Skip to main content
EntrepreneurshipJust BusinessLeadership

Why Blog When You Can Start an Online Magazine?

By October 24th, 20231,208 Comments

The first niche magazine was published in 1731 and was called The Gentleman’s Magazine. Since then there have been thousands and thousands of niche magazines published with many of them finding great success.

For years, magazines have been successfully financed by advertising, purchase price, and by pre-paid magazine subscriptions. For centuries, the largest source of revenue for these magazines came from marketers dropping large sums of cash for print advertising. However, as of recently advertisers and marketers have begun to turn their backs on print advertisements.

Digital Magazines > Traditional Magazines

In fact, According to AdPulp – Forbes is reporting that the amount of money spent on digital advertising will out-number print,

Of the $368 billion marketers plan to spend this year, 32.5% will go toward digital; 30.3% to print. Digital spending includes e-mail, video advertising, display ads and search marketing. “It’s a watershed moment,” says the study’s lead author, Outsell vice president Chuck Richard.

If this tells us anything besides the fact that were in the middle of a new age – it tells us that theres an opportunity for all of us to hop on. Magazines made many people millionaires, they also put several journalism careers into overdrive. However, the game has changed.

Today, GQ and Esquire must compete with each other along with Askmen.com and The Art of Manliness. Magazines aren’t only competing with each other in an industry that is currently on life support – It is competing with online magazines that are just getting out of junior high. Online magazines are still young; there are still several opportunities and niche markets that have yet to be tapped.

Well, I spent a few hours in Chapters walking around and here are some of the magazine sections that I stumbled upon.

  • Horror Magazines
  • Science Fiction Magazines
  • Boating  Magazines
  • Railroad Magazines
  • Teen Magazines
  • Luxury Magazines

I could go on and on sharing some of the other magazine topics that were out there but that would make this to easy for you.

So where does this leave you?

It leaves you with an opportunity to come up with the next Huffington Post, the next Mashable or the next web based Cosmopolitan.

Blog vs. E-Magazine

E-Magazines Take Less Work

Typically when we think of blogs we think of content oriented websites that are managed and operated by a single person.  When we talk about bloggers they typically work alone.  Some solo-bloggers that might come to mind are; Brian Solis, Chris Brogan and Seth Godin. While they have established a large following  and community on their blogs – They cannot compare with the Social Media Guide (Another word for Online Magazine) – Mashable.

An online magazine is less about the person who came up with the idea and more about finding journalists willing to put out content. When we look at online magazines such as Askmen.com we never see the person who created the site generating content. They have hired or brought on a team of journalists or bloggers to pump out content for their website. These writers may get paid based on the traffic to their articles or just a flat rate – Thats a decision for you once you get your magazine up and running.

Advertisers like E-Magazines more than Blogs

“Hi, I’m calling from Elegant Woman dot Com – Were an online Magazine company looking for advertisers”

Just sounds so much better than,

“Hi, I’m calling from Karen Hicks dot Com – I blog about being an independent woman and am selling Ad space”

Exit Like a Boss

If you have created a site like Huffington Post or Mashable – You aren’t responsible for the content. The readers aren’t coming to see what new idea Pete Cashmore came up with – Their coming to read what the journalists have to say about different topics. The same can be said for any online or traditional magazine – The readers come for the content, not the writers.

When Pete Cashmore decides that his time with Mashable is up and has a new endeavour to conquer he can easily just walk away with a nice fat pay check. However, if Seth Godin ever wants to walk away from his blog…Whose going to buy it? Why would someone want a blog that was built around one persons ideas? A blog that generates all of its traffic based on the person whose walking away?

It Just Sounds Cool

While blogs have been around for years the term still makes a lot of people cringe. There is still a nerdy/dorky stigma around having and maintaining a blog regularly by some people. However the terms “Online Magazine” or “E-Magazine” have some type of charm attached to them that makes the concept more understanding. Maybe it has to do with the fact that “Blogs” Have only been around for a few decades while magazines have been around for centuries.

Also, what looks better on a resume?

Blogger at _______  or Chief Editor of ________? Something tells me the latter…

http://www.adpulp.com/archives/2010/03/digi_dollars.php

Got an idea for an online Magazine? I’d love to talk about it – Email me here or leave it in the comments…If not!

