Magazine Journalism

Stages of Magazine Production

Latest Research: 82% of readers spent up to 45 minutes reading

a custom magazine. 64% of readers returned to it more than once.

For this reason, many companies include custom magazines within their content marketing strategy

Stages of Magazine Production

1. Define your objectives What do you want to achieve? Why have you decided to launch a printed

custom magazine? How does your magazine content fit into your

marketing strategy?

5 Steps of Magazine Production

2. Define your target audience Do research:

What are your buyer personas? What are their sensitive points? How do you communicate with them? What do they read? Are they a homogenous group, or are there two

or more very distinct groups within your target audience?

5 Steps of Magazine Production

3. Define the main concept What content will be in your new printed

custom magazine? What will be its main message? What underlying messages do you plan to

communicate? It is stressed that the concept is the only

constant in your magazine

5 Steps of Magazine Production

Covers Do you want to use an original photo or illustration? What will the theme be? How many headlines do you want to include? Do you want to include page numbers and your company’s

logo? What will be their overall concept?

Sections Easy-to find in every issue Keep things simple and consistent

Editorial Board selection Division of Labor well defined from the start

5 Steps of Magazine Production

4. Technical parameters Page count

At least 24 pages to 36 pages Use of photography and other visual

representations Page/spread size Type of paper Issue’s circulation Magazine’s frequency

5 Steps of Magazine Production

5. Design a magazine Decide your criteria for design content based

on your customers/readers.

5 Steps of Magazine Production

1. Create a production schedule Deadlines for when each story must be submitted

to the editor Ample time for proofreading A design schedule Enough time for the editorial board (if there is one)

to look over the magazine and add comments Your printing deadline Your distribution date

5 Steps of Magazine Production

2. Create a content plan Create an editor’s table of content for all pages,

including the front and back covers Build your content for at least one issue ahead

of your schedule to make sure you are never left with an empty space if an article falls through

This provides a safety net for articles that might need extra time to be written, photographed, illustrated or designed

5 Steps of Magazine Production

3. Create a detailed plan for each story The content of a story Types: What type of article will be the best fit

for the story? e.g., interviews, features, news stories, infographics, etc

Create modular content Create a design mock-up Instructions Authors

5 Steps of Magazine Production

4. Proofread and edit stories Headlines Lead Body Picture captions Calls to action

5 Steps of Magazine Production

5. Design Now your magazine is ready to be designed.

Submit all final materials to your graphic designer

Take print-outs of dummy Check, look, compare, and make necessary

changes.

5 Steps of Magazine Production

6. Checking Before the magazine goes to print, take

one final detailed look at it.  Make sure there are no mistakes.

Finally the magazine is ready to print.

5 Steps of Magazine Production