digital publishing makes it convenient for the readers to read books on the screen. They can carry in their pockets an entire library of books, wherever they go.
Many publishers around the world have already gone digital, while many are still searching for a robust digital publishing platform for themselves. Are you a publisher who is looking to create a name in the market when it comes to publishing and selling digital books? If yes, then you need to choose the digital publishing platform carefully. The digital publishing platform must be one that is not only compatible with various devices like laptop, PC, tablet, smartphone, but also one that enhances the reading experience of the audience.
With the introduction of latest technologies and rapid innovations, the publishing landscape has transformed completely. In 2022, the revenue in the epublishing category is expected to reach USD 24.87 billion. The size of the digital publishing market worldwide is to grow from USD 36.29 billion in 2021 to USD 41.64 billion in 2022 at a CAGR of 14.8%.
What is digital publishing?
- Different people interpret digital publishing differently, resulting in a lot of confusion. However, the meaning is quite simple and can be easily interpreted from the two words, i.e. digital + publishing.
- Digital refers to the electronic devices, i.e. tablets, laptops, smartphones, personal computers, iPads, etc.
- Publishing refers to making content available to the readers in the form of books, magazines, newspapers, etc.
- Digital publishing refers to the publishing of content (information) in digitized versions and distributing it online or through electronic devices.
- Digital publishing is also known as epublishing, electronic publishing, or online publishing.
Digital publishing examples
Digital publishing is available in various sizes, forms and shapes. The blog that you are reading right now is also an example of digital publishing. Here are some of the examples of digital publishing:
- eBooks
- Scientific journals
- PDF files
- Digital magazines
- Online newsletters
- Digital catalogs
- Digital brochures
- Presentations
- Online newspapers
- Blogs
- Portfolios
- User manuals
- Reports
- MP3/MP4 files
Digital publishing is the next big thing and is here to stay for a long time. If you are a publisher who wants to stay competitive in today’s fast-paced world, it is essential for you to choose digital publishing and invest in a digital publishing platform for the future.
Here are the reasons why digital publishing is the next big thing in the digital world.
The print media is on the decline
- Just like landlines paved the way for mobile phones, and the old style mobiles were replaced by smartphones, print media is most likely to be replaced by digital media.
- Many enthusiastic readers and students have already started overlooking printed books for ebooks, and even more the audiobooks.
- The future is digital and most likely print media will be redundant in the coming years.
- Many publishing might find this shift quite overwhelming, but in order to stay in the competition, they will need to embrace digital publishing, and invest in a digital publishing platform soon to get high returns on investment in the future.
Cost Savings
- This transition from print media to digital media is really cost-effective for publishers.
- By eliminating the print media, publishers can save a lot of cost on printing and paper.
- This also means that the end consumer, i.e. readers will pay less for books.
- Even now, if you compare the cost of a particular book, which is available in both printed and ebook editions, the cost of an ebook will be lesser than the printed one.
- Also, by not printing the book and going for the digital version, publishers can help save the environment and reduce the need of using paper.
- Ebooks can help save trees, reduce the energy required to publish books, save fuel, transportation costs, packaging cost, etc.
- Digital publishing results in huge cost savings, thus bringing down the cost of the book drastically.
Power of Social Media
- By going digital, publishers can use the power of social media to increase their visibility and get the exposure they need on the internet.
- This is possible by sharing links of the digital content from their websites on social media handles, or even uploading videos.
- Allowing readers to share digital content on various social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Instagram will result in more views, followers, organic traffic, and more subscribers.
- With exposure to social media, digital publishers can get new leads, and an opportunity to convert them into customers.
Using Interactive Advertising
- When it comes to print media, the advertising options are limited.
- However, in the case of digital publishing, it is possible for publishers to use interactive advertising.
- Digital publishers can use insert advertisements not just once or twice, but many times.
- Readers can click on the captivating call-to-action buttons that will take them to the advertiser's website.
Revenue Generation
- With print media, finding new subscribers is not an easy task.
- The number of subscribers in print media are limited.
- With the power of robust digital marketing strategies, publishers can get new subscribers.
- Also, with the rise of digital media and smartphones, digital advertisements are growing tremendously.
- Digital publishing opens new sources of revenue generation for publishers.
Are you ready for digital publishing?
Digital publishing is rapidly overtaking print media since it offers a number of benefits. Be it books, magazines, or any content form, digital publishing will become the new normal in the coming years. If you want to be competitive in today's digital world, it is essential to make the all-important move towards digitization soon. There are several digital publishing platforms available in the market for you to choose from. It is vital to switch from print to digital in today's tech-savvy and digital world. Are you ready for it?
