How to Supercharge Your Digital Magazine with Interactive Content

Going digital allows you to enhance your magazine content with interactive elements that supercharge engagement. By combining features like embeddable HTML, content pop-ups, and hyperlinks you can layer interactivity throughout your digital magazine.

The inclusion of interactive content enables you to create unique and memorable reading experiences that deliver deeper engagement and drive repeat visits.

To inspire you, here are a range of innovative ideas to add interactivity to your digital magazine, which make use of the Overlay Editor in YUDU Publisher. 

Embed Video

Video has the power to bring your static magazine content to life and provide unparalleled engagement to text and image content alone. If you have an important message you want to convey, research also shows viewers recall 95% of a message delivered by video, but only 10% of a message delivered by text.

Here are a few ideas for types of video to include in your online magazine, guided by research from Statista (image source: Statisita).

• Music videos - if you're covering an artist or a particular genre of music in an article, including a relevant music video will draw the reader in.
• How-to videos - if you're giving a reader advice on performing a specific task, back it up with a complimentary how-to video that guides them visually through each step.
• Product promotion or review videos - have an article on a new product, bring it to life with a promotional video or a video review from an influencer.

Video also has the power to attract further interactivity by adding comments and sharing via social channels. In fact, video content is shared 1200 times more than text and image based content. This offers the potential to significantly increase the reach of your magazine.

With YUDU Publisher, the ability to add HTML to your digital magazine means you can embed video from leading platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and Wistia. You can even include a video you host on your own website.

Include a Live Stream

Transform your magazine into an interactive event by embedding a live stream directly into your content. Here are a number of ways you could leverage this unique format:

• Do a Q&A session with a prominent person - invite a celebrity or client to a live Q&A session for a unique one off event.
• Live demo a product - if you're launching a new product, accompany it with a live demonstration to create intrigue.
• Stream live from an event - whether it's an awards ceremony, music festival, or sporting event you're covering, streaming direct from the event delivers a special type of experience.

Once the live stream is over, replace it with a video recording of the stream to add value in the longer term.

Add Audio Content

Audio is another way great way to bring interactivity elements to your online magazine. Whether it's a low effort alternative for consuming written content, or as a value add, audio is a powerful medium for attracting and engaging readers. It also delivers accessibility for readers with visual and motor impairments.

Here are a few ways you can integrate audio in your magazine content:

• Provide an audio alternative to written content - with the latest AI solutions, you can convert articles from text to speech for a friction free audio equivalent.
• Include podcasts or music - if you're doing a list of top songs or podcasts, enhance your content with a link direct to the chosen artist. Or, with an HTML embed, you can include audio content direct from platforms like Spotify and SoundCloud.

Deliver Seamless Navigation in Seconds

The ability to add hyperlinks to your digital magazine will empower readers to navigate your content with ease. Here are a few ways to best utilise hyperlinks for navigation: 

• Include a navigation menu in the toolbar - add a navigation menu to your online magazine toolbar allowing readers to jump straight to their chosen section. 
• Overlay your contents section with deep links to articles - if your magazine is a print-to-digital conversion, you can overlay the contents section with hyperlinks direct to relevant pages.
• Add backlinks to your website or other articles - layer content with links to other articles in the magazine, or website backlinks to provide supplementary information.

Leverage User Engagement Tools

Another great way to offer interactivity is through the inclusion of tools that encourage reader engagement. These engagement tools can include:

• Polls and Surveys - Embed a poll or survey direct into your magazine content and gather feedback from readers. Not only will readers enjoy the interactive nature, shaping these surveys gives you information to create future content, or improve the magazine.
• Quizzes - Add an interactive quiz related to the magazine content, this is a powerful feature that will pull readers deeper into the content, especially if there is a prize involved.
• Comments and Discussion Sections - just like a blog, you can embed an area for readers to share comments or discuss articles and offer deeper interaction.

Final Thoughts

Integrating these interactive elements, your digital magazine can provide a more engaging, informative, and enjoyable experience for readers, ultimately enhancing reader retention and satisfaction.

To find out more about supercharging your digital magazine with interactive content, why not book a meeting with one of our experience consultants.

Cover Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash