Niche Digital publishing

[Graemezee1]

I have been asked to look into a platform or system to digitally deliver Magazines via secured pdf or some online app system. From previous forays, these tend to be enterprise systems and far too costly for my needs.

Can anyone suggest a system that might suite Niche Digital publishing?

I help publish a niche quarterly magazine which is sold on a subscription only basis via a web site the magazine is print and distributed around the world. We also sell pdfs which can only be purchased in sets of 10 or as a whole catalogue of back issues and only on CD or DVD.

Basically, the magazine relies totally on its subscription basis, there is limited advertising which generates negligible revenue. The mag sells for £2.50 plus postage so not a big cash generator it’s more a labour of love to the editor but in its area is highly respected.

Production of the magazine in what ever format will not be an issue, as its produced in InDesign  it’s more the secure delivery of the magazine in a manner that does not under mind the subscription model of the magazine. Any thoughts or recommendations appreciated.

[olga_dav]

Hi,

I think you might find this article helpful Digital Publishing Solution is now part of Adobe Experience Manager Mobile

Just search in the Internet. There are so many solutions now for digital publishing based on subscription.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/21-excellent-digital-publishing-platforms-mobile-web-de-pelsmaeker

Or something like this

Mag+ | Digital publishing and app software

Hope this helps,

Olga

[Derek Cross]

Adobe Experience Manager is only suitable for large corporate publishers.

It might be worth having a look at in5: Ajar Productions: in5 - Home

[Graemezee1]

This looks like the type of solution I would like to explore, especially with the newsstand  option in the baker framework  I will be investigating this option thoroughly.  Thanks for your imput.

[Graemezee1]

Hi  I had seen these articles before posting here the options  look far too costly for the kind  of  niche  magazine we produce  but thankyou for your support

[jenniferl69123857]

I believe many smaller print publications use Issu. The security is better as it is an online viewer, not a PDF which can be forwarded on to anyone. It is from free to a monthly fee of varying rates. Digital Publishing Platform for Magazines, Catalogs, and more - issuu

[Graemezee1]

I have already contacted  Issuu before posting here but  have not yet  had a response and the  subscription options  are  nowhere to be seen on the site but this, if it works  would be the simplest solution  Thanks  again for the information

[JR Boulay]

This tool is $30 only: WordPress eBook Store plugin

[Graemezee1]

Hi  Glad to see they offer Joomla version of the plugin   again worth investigation as we already have a large back catalogue  of pdfs  and although this is not as complete an option  as the in5 solution  it  is  something very doable

[Graemezee1]

Just a quick note to thank all who have  contributed  answers to my question, it's one of the best responses I have  had  to such a vague question as its looks like three options are well worth exploring both financially  and on a personal level  skill wise 

Thanks again

[Derek Cross]

Please come back and report what worked best for you, it helps all of us!

[Graemezee1]

Just an update as  you asked looked into in 5  as you suggested seems a great solution, then I found out a lot more  about the bakerframework.com   I am trying out a plugin from Kentif Publishing with InDesign. But rapidly  came to understand that  I could take a much simpler approach, by creating the magazine in Responsive (Bootstrap) HTML 5 and css 3 and  cut out InDesign altogether but still use the bakerframework.com

I remember back in the late eighties trying to use Quark to publish web pages, in the end, I purchased Dreamweaver and started from scratch creating HTML pages.  Supprised me just how long it took me to recognise the same scenario with this,  that it's probably simpler more efficient and  far more flexible to code your own bootstrap template as the basis for each magazine.  Kind of help that I design and create websites based on Joomla bootstrap templates. Funny how you can compartmentalize different areas of your work.

[Zaid Al Hilali]

Another reasonably priced solution is Twixl media. I've used the obsolete Adobe DPS for some time and believe that Twixl offer similar platform.

[JonathanArias]

when i started at my publisher house (2014)  my boos asked me to do this research.

I found 50 vendors, contacted them, got info on capabilities, contact info, pricing. i kept a log. the green rows are the vendors i selected to make demos for us.

Happy to share it with you.. here:

digital_publishing_vendors.xlsx - Box

at the end of the day, because of our needs/budget we went with In5

Hope this helps you.