E-Mail me when you launch it; make something special find something you love and turn it into something remarkable.

3.5 2 votes
Article Rating
Ross Simmonds

Ross Simmonds is a digital marketing strategist who has worked with everything from Fortune 500 companies to startups to drive results using digital marketing and technology.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

1.2K Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
trackback

[…] Why Blog When You Can Start an Online Magazine? […]

Dylan Blanchard
13 years ago

You raise good point – it feels like an online magazine just carries more responsibility behind it.. and it most definitely sounds better. Magazines need to do something dire about the way they advertise, though. I can't stand thumbing through their pages because you have to inspect it all just to find an article; the whole magazine is essentially ads! And, it's almost the same with esquire.com – I hate the way they infuse ads in slideshows and the like (secondly, I hate how most of their articles are all in slideshows and not organized on one page). Intelligent advertising… Read more »

TheCoolestCool
13 years ago

The responsibility that a magazine carries definitely out weighs the responsibility of a blog. I think the ability to run an online magazine comes down to personality and the ability to manage others. Or at least, motivate them.

I'm with you in saying that magazines need to think about how they're advertising. I just got off of Askmen.com after reading an article and being interrupted by a ridiculous Axe campaign. You said it best,

“Intelligent advertising should ask for your eyes, not force your eyes upon it”

Health Magazines
12 years ago

nice blog…. i am satisfy with information and content. thanks for sharing..

RPF
RPF
10 years ago

How do you feel now, in 2013, about online magazines vs blogs? Is there another, better option today?

John K
John K
10 years ago

Digital Magazines are read by most people today. They allocate some of their time to read magazines online rather than reading printed magazine. I think a digital magazine is a much better option then a blog. Digital Magazine can be made attractive by a number of ways. I created my digital magazine using http://www.presspadapp.com

Health Magazines
12 years ago

nice blog…. i am satisfy with information and content. thanks for sharing..

RPF
RPF
10 years ago

How do you feel now, in 2013, about online magazines vs blogs? Is there another, better option today?

John K
John K
10 years ago

Digital Magazines are read by most people today. They allocate some of their time to read magazines online rather than reading printed magazine. I think a digital magazine is a much better option then a blog. Digital Magazine can be made attractive by a number of ways. I created my digital magazine using http://www.presspadapp.com

xashax007
xashax007
8 years ago

Hi I will be launching end of this week

Let’s see how it goes. 🙂

Shall keep you posted

Blessing Phiri
8 years ago
Reply to  xashax007

Hie how did your project go?

Blessing Phiri
8 years ago

thank you for the post, It really helped

https://www.facebook.com/blessing.ntandoyenkosi is coming up with an e-magazine

Feedmetric
Feedmetric
7 years ago

Hi….
Digital Magazines are read most people. They allocate some of their time to read magazines and easy to connected people.
you create a Digital Magazines you can visit https://www.magfirst.com

Paula
Paula
7 years ago

This is my attempt… my blog called lifeuphere.ca.
I was thinking of calling it an online mag instead of a blog,
and this post confirmed others also think magazine has a nicer
ring to it…

Right now I’m offering free advertising
because I thought it made the blog appear more ‘established’

while I gain some tracking with it, but from the sounds of it maybe my judgement was way off!?
I actually don’t mind ads in printed magazines but they can be annoying digitally I guess.

(I think mine looked tasteful tho…! 🙂

Kathy Meade
Kathy Meade
6 years ago

Hi. I have read your article and have an idea for an online magazine. Would love an opportunity to chat with you. Please email me at kathylmeade@yahoo.com

Eddie Bowman
Eddie Bowman
6 years ago

Need the advice on how to get started

AYS SPARES & SERVICES
AYS SPARES & SERVICES
6 years ago

hi read the article, looking to start a digital magazine, any insights will be appreciated, please email on aysspares@gmail.com

Martin G
Martin G
5 years ago

I want to start a online magazine Help Help it’s at high school and prep basketball
martincd201@gmail.com

Mixed
4 years ago

Thank you,Ross
I totally agree with you- an online magazine is a bit more like a guest posts blig site or multi-topical blog with many authors.Personal blog is in my opinion what we usually mean when we say “a blog”.

