5 Ways to Increase Site Traffic: Lessons from the Niche Digital Conference, Part 1

[Travel bursaries for voting magazine members are just one of the many benefit programs that we provide at the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association. We've asked bursary recipients to share their professional development travel experiences]

Lessons from the Niche Digital Conference (Part 1)

This past September, I was lucky enough to attend the Niche Digital Conference in Chicago, thanks to support from my employer, Venture Publishing, and AMPA. The Niche Digital Conference is devoted to teaching online revenue strategies to niche publications and their online extensions.  

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be giving you some of the best tips and tricks that I learned at the conference. Some of it will be old news to the web gurus among us, but hopefully I’ll pass on something useful for everyone. 

I’ll start off with the following five strategies to increase site traffic:
 

1. Spread out your content! Don’t publish all of your magazine’s content online at the beginning of the month. Use the date stamping tools of your content management system to load your content all at once, but publish it piece by piece over a period of time.  Encourage people to come back to your site multiple times and you’ll build a stronger audience and increase ad impressions.  

2. SEO, SEO, SEO - Stop investing money in Google ad words and start investing time in search engine optimization. The best argument I can make for this is from my own experience.  Thanks to some SEO changes we’ve made to our website albertaoilmagazine.com, site traffic has increased more than 240% since January 2011. Not all of this increase is due to our SEO work, but search engine popularity has become a major traffic component. Read an SEO book, website, magazine, or hire a consultant to teach your staff how to do it correctly.      

3. Connect with Local Influencers - With an internet filled with free content, actually having a printed product not only makes magazine websites elite, it also gives us massive social cache that many skilled writers and niche experts value. Reach out to popular bloggers, experts, or influencers that have established audiences and see if they’d be interested in blogging on your site. Provided they align with your editorial mandate and quality control, this can be a very quick way of increasing your site’s online audience. By giving them a legitimate platform to write from, you’ll gain their audience and their support.  

4. Create a social media interaction plan - Come up with a clear goal for your social media usage and assign a member of your team to monitor and reply to social media comments each day. Use programs like Hootsuite and TweetDeck to schedule multiple posts a day (aim for 5-10 throughout the day, depending on your market and ability) and make sure to tag your story subject’s social media accounts to ensure lots of reposts and retweets.    

5. Don’t Just Post Your Own Stuff – The best thing about the internet is how interconnected it is, so why are you treating your magazine website like a walled garden? Don’t be afraid to post links to other websites. Become a web content curator in addition to a producer and you’ll see your page rank and traffic rise. The more links out you give, the more links back you’ll get, and Google rewards sites that boast numerous connections to others. 

My next post will be devoted to banner ads, media kits, and the sales side of digital revenue generation. Be sure to check back then! 

--- Andrew Williams
Assistant Publisher, Venture Publishing

Andrew Williams is the Assistant Publisher at Venture Publishing. When he’s not working on Alberta Venture, Alberta Oil, or unlimitedmagazine.com, he mostly spends his time coming up with bad magazine headline puns. Follow him on twitter @Andrew_NVS for the aforementioned magazine puns.

Apple Releases iCloud and Newsstand Feature

With the unexpected and sad passing of Steve Jobs, Apple's original genius, there's been a lot of speculation about what will happen next and how Apple will continue. It's clear that Jobs was no dummy so my guess is he had many plans in place for the company to carry on without him. As Apple CEO Tim Cook said in an email to Apple employees: "Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple." The Apple machine will, no doubt, chug on.

Which brings us to the launch of the iCloud. Operating on the same principles as other cloud computing services, iCloud will be a free download for Apple users, which automatically stores user content to the cloud; enabling users to access content across any iOS platform.

The iCloud coincides with the release of the iOS 5 mobile operating system, which includes Newsstand, a virtual bookshelf that displays users’ subscriptions with the latest issues of magazine titles. Each of your chosen titles are updated automatically so you always have the latest issue and the most recent cover art of your favourite mags.

Newsstand will work in tandem with Apple's subscription model, announced back in March, which allows publishers to sell subscriptions through the App Store for a 30 percent cut of each sub purchased. (Apple keeps the user data automatically unless users choose to share with publishers.) Conde Nast and Hearst are among the publishers that have signed on to sell subscriptions through the App Store.  

According to a press release from Apple, "with iOS 5 and iCloud, you just enter your Apple ID and password and iCloud will seamlessly integrate with your apps to automatically and wirelessly keep all of your mail, contacts, calendars, photos, apps, books, music and more, up-to-date across all your devices without ever having to connect to a computer."

For those still dubious about Apple's future, consider that only five days after Jobs' passing, pre-orders of the iPhone® 4S topped one million in 24 hours, surpassing the previous single day pre-order record of 600,000 held by iPhone 4. If that's not an ode to Jobs, I don't know what is. 

