Written By: Robyn Shulman

Launch A Successful Online Magazine and Share Content With Linkedin!

Launching an online publication can be a very rewarding experience. Sharing valuable content with readers in your field can provide a platform for engagement, new relationships, and possible career or partnership opportunities.

ED News Daily was launched in June 2012 and averages 10,000 unique views per month. Our daily visitors consist of school districts and higher education institutions including, but not limited to: New York University, Northwestern University, University of Wisconsin, Yale, Rutgers, University of Chicago, Notre Dame, and more (all data based on Google Analytics).

Articles that are shared greatly via Linkedin, have a great possibility to be placed on Linkedin Today. Here is an example of an article that has gained great exposure with amazing feedback: https://www.ednewsdaily.com/an-introverted-student-is-a-gift/

To ensure your own success, follow the 10 steps below.

Using Linkedin:

• Join Linkedin: If you are not on Linkedin already, join Linkedin and set up your profile. Be sure it is 100% complete.

• Join Linkedin groups: Linkedin allows you to join up to 50 groups. Join groups that are related to your occupation and niche.

• Participate in Linkedin groups: It is very important to participate in Linkedin group discussions before posting articles. Make connections with people, show your expertise, and build your reputation. It is imperative to become part of group discussions so people get to know who you are and can easily see that you add value to the group. Otherwise, your content can be quickly discarded as SPAM.

 Launching Your Magazine:

• Choose your niche: Finding your niche is the first step in defining your magazine. To choose a topic, focus in on areas that you are experienced in and passionate about. It is much easier to write about what you know and care about. Your authenticity will shine through each article, and you will gain a great following.

• Research your niche: Take time to research your topic. Look at what others are writing about in your area of expertise. View the layouts from different magazines, so you can get a feel for how you envision your own. Make sure there is not an abundance of magazines on the same topic. For example, if you want to create a magazine focusing on making money online, you will find there are a great deal of sites on this topic. Focus in on areas that will differentiate your work and make you stand out.

• Choose a domain name: When choosing a domain name, it is best to choose a name that is short, catchy and is related to your content in some manner. Long domain names can be difficult to remember and are hard to spell. Avoid domain names with special characters and numbers. There are many names available. 

• Choose your hosting: You will need to find a service to host your magazine. There are various companies available to host your magazine (www.ipage.com, hostgator.com) and some hosting services will provide you with an amazing amount of extra tools to assist with the creation and promotion of your site. I personally use www.ipage.com because of their extra tools and great service.

• Choose your development platform or hire a designer to build your site: For those who are not familiar with web design, it is best to either spend time learning how to develop a site or hire someone to develop it. If you choose a developer, find someone who is not only great at web design, but is also willing to train you on how to use the back end. I personally recommend using WordPress for development. Google loves WordPress and you can also learn it on your own. There are many companies that provide WordPress training online. Being in control of your website is priceless, especially if you plan on posting new content daily.

• Write it: Once your site has been launched, prepare to write your articles. A good article has a catchy title, is typically between 400-700 words, and has a call to action at the end. A call to action is a way to launch discussions and keep your readers engaged. Asking a question, or making requests of your readers are examples of promoting a call to action. Articles should be original and authentic. Think about your audience, how you can meet their needs, and write articles that add value to your communities.

• Share it: Share your articles with your contacts and all of your applicable groups on Linkedin. You can preface each article with a sentence or two to catch the attention of your readers. Once your article gains momentum, be sure to engage with your readers by answering questions, provide follow-ups and participate in discussions. To receive messages from your groups, adjust your group settings to receive daily follow-ups. You will notice that conversations are started within Linkedin groups (rather than on your site), and this is great because your article can continuously stay active for weeks!

To launch a successful online magazine, be sure to take your time, do your research, find your audience, and share often. Your words will make a difference in the lives of others.