Nat.

Ralph E
Ralph E
3 years ago

Great Content, very persuasive! But it seems like you own a blog yourself why not a magazine?

Brack Nelson
3 years ago

Nicely compared both the options, there are pros and cons for both, but here I can easily say that online magazine gives more freedom and diversification of content as compared to blogs so yes totally agree with you.

zestdigital mag
2 years ago

great ideas

trackback
1 year ago

3overworked

Deshawn Bishop
1 year ago

Good post! We will be linking to this particularly great post on our site. Keep up the great writing

e sigara likit
1 year ago

I very delighted to find this internet site on bing, just what I was searching for as well saved to fav

DİLBER
1 year ago

çok yararlı bir paylaşım olmuş teşekkür ederim çok işime yarıcak.

Mira Banks
1 year ago

Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Many thanks for providing these details.

Erzurum çelik analiz raporu

Yapısal tüm işlerinizde güvenle uğrayabileceğiniz üst düzey mühendislik hizmeti sunan Merter mühendislik firması alanında bir numaraya oynayabilecek bir firmadır.

inşaat ihale
1 year ago

Yapılan çalışmalar piyasa araştırmaları, detaylı maliyet analizleri ve indirekt (SGK,Vergiler, Harçlar vb.) giderleri de kapsar şekilde anahtar teslimi olarak sunulmaktadır. Merter Proje Yönetimi resmi idarelere ve müşavir firmalara da ihale şartnamesi, idari ve teknik şartnameler, sözleşme tasarısı, keşif metraj çalışmaları, tahmini bedel tespiti ve bunun gibi gerekli tüm çalışmaları yapmaktadır.

Fernando Hernandez
1 year ago

Guest post on techbullion with do follow backlink

Kamari Decker
1 year ago

Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Many thanks for providing these details.

Instagram takipçi satın al

I truly appreciate your technique of writing a blog. I added it to my bookmark site list and will

Kylan Branch
1 year ago

very informative articles or reviews at this time.

Brennan Jacobson
1 year ago

Hello. Are You There ??. We Are Provider of Telegram Real Active Members, Youtube Real Subscribers, Views, NFT Twitter Followers. Many Many More Real Services. Which Boost Your Business.

Aliyah Cline
1 year ago

Fiverr 50% off code

Emmalee Bass
1 year ago

This is my first time pay a quick visit at here and i am really happy to read everthing at one place

takipçi satın al
1 year ago

Great information shared.. really enjoyed reading this post thank you author for sharing this post .. appreciated

demir fiyatları
1 year ago

You’re so awesome! I don’t believe I have read a single thing like that before. So great to find someone with some original thoughts on this topic. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This website is something that is needed on the internet, someone with a little originality!

Colten Mahoney
1 year ago

I very delighted to find this internet site on bing, just what I was searching for as well saved to fav

Laura Khan
1 year ago

I just like the helpful information you provide in your articles

Emmalee Bass
1 year ago

Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Many thanks for providing these details.

Marianna Vasquez
1 year ago

guest posting fiverr coupon code

Leandro Turner
1 year ago

Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Many thanks for providing these details.

child porn
1 year ago

Very well presented. Every quote was awesome and thanks for sharing the content. Keep sharing and keep motivating others.

Troy Craig
1 year ago

It is definitely secure enough to say I would get you locked up and locked out, near the door, throw away the important thing, take my money and bail on me.

Ashlee Armstrong
1 year ago

This is really interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your magnificent post. Also, I’ve shared your site in my social networks!

Kedi isimleri
1 year ago

For the reason that the admin of this site is working, no uncertainty very quickly it will be renowned, due to its quality contents.

SEO Sri Lanka
1 year ago

search engine optimization expert

Kody Suarez
1 year ago

I do not even understand how I ended up here, but I assumed this publish used to be great

Barbara Chaney
1 year ago

I like the efforts you have put in this, regards for all the great content.

Braxton Case
1 year ago

You’re so awesome! I don’t believe I have read a single thing like that before. So great to find someone with some original thoughts on this topic. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This website is something that is needed on the internet, someone with a little originality!

Kaden Lester
1 year ago

I am truly thankful to the owner of this web site who has shared this fantastic piece of writing at at this place.

1.2K
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x