--- Colleen Seto
AMPA Blogger-in-Residence

Fall Water-Cooler AMPA Update

Fall is officially upon us now so I thought it was time for another update on what's happening with some Alberta mags folks. As I'm not always privy to everybody's news, I invite you to please share with me what's happening in your world. And it doesn't have to be magazine news; let's face it, we're into the personal stuff too!

• As we all know, big changes at AMPA. A fond farewell is in order for Andrew Mah (or Mahster, as I like to call him) as he embarks on new adventures to teach in China. Thank you Andrew for the amazing work you pulled off in this last year. I know all too well that the first year comes with a wicked steep learning curve and you handled it like a pro.

• A big welcome to Suzanne Trudel as the new AMPA ED. As a fellow board member for the Amber Webb-Bowerman Memorial Foundation, I know Suz to be dedicated and hardworking, not to mention a lovely person. I'm sure she will do a great job carrying on AMPA's good works. If you haven't already, please take a moment to say hello and make her feel at home.

• Former AMPA Communications Specialist Anh Chu has just moved across the pond, making London, England, her new home, just to shake things up! Watch for news about Anh's next career as...an actress? A gourmet chef? A Spice Girl?

• Congrats to Melanie Jones, Alberta mags contributor and former Where Calgary editor, on her success with her show ENDURE, which she created, produced and performs. She recently came home to Calgary and completed a sold-out run and now she's back in New York performing this immersive, theatre-meets-athletics show twice a day every weekend this month. You go, girl!

 

• Margaret Chandler, former AMPA conference coordinator, is now at Bow Valley College as Special Advisor to the President. She's actually been at the job for a year now, but I forgot to blog about it when she started. (I blame baby brain.) She continues her green initiatives chairing the ECOBVC, the college's sustainability committee. 

• In June, Alberta Venture welcomed two new columnists, Preston Manning and Brett Wilson. Talk about bringing on the big guns!

• AvenueCalgary.com got a facelift this summer with a new design as well as a version for mobile apps.

• And finally, some cheesy personal gushing. It's my baby's first birthday today! Happy birthday Annabel!                                                      

                                                                                                   ---Colleen Seto

AMPA Blogger-in-Residence

AMPA AGM 2011: Fond Farewells, New Beginnings

I’ve been to more than a few AMPA AGM's over the years—back when I was an intern, later as magazine editor, and then as AMPA’s incoming executive director last year. They’ve always had a great atmosphere, due in part to our watering-hole of choice, the woodsy and warm Rose & Crown tavern.

My Favourite People

The spirits did flow, but I also attribute the atmosphere to some of my favourite people: magazine people. I’m clearly biased, but those who work for magazines are, with remarkable consistency, friendly, creative, savvy and good hearted. It may have something to do with the need to blend entrepreneurial rigor with creative vision. There’s probably also a weaning-out process: who but the passionate yet pragmatic would persist in an industry fraught with low margins, long hours and tight deadlines?

Whatever the reasons, I’ve always felt at home with this group: the publishers, editors, art directors, writers, sales staff, interns, etc, of the Alberta magazine publishing industry. Which is why it is with sadness that I announced my departure from AMPA at the AGM.

Exit Stage Left

I won’t bore you with personal ephemera. I’ll simply point out that I was torn to stay, would have enjoyed it, but some big life goals will be taking me overseas.

It’s been a time for farewells. A few months ago, stalwart AMPA ED-on-leave Colleen Seto decided not to return from maternity leave, choosing the joys of motherhood and freelancing instead. Not enough can be said about how much Colleen has done for AMPA during her five years. Immense credit goes to her for building a stable, secure organization and helping to create this great community.

The next farewell was a bit of an AGM shocker, with Agnes Zalewski revealing her departure from June Warrren-Nickle's Energy Group, and hence as AMPA President. I can say that it was a pleasure working with such an enthusiastic board, and with Agnes's drive and clarity in particular.

Continual Rebirth

Of course, departure creates opportunity. Jenn Schmidt-Rempel of Lethbridge living stepped up to the presidency of AMPA. She definitely has the energy and entrepreneurial vision to take the association forward. My own successor was also introduced: Suzanne Trudel. Trudel comes well recommended as the former Publications Manager at SAIT, and I’m confident you’ll be in good hands with her.

We also introduced a keen, new member of the AMPA staff: admin and special projects assistant Rowena Cua. You’ll be seeing her at more meetings moving forward.

There were old and new faces elected to the Board of AMPA. Indeed, rampant enthusiasm to join—there were 7 people on the election slate and only 6 open positions—almost led to what would have been a first in my memory, a bona fide gun-slinging election with ballots. However, Agnes’ high-noon departure opened up a 7^th position and we were able to continue the AMPA tradition of saving time for beer and noshing by acclaiming the entire slate with a show of hands.

