In our online, interactive, and digital world every aspect of business is becoming paperless from bank statements to online magazines. While technology continues to improve it has allowed “publishers” to pioneer online issues of new magazines that anyone can start and call their own. An Online magazine is a digital version of a traditional magazine. There is no paper, no delivery wait, just instant gratification. Anyone has the ability to start their own online magazine as a hobby or to seek profit, and here is a step by step process to help guide you to writing the first issue.
Step 1:Picking a Genre
Every successful magazine has an area of interest whether its politics, fashion, or sports. It is sensible to choose a genre that is of interest. For example if you were a musician than focus your online magazine on music. Everyone wants to have a job they love doing, so make sure the online magazine will be enjoyable to work on everyday.
Step 2: Formatting the Web Page
After determining a genre, the website portion of the magazine must be created. The format and design of each page and how it will look is very important. Since this is still a magazine, the ability to catch a reader’s eye at first glance is incredibly essential. Use pictures, graphics, sound bites, animation, color, and varying sizes of texts and fonts as some tools to make your online magazine standout. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Step 1:Picking a Genre
Every successful magazine has an area of interest whether its politics, fashion, or sports. It is sensible to choose a genre that is of interest. For example if you were a musician than focus your online magazine on music. Everyone wants to have a job they love doing, so make sure the online magazine will be enjoyable to work on everyday.
Step 2: Formatting the Web Page
After determining a genre, the website portion of the magazine must be created. The format and design of each page and how it will look is very important. Since this is still a magazine, the ability to catch a reader’s eye at first glance is incredibly essential. Use pictures, graphics, sound bites, animation, color, and varying sizes of texts and fonts as some tools to make your online magazine standout. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Step 3: Write Articles
Once the Web page is designed it is time to fill the magazine with content, because the genre chosen to write about is of interest to you articles should be easy to write. Choose your words wisely, and do not be lengthy in articles. Make sure each article leaves the reader asking for more. Be sure to edit each article, use proper language and grammar, and not offend people who could be potential subscribers. A magazine should cover every aspect of your Genre, so be thorough with interviews, research, opinions, and use pictures to enhance articles when possible. Keep in mind, pictures are worth 1,000 words! Lastly, keep everything appealing and fresh.
Step 4: HTML Code
Once completed with the writing of magazine articles, all material including the web page format and all articles must be converted into HTML coding. This step may require outside assistance, or you can give it your own endeavor with the help of HTML books like, Head First HTML with CSS and XHTML by Eric T. Freeman and Elizabeth Freeman available at Amazon.com for $21. Having HTML coding done right will save time, money, and stress when launching the Magazine occurs because bugs and errors won’t be as prevalent. This portion will take the most time, so complete it by taking “baby Steps” and focusing small and not on the overall site, but just the job at hand.
Step 5: Find A Web Host
Now that your online magazine is coded properly finding the right web host is the next undertaking. Do the proper research, and make sure that the host chosen to support the online magazine is the best fit for your needs. Consider disk space, bandwidth, and email as just some factors in the decision making process. Same popular web hosts are Justhost, bluehost, Yahoo! Small business, and FatCow, and their monthly fees range from $5-7. Remember, your web host works for you, and not the other way around, so shop tactically.
Step 6: Hire a Lawyer
Like with any business it would be wise to retain legal advice. Having a lawyer to review your work will help with copyright law, and everything else a lawyer may think of that you would not.
Step 7: Launch the Site
Now all the hard work will be appreciated by all your interested potential readers. You must launch the online Magazine! For maintenance purposes use a trial run to work out any kinks, and then launch publicly. Enjoy this day because once the magazine is launched the very difficult work begins.
Step 8: Find Advertisers
After launching, and if your online magazine has gained interest, try to find possible advertisers. Selling advertisements is an easy way to make money and expand your magazine. Stick with potential advertisers in your genre because it will be an easy sell, and the advertisers will see the necessary need to advertise with your online magazine.
Step 9: Work on the Next Issue
After issue number 1 has been released, begin working on issue 2. Keep your online magazine updated daily, or weekly, but never allow your site to lose the real time connection between up-to-the-minute news and the real time connection with the magazines readers. After all they read your magazine so they do not have to wait a month for a new issue to arrive in the mail.
If you follow this step by step process to creating your very own online magazine it will be created and read by many people in no time.
Examples:
www.sneakhype.com
www.surfbang.com
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/
By: Michael Surface
Once the Web page is designed it is time to fill the magazine with content, because the genre chosen to write about is of interest to you articles should be easy to write. Choose your words wisely, and do not be lengthy in articles. Make sure each article leaves the reader asking for more. Be sure to edit each article, use proper language and grammar, and not offend people who could be potential subscribers. A magazine should cover every aspect of your Genre, so be thorough with interviews, research, opinions, and use pictures to enhance articles when possible. Keep in mind, pictures are worth 1,000 words! Lastly, keep everything appealing and fresh.
Step 4: HTML Code
Once completed with the writing of magazine articles, all material including the web page format and all articles must be converted into HTML coding. This step may require outside assistance, or you can give it your own endeavor with the help of HTML books like, Head First HTML with CSS and XHTML by Eric T. Freeman and Elizabeth Freeman available at Amazon.com for $21. Having HTML coding done right will save time, money, and stress when launching the Magazine occurs because bugs and errors won’t be as prevalent. This portion will take the most time, so complete it by taking “baby Steps” and focusing small and not on the overall site, but just the job at hand.
Step 5: Find A Web Host
Now that your online magazine is coded properly finding the right web host is the next undertaking. Do the proper research, and make sure that the host chosen to support the online magazine is the best fit for your needs. Consider disk space, bandwidth, and email as just some factors in the decision making process. Same popular web hosts are Justhost, bluehost, Yahoo! Small business, and FatCow, and their monthly fees range from $5-7. Remember, your web host works for you, and not the other way around, so shop tactically.
Step 6: Hire a Lawyer
Like with any business it would be wise to retain legal advice. Having a lawyer to review your work will help with copyright law, and everything else a lawyer may think of that you would not.
Step 7: Launch the Site
Now all the hard work will be appreciated by all your interested potential readers. You must launch the online Magazine! For maintenance purposes use a trial run to work out any kinks, and then launch publicly. Enjoy this day because once the magazine is launched the very difficult work begins.
Step 8: Find Advertisers
After launching, and if your online magazine has gained interest, try to find possible advertisers. Selling advertisements is an easy way to make money and expand your magazine. Stick with potential advertisers in your genre because it will be an easy sell, and the advertisers will see the necessary need to advertise with your online magazine.
Step 9: Work on the Next Issue
After issue number 1 has been released, begin working on issue 2. Keep your online magazine updated daily, or weekly, but never allow your site to lose the real time connection between up-to-the-minute news and the real time connection with the magazines readers. After all they read your magazine so they do not have to wait a month for a new issue to arrive in the mail.
If you follow this step by step process to creating your very own online magazine it will be created and read by many people in no time.
Examples:
www.sneakhype.com
www.surfbang.com
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/
By: Michael Surface
