Flipboard is a social media content aggregation service that lets users grab content from anywhere and compile it into visually stunning digital magazines. It launched in 2010 with an app that was specific to the iPad. In mid-2012, an Android app was released, along with plans for a Windows phone app. The company recently launched a Web-based Flipboard portal that showcases select magazines.
Fast forward to 2013 and Flipboard now has 85+ million users!
Why you should be on it? Our age of information digitally is constantly evolving and with Flipboard’s strength you will be able to bring your social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, LinkedIn into one location. This can sit alongside your favorite news sources and anything else you want your customers to read, or watch (like YouTube videos). This is your own personalized version of the web in a magazine format. If you are really not convinced about using Flipboard and looking for some more features, check out what Kimberly has to say about some great
features of Flipboard.
After creating the Flipboard magazine, you want people to read it, engage with you. Let’s look at 6 effective measures to grow your magazine readership and amplify your marketing with Flipboard magazines.
1. Social care
Today people are connected 24/7 with their mobile’s, and with the array of applications made available to them. This is a chance for brands to reach out to them and connect with them. Social networks are the easiest ways for customers to complain regarding the product/services. But to connect with them beyond the customer care service, brands have to build a more personal relationship, which makes the customers feel like a friend. By doing so you will gain customer loyalty and they will even go out of their way to influence others for your brand!
Example: Give tips, so your audience knows you care. By just providing tips regarding “12 simple tips to improve your sleep” Delta Airlines build a friendship with their customers at no additional cost.
2. Events and campaigns
With the option of creating multiple magazines in different categories you now have a platform where you don’t have to put all your content on one page! With this option you can create dozens of magazines for your events/campaign. Keep the storytelling style of your magazines for events fresh. To garner attention for events keep fun names which attract your customers. Make sure the description is clear and succinct and explains the purpose of your magazine.
Example: As a brand you can create different magazines for events covering – Images, Celebrities associated with the events, Information about the events. Like promoting a new movie.
3. Products and services
The key to promoting a brand is not just talking about the products and services. Use this opportunity to curate pictures, reviews or news stories relating to the brand keeping in mind Pareto’s Principle (the 80/20 rule). Keep 80 percent flipped from across the web and 20 percent is allotted to brand, promotion and content. You then have a mix of related content, it keeps the subscribers informed as well as entertained!
Example: If you are a coffee brand use feeds and articles which are relevant to your industry by providing articles, photos and videos.
4. Monitor and track your competitors
As the saying goes “Keep your friends close, and enemies closer”. In this case not really enemies but competitors! The magazines in Flipboard can be made public or kept private. You can keep a closer eye on your competitors, by creating a private magazine and tracking all their activities. With this it would help you compare the strong and weak areas of your brand over time. And don’t forget, Flipboard allows multiple users to curate one magazine. So your entire research team can help you in this.
Example: With cut-throat competition in the mobile industry, the option of a private magazine you can provide a personal portal that collects relevant information and keeps you across what’s happening in your industry.
5. Make it a social hub
Social media can play a large role in attracting new visitors to your magazine. Flipboard has made it easy by consolidating your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Google+ feeds into a magazine, which you can then flip (load) your brand posts into. As the audience like being connected to great experiences, you can use Tweets/Facebook posts as testimonials. Brands can now consolidate them into a magazine.
Example: Restaurants receive reviews by customers, creating a magazine of all the good reviews. Nothing excites a potential customer more than, to see testimonials by other customers as it re-instates their belief about the brand and makes them want to gain the same enriching experience as well.
6. Drive traffic
Marketing your brand is about being everywhere in a wide range of media formats to increase brand awareness and drive traffic to your web properties. So create your own Flipboard magazine for your blog. Load up your articles and you have your blog in a magazine format. Flipboard just happens to make it look sensational!
As Flipboard is now not just an app now but also on the web you have added another distribution point to amplify your content in another format.
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