The Board

So this year’s board will include:

[incumbents]

Jenn Schmidt-Rempel, Lethbridge living

Lynn Fraser, Freefall

Brian French, Where Calgary

[re-elected]

Tracy Hyatt, Westworld

Merla Thomson, Canine Review

[newly elected]

Joyce Byrne, Alberta Venture

Käthe Lemon, Avenue Calgary

Chaz Osburn, Alberta Construction Magazine

Steven Sandor, Avenue Edmonton

Rob Tanner, Canadian Cowboy Country

What Else?

Suffice it to say, membership is up, AMPA is in good financial shape and we’re working hard to provide the programs and services our members seek.

Beyond that, I’ll simply say thanks and farewell. AMPA is in good hands with Suzanne and a robust board of directors. Plus, Rebecca Lesser, who you all know, will keep the home fires burning—I’d like to thank her especially—for her dedication, insights and willingness to shoulder thankless burdens. Take care, everyone.

--- Andrew Mah
AMPA Executive Director

Twitter Analytics Coming Soon

It seems almost everyone and their dog has a Twitter account these days. I'm not much of a Tweep myself, given that I've forgotten my Twitter password since the day I opened an account eons ago, but friends of mine swear by it as a way to stay informed and connected as well as to promote themselves.

Twitter for business promotion

AMPA itself has successfully tweeted to raise awareness about a number of events and news bites. But while many folks use Twitter for more than finding out what the Kardashians are doing, it's a bit surprising to me that so many businesses have jumped on board when you don't really know if your tweets generate much if any interest back to your website, or your bottom line.

Measuring that Twitter traffic

All that's about to change. According to Audience Development, Twitter is launching an analytics tool so that developers can understand how content is being shared across Twitter; measure the traffic Twitter is sending to a site; and measure the effectiveness of the Tweet button integration. The tool is currently only available to select partners in a pilot program, but will be made available to everyone in coming weeks.

Then we'll get to see whether all this twittering is really worth all the fuss.

--- Colleen Seto
AMPA Blogger-in-Residence

10 Years for Fine Arts Magazine Galleries West

Fine arts magazine reaches milestone

Galleries West, the magazine that "strives to heighten awareness of the visual arts scene in Western Canada," hits its 10-year milestone with its latest issue. Publisher Tom Tait launched the indie mag a decade ago because he felt the need for a fine arts publication featuring the works, artists and galleries of Western Canada. He also had a passion and the know-how to make it happen. 

Publisher Tom Tait knows the magazine biz

The former publisher of Where Calgary magazine (which is now owned by big-gun St. Joseph's media), Tom is no stranger to magazine publishing. He's been in the biz for 30-some years, and he understands what it takes to succeed, particularly in the Alberta market. (For a detailed account of Tom's career, have a read of David Parker's column in the Herald.)

He's one of the few people who really gets how the magazine market works here, and he has not only successfully created a magazine, but a stellar custom distribution system for it. I still remember watching with amazement as Tom once flummoxed a couple of Canadian Heritage officials who could not counter his argument that a controlled circulation model is by no means inferior to a paid model. (Too bad his argument didn't take hold as controlled circ mags still do not qualify for funding through the Canadian Periodical Fund.)

The magazine is an art form in and of itself

Galleries West continues to be a fantastic advocate for the arts, and its design and presentation are an art form in and of itself. I always looked forward to seeing the newest issue arrive to the AMPA office because it was so well laid out. Kudos to art director Wendy Pease for her great work.

To this day, one of my favourite spreads is still the feature on Brian Jungen about his Prototypes for New Understanding series where the Vancouver-based artist used pieces from Nike Air Jordan sneakers to create semblances of West Coast Aboriginal masks, whales, falcons, and more. The artwork was genius, but so too was design of the story. If I remember correctly, it won a Showcase Award that year, and we had the entry hanging in our offices for years. I just loved it.

And I love that Galleries West continues to thrive. Congrats Tom; 10 years is a big deal, even if you won't toot your own horn. So I will. Rock on. You are a star.

---Colleen Seto
AMPA Blogger-in-Residence

Fly Fusion and Wine Access Finalists in Canadian Newsstand Awards

Just a quick note of congrats to AMPA members Fly Fusion and Wine Access, which have been named finalists in the 10th annual Canadian Newsstand Awards.

The awards are judged on both quantitative criteria (such as newsstand sell-through percentage) and qualitative (cover design, cover lines etc.).

Winners will be announced Sept. 26 at a reception in Toronto. Good luck!

-- Colleen Seto, AMPA Blogger-in-Residence