Distribution Research- Good Housekeeping

A digital distribution method that the Good Housekeeping magazine uses is having their own app for devices. They have a subscription option where you can choose to subscribe for a monthly or annual subscription. You can also log into the app if you already have a subscription. Then they have a magazine option. In the top border, they have a search bar where you can search any magazine you want. At the top of the page, they feature their newest magazine. Under this, you can scroll to find all of their other issues in order from newest to oldest. If you aren't a subscriber, you can get 5 minutes of free access for every issue. After 5 minutes, you can unlock the issue for $3.99. I could use this method for my magazine distribution. I would make an app for my Celebration magazine and include the option to subscribe to the magazine or buy single issues for a cheaper cost. I would also add some other features like having smaller articles to look at.

Distribution Research- Southern Living

There are many methods of digital distribution for magazines now that technology is more advanced. The Southern Living magazine has a way of distributing their magazine digitally through tablets. You have the option to purchase a subscription on their website and then new issues will be downloaded onto your tablet automatically. This is a fast and easy way to read the magazine and you can take it anywhere you want to. It is available on iPads, Kindles, NOOKs, and some Android devices. It is available on a variety of tablets so that it is easily accessible. I could incorporate this method into my distribution plan. I would have an option to make the magazine available on tablets and smart phones. This way, if you are subscribed to my magazine, you can take it anywhere with you to read.

Traditional Distribution

The main traditional type of distribution for magazines is through print. Subscription letters are sent in the mail to the house's address and people fill it out and send it back to the magazine company. The magazines are then distributed in the mail to all the people who are subscribed. They send a printed copy of the magazine to you that will come monthly. Magazines are also available to buy at grocery stores, book stores, and many other stores. Some common distribution agencies are Hearst, Meredith Corporation, and Penske Media Corporation. I would utilize this model of distribution by also sending subscribers a magazine in the mail. It is easy because their product is delivered right to them every month.

Revision #1

I made my first revision for my magazine. I started with my cover the magazine. I expanded my picture so that it took up the whole screen, since there was a white border around it before. Then, I changed the color of my title because I wanted the red to be a little more bright than the original color. I changed the fonts of the smaller articles because I thought my old font didn't go with my magazine and I didn't like the way it looked. I changed the font to go more with the title font. They are similar, but different. The last thing I revised was the placement of my articles. I moved them off towards the sides because my classmates, teacher, and I decided that the picture should not be blocked. I tried to move the majority of the words off the picture and put them on the edge of the tree, towards the top of the page.

Marketing Plan

Based on my research in to the marketing of other magazines, I plan to market my product by using social media. I am going to use Instagram to market my magazine. Social media is a very current form of advertising for magazines and to get people to notice their product. As technology advanced, social media is taking over other forms of marketing. It is a fast and easy way to find the product and can be used by all ages. Parts of some current articles, new, smaller articles, and updates can all be posted on the Instagram. My visual aid shows one of my posts made, promoting my December issue of the magazine.

Audience Engagement Research- Southern Living

78% of the readers for Southern Living are women and the median age is 54. It is meant for adult women. Also, the median household income is $70,209. This income level is in the middle class. Our target audience is similar because it is meant more for adults, since they have their own home. Both of our magazines are aimed more towards women because of the types of articles featured.

A marketing strategy that this magazine uses is partnering with Dillard's, an American department store, to sell their own brand. Once people see and buy the type of products associated with the magazine, they might want to subscribe to them to find out more.

To market my product, I would use aspects from this. I could have my own brand with furniture, decorations, clothes, and much more. Then I would partner with a big store, like Macy's, to sell and advertise my brand, Then there would hopefully be more subscribers to my magazine.

Audience Engagement Research- Good Housekeeping

Good Housekeeping has a total of 6 million readers. 84% of these readers are homeowners. The median age is 53 years old and 43% of the readers are women ages 25 to 54. A majority of the readers have a household income of $50,000+ which means most of them are in the middle class. Our target audiences are similar because most of them are homeowners, which the magazines are designed for. Most of the homeowners are in the middle class because of the types of articles featured in our magazines. They are both mainly targeted for older, adult women.

A marketing strategy that this magazine uses is social media. They use Facebook to post videos relating to their magazine, such as DIYs, and they post their own articles. This encourages people to follow their page and eventually subscribe to the magazine.

To market my product, I would make an Instagram for my magazine. The posts would include some new, short articles that anybody could read to get inspired to redesign their home or better themselves. I would use Instagram because it would also target younger adults, as well as middle aged adults. This form of social media is user friendly to everyone.

Audience Engagement Research- Real Simple

Real Simple has a total of 7 million readers. Most of the readers are women since they advertise it as a "women's magazine." 82% of the readers own a home. The median age is 52. Our target audiences are similar because the magazine is meant for homeowners since most of the articles are about improving your home, cooking, and decorating. Our target age is similar because it is meant more for adults, since they have their own home.

I researched how this magazine markets their product. They have a press release saying that Real Simple launched their own online shop where consumers can buy clothes, furniture, and more. Another marketing technique was an event created by Real Simple. In 2019, they had their own "home idea" located in Brooklyn, New York. They transformed a townhouse into their own designed home that give strategies to other homeowners. People can take a 360 degree video tour of the house.

To market my product, I would create an event with other magazines of my genre and other home decorators to sell our very own products. Some products would be the ones featured in the articles, while others could be newer. At the event, I could subscription papers there so people can subscribe to the magazine if they liked the event.