How to Start an Online Magazine

Although an online magazine doesn't require the outlay of a print magazine (print runs for color glossy publications are very expensive), it's still a complex venture. At the start, it's wise to keep your goals modest.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Know your subject. It's easiest to ensure quality contributions if you have the knowledge to analyze them.

2. Think about finances. Even if you start modestly, making the magazine a side project in your life, you'll probably need to spend money for articles; for artistic help; and for site design, server space and maintenance. If you want to make the magazine a real business, you've got to think about a marketing budget; office supplies, phone bills and mailing costs; research costs; any staff salaries; and legal and business help.

3. Work with other people, especially if you want to make your magazine a business, as opposed to a hobby. Work out the practical and financial details of your partnership.

4. Consider how to make a profit. Possibilities include attracting advertising, charging for access, or publishing as a nonprofit and getting grants and donations.

5. Consider the legal aspects of publishing. Be willing to pay for expert advice.

6. Decide how frequently you will publish. Regular, scheduled updates will keep your readers coming back to your site.

7. Decide what rights you will buy from your contributors (both text and visual).

8. Design your site or hire a designer.

9. Learn how to maintain the site yourself (how to substitute new articles for old) or hire someone to maintain it.

10. Start collecting material for your first issue.

Tips & Warnings

• Start small, perhaps as a one-person "zine." Choose a simple, readable site design and a doable schedule of issues (twice a month, for example). Concentrate on getting high-quality articles and building a following among a core audience. Then you can expand.
• Or consider starting out as an e-mail newsletter, which is much simpler to put together than a Web site.
• Agreeing to nonexclusive electronic rights to the articles you publish will get you the broadest range of contributions, since the authors will be free to republish their work elsewhere in print or on the Internet.
• Don't think you'll make money - or break even, for that matter. Start the magazine because it's what you want to do.

[creshanda]

on 7/11/2009 great info, 5*

[lordjeffrey]

on 7/8/2009 This is a good article! Thanks.

[ynohtna]

on 7/5/2009 Im giving you 5* for your work! Thanks for info

[oimdiane]

on 7/1/2009 As a publisher from back in the late 90s (websites first, blogs now), and a current ezine advertising co-op (since 2001) I'm giving you 5* for this how to. I'd also like to mention that getting readers can, of course, be tricky while you wait for that new website to get picked up in the search engines. So... consider joining just one or two ezine co-ops. The typical arrangement is you get a new subscriber for running his/her ad one time. You can also swap notices about your new ezine with existing publishers (it's a service I include for free). This is not a "come on" comment. I just know (I'd say literally) everything about ezine/virtual magazine publishing, and hopefully readers of your how to benefit. Recommending, too :)

[zemzem82]

on 7/1/2009 great article-zemzem.ecrater.com