Why Mobile Matters to Digital Publishers

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While doing research on mobile statistics for this week's column, I came across a very data-rich site you might be interested in following. It's called mobiThinking. The site is focused on providing brands the data and information needed to market their brands in a mobile world. This page will provide you with more stats, updates, populations, and graphs than you could image. The company did a great job of capturing key insights.

Since I shared the link to the data I won't use this column to regurgitate much of it. But I will say that with over 6,500 different types of web-capable devices, and over 25 percent of all mobile phone owners using smartphones, your brand needs to have a very strong mobile strategy.

Mobile matters to digital publishers. Not just for the web property, but for the reading experience too. In fact, over 10 percent of all Zinio subscribers (where I work) are registered on all three types of reading platforms: computers, tablets, and smartphones. What we have found is that the magazine reader of today chooses to read (and purchase) their magazines on the device most easily accessible at key points through the day.

A typical day for a digital magazine reader (and most likely you fit into this as well) looks like this:

Early a.m.: Wake up, check email (most likely on a smartphone/BlackBerry), download interesting content (including magazines) to computer or tablet. Leave for work.

Commute: Read interesting content (not much buying happening now) - on the largest convenient device you have access to (first choice is a tablet, e-reader is second, third choice is a PC/Mac, last is the smartphone/BlackBerry).

Arrive at work: Put personal devices down (in many cases, this means the tablet goes away for a bit) and access company computer. Purchasing of content happens here, but the intent to read will be fulfilled on other devices when there is downtime.

Lunch, break, or other downtime: Reading is happening on the company computer or personal device. Some impulse buying happens at this point.

Afternoon: Out at meetings, or on the road, many people are using this time of the day to take quick snack reading moments on smartphones. They are out, and this is the only device with them at the time. The key is, they choose to read your digital magazine as a way to pass the time over playing a game. The small screen is key here because it's often the only connection point for accessing your content easily. Impulse buying can drive good revenue here if the user experience is simple enough.

Evening commute: More reading on tablets, e-readers, and PCs.

Evening at home: The tablet becomes a household device for entertainment. The computer becomes the e-commerce vehicle for a few hours until…

Late evening/weekends: The tablet takes over for entertaining digital reading. This means lots of reading and buying on the tablet as the primary vehicle.

As you can see, with a full 24 hours of activity, all three types of digital devices play a key role in facilitating readership, engagement, and purchase. Mobile matters here. If your company doesn't have a mobile magazine sales and reading strategy, it should. It could help to keep your brand top of mind and keep revenue rolling in.