While there are, apparently, still a reasonable number of new magazines launched every year onto the shelves of your local newsagent (or supermarket), despite printed periodicals being considered something of a dwindling, declining medium, it is somewhat fair to say that these days, most commentators consider that the best way to produce a regular journal pertaining to a certain set of interests is by making a magazine online.

After all, there are benefits to this approach; aside from the more environmentally friendly, “green” aspect inherent in an electronic periodical (as opposed to a non-digital, potentially damaging-if-not-recycled mass of paper!), the main advantage, of course, is that with the appropriate online magazine software, everyone has their own opportunity for making a magazine online with their own idea of what their perfect e-zine should be; the trick is, however, ensuring that it endures and develops, and, it goes without saying, reaches an audience. So, with this goal in mind, we’re going to take a look at the process involved with regard to online magazine publishing.

What are the obstacle of making a magazine online?

Presumably, if the idea of making a magazine online for yourself has occurred to you, then you already have a subject which you’re interested in, know a reasonable amount about, and therefore wish to elaborate on, and discuss with, other like-minded people on the web; these folks are not only your intended audience, but, with time, could possibly become valued contributors and collaborators to the magazine itself. Even so, before you start, it’s advisable that you sit down and consider just what the exact focus of your magazine is going to be. It’s also worth having a think about just what you want to get out of this enterprise on a personal level – do you just want to get together and talk with other people who share your interest?

Are you in it to gain a little bit of experience – for something to add to your CV?

Are you hoping to make money? Because this one might be a little tricky(!)

The next step, after you’ve decided what you intend to create magazine content about, is to think about your audience; who are you aiming your e-zine at? It may well be worth conducting a little preliminary market research, so to speak, and finding out just who’s going to be supporting your project.

Then – and this is easily one of the most important points – try to come up with a catchy, memorable name for your magazine, one that encompasses certain search-engine optimized keywords, that will grab a number of attention-getting hits on Google, thereby expanding your potential audience. Once you’ve got your name, secure your domain, and then you’re (almost!) ready to go.

Are you going to design the magazine’s website yourself, or hire someone to do it for you? If you intend to perform this task, then there’s quite a range of magazine design software available to you; enter a simple term like “magazine maker free” should be sufficient.

At this point, you can now begin to create an online magazine content.

Are you writing it all yourself, or are some of your friends on board? Maybe, as mentioned above, you’ll obtain some material from some of your online subscribers, or perhaps you might even deem it worthwhile to hire some freelance writers to contribute something; whichever method you choose, there’s certainly a lot to be said for your magazine having a diverse range of creative voices and approaches – it varies things, adds some fresh, diverse attitudes, and saves you both burning out creatively, and running out of material, which is often the cause of an online magazine grinding to a halt after a short introductory period.

Just like everything else there is a certain amount of trial-and-error involved when making a magazine online, but it can be intensely rewarding, too. Even if there are no financial rewards – and hey, maybe you’re in it purely because you’re so passionate about your chosen subject – you’re bound to gain new friends or even a measure of internet popularity and “fame”! Once your first goals have been achieved, you can get your growth strategy in mind, and start thinking about the next step; website upgrades, advertising, and world (wide web!) domination! So get your plan of action together, get yourself some magazine layout software, and take the first step into becoming a magazine maker online… and then they’ll take it from there!