The digital landscape is evolving rapidly. The technological age we live in has changed the way consumers search for information and access content. And now technology has found a way for wordpress flipbooks to be more user-friendly and effective on mobile devices, flippingbook technology can recreate the physical in the digital space.
Until the mass launch of the internet in the early to mid nineties, people relied on daily newspapers, monthly magazines and various books to learn what is happening in the world.
In modern times – and looking ahead at the future – the shift from print to screen appears to be a foregone conclusion. The capabilities of digital technology, fast internet connections, improved software and savvy devices have given consumers a choice.
And they are choosing the digital path.
Although some social forecasters predict printed books, magazines and newspapers will survive, look at the people around you and judge for yourself. Are they reading a printed page, or a digital screen?
It seems inevitable that the digital age will usher in online content. But how can publishers transfer the physical experience readers are accustomed to on to a handheld device or laptop?
The answer is: HTML5 Flipbooks
Digital magazine software
Flipbook technology allows publishers to convert PDF files into interactive content. The final result is a magazine that looks and feels like a print mag only in brighter colours and a convenient size and weight.
The online experience is merely transference of the offline experience – except it means buying and reading magazines becomes much more convenient for consumers.
Tablets and smartphones are light and easy to carry round. And more people in the world own a mobile device than there are people. They can buy your publication online from anywhere. That saves them time going to a store that stocks your magazine.
Furthermore, flipbook technology presents an opportunity for companies to collect consumer data they can later use to improve content marketing strategies.
Digital platforms also allow publishers to take content to the next level by including video. And because the wordpress flipbook can be turned into mobile apps, your content stays native without directing your audience away from your brand.
The number of content formats available in the digital landscape gives publishers the tools to produce a diverse range of content suitable for cross-media devices.
Switching from print to virtual page significantly reduces printing costs and gives you access to a lifetimes supply of unlimited copies.
So that should save a forest or three. Environmentalists will be happy.
The Evolution of digital flipbooks
When you hear the term “flipbook” mentioned, you may call to mind the motion picture flipbooks that tell a story by flicking through pages with pictures drawn on them.
Digital flipbooks are a modern extension of the original flipbooks. When they first appeared in 1868, they were known as Kineographs.
Almost thirty years later the idea experienced its first phase of evolution when Eadweard Muybridge and Thomas Edison collaborated to invent the kinetoscope, the first automated motion picture in history.
The idea of flipbooks has floated in the ether of collective consciousness for over 150 years. In that time, inventions were few and far between. But with the arrival of digital platforms, flipbook technology is on the verge of experiencing a rebirth.
The features and functionality of online platforms have improved at an exponential rate in the last half decade. And publishers have struggled to keep up.
Humans are creatures of habit and do not always adapt easily to change. Persuading readers to subscribe to digital magazines is arguably more difficult than inviting them to buy a print magazine off the shelf.
Replicating the look and feel of a print magazine on a high-definition screen makes the transition easier. The device may be different, but the layout and appearance is practically a mirror image of a book or magazine.
Interactive flipbooks on wordpress have the qualities that bring the spirit of original flipbooks into mainstream use. Consumer behaviour changes all the time, but it usually takes a long time for huge changes to occur.
Companies already understand the concept of content marketing which is why around 66% of companies are expected to increase their marketing spend by publishing better quality content.
Content marketing strategies are built on blog platforms. WordPress is the most popular as it is the easiest to use and customise. There are also more developers building plugins for WordPress than any other blog platform.
All the digital fingers point towards the need to publish fresh, new content that is eye-catching and engaging.
Furthermore, people are using mobile devices to access information and entertainment more than any other method.
Flipbook magazines built in WordPress are compatible with multiple devices and stimulate the brain in ways that give your audience a unique experience.
The future of wordpress flipbooks
Flipbook technology is flexible enough to create a host of content formats from flyers to books. Anything a print office can do, a digital publishing platform can do it for less cost and more output.
When flipbooks first made an appearance on wordpress, publishers struggled to create fluency with the interactive pages. The action appeared primitive and clumsy.
Technology improved slowly, but the arrival of HTML5 on top of pre-existing Flash infrastructure, flipbook pages turn smoothly and have a sophisticated feel. Yet the technology is largely unheard of.
Marthe Rana says, “There are still people who have never seen a digital flipbook, which speaks to the potential growth of this vital marketing tool.”
Fair enough, Rana is the sales and marketing manager of flipb, a digital marketing platform, but she makes a good point. Publishers can make flipbooks out of their marketing materials and send them to customers via email.
The culture of sharing content on social media networks also gives publishers a platform to reach a wider audience, raise brand awareness and monetize their content.
Flipbook technology will improve as other supporting digital technologies improve. Mark Zuckerburg has championed virtual and augmented reality (AR) and has already confirmed Facebook are working on solutions to develop AR technology so users can enjoy a virtual reality experience on social media networks.
The recently launched Oculus Rift headset – tipped to be the leader in AR experience – is destined to take the online user-experience to the next level.
Augmented reality technology is something we see in sci-fi movies like the interactive screens Tom Cruise flicks through in the 2002 film, Minority Report.
Is this how we will read books, magazines and other types of content in the future? When you consider the prospect of combining flipbook technology with AR, it seems to be the logical next step in the development of online content.
The benefits of flipbook in WordPress
Publishers are already familiar with using WordPress and uploading a flipbook into the publishing platform is so easy, users do not to be technically minded.
Companies can take advantage of flipbook technology to produce flexible content that is visually appealing in WordPress.
The costs publishers will save from reduced production costs are significant and companies can still earn additional revenue by selling advertising space on the pages of your flipbook.
Technology may be driving user-behaviour towards digital platforms to access content, but consumers are still comfortable with traditional formats. Flipbooks provide a digital experience without losing the qualities users are already accustomed to.
The good news is that digital publishing platforms which continue to evolve which means companies will continue to invent creative ways to engage their audience. For online users, the near future promises to be an exciting phase in the evolution of digital publishing.
