#FlipboardChat Summary: How Marketers Can Use Flipboard Magazines

Jenn de la Vega / June 24, 2015

Every Wednesday evening, members of the Flipboard Club—an unofficial group of passionate evangelists—hold a Twitter chat about a Flipboard-centric topic. The chats are usually so informative and inspiring that we thought we’d summarize the tips, tricks and ideas discussed each week and let you know what the next topic is going to be. Tonight’s night’s topic is “Using Flipboard Cover Stories” Join in the chat at 7pm PT / 10pm ET via the #FlipboardChat hashtag on Twitter. If the time zone doesn’t work for you, join their Facebook group to stay in the loop.

Last week, participants chatted about how marketers can use Flipboard magazines. Here’s what they said:

What do you look for in a marketing or branding tool for your business or organization?

• The tool must have the ability to make new or better connections with my consumers.
• Easy to use, manage and has visual appeal. It needs to relate to and integrate well with other media. ‪
• Will our business benefit from using this tool? Will it allow us to serve our users/customers better/faster?
• I look to get the word out in the most efficient and portable way that will inspire a consumer.
• You want a tool that can elevate the brand and represent the business or organization behind it.  ‪
• I look for tools that give room for creativity. Simple yet functional and with lots of options. ‪
• The ability to showcase my brand in clear, vivid images.

In what ways can marketers use Flipboard in their marketing strategy? 

• Marketers can create campaigns with live feedback from their target audience.
• Sales presentations, PR, advertising supplements, trade show press, digital brochures, presentations, portfolios, newsletters and training materials.
• Promoting new products, competitions launches and client feedback.
• Show your audience who you are, what you stand for, what you offer. Why should I choose you over the competition?
• Flipboard Magazines make great lookbooks for product lines, perfect for content to share at trade shows and career fairs.
• Businesses can target a more tech-savvy crowd with a magazine-style approach Flipboard offers.
• Give consumers an inside look into the business, personal and up close.
• Sales strategy => create a sales mag with all features => take mag to a client => a comprehensive presentation = sale.

What should marketers consider when choosing content to curate for Flipboard?

• High-resolutions images, as well as content that breaks free of their normal mold.
• Flipboard is a visual medium so be sure to take advantage of that! Striking cover, compelling content, great photos!
• Think about your audience. What do they like? Images, videos, GIFs, longreads, funnies. Give the people what they want!
• Content should appropriate for the product, not just flip the “kitchen sink” in.
• Their own identity and what they want to convey. That helps give the focus to a Flipboard Magazine.
• Quality images are important; however, relevance reigns supreme.

What methods can marketers use to build readership for Flipboard Magazines?

• Embed magazines on your website, share on social media, and place within email blasts.
• Use a company website to link back to a Flipboard Magazine.
• User-generated content is your friend in this case. Set parameters, of course, but invite people to contribute.
• Retailers, hospitals, etc utilizing Beacon Marketing can share mags with relevant content and ads.
• Blogging about and sharing Flipboard mags across multiple mediums and social sites helps to build readership. Curate high-quality mags for target audience, flip consistently, share on other social channels and websites.
• Advertising! Use promoted posts and social media, PR to get the word out.
• Tie in mags with other brand content: link to mags in blog posts, share on social media and flip content from followers.
• Research your community, talk to them, find out what obscure/targeted info they want, provide it consistently.
• Check your stats to see when you strike a chord with a lot of reflips, likes and comments to duplicate successes.
• Create swag advertising their Flipboard mag. Create signage at public events and add to business cards.
• Get your community involved. Ask them to create mags and create a metazine.
• Build mags on current events if they’re relevant to your industry. Become an early source for news.

How can marketing teams use private Flipboard Magazines to collaborate?

• Marketers can use private magazines to create a content strategy before launching. Share and test images and ideas before going live.
• Connect with clients, internal team collaboration for projects, monitor competition.
• Product launches, blog post ideas, feedback, presentations. There are so many possibilities!
• Private group mags could be used for training guides.
• Share research with teams.

How can Flipboard analytics help marketers choose content for their magazine readers?

• What content does your audience respond to? What topics, mediums, lengths? What days/times do they consume it?
• Flipboard‘s Analytics allow curators to see what works, when and how.
• Analytics can make or break an advertising decision. They can help by showing results.
• When you know what got a great response, you can study it for what went right, then repeat.
• Mostly to see if the overall flow needs improvement, like if you need more videos or useful guides.

What can marketers do with magazines to engage the Flipboard community effectively?

• Be active, consistent with flipping, and engage in the conversation. There is something for everyone.
• UGC—get your community involved and flip together. The community who flips together…
• No matter the platform, it’s about knowing your core audience. Know that they want, give it to them. Ask again often.
• Keep content fresh and advertise your mag everywhere you would advertise your business.
• Flip consistently! And flip diversely—images, blog posts, videos, etc. Make sure you’re a fun person to follow. If you can do three sessions a day, then great.
• Comment on flips by your community, ask questions, reflip from followers.
• Facilitate stardom. Highlight community members.
• Have guest contributors on brand mags, use desktop conversations on Flipboard’s Website.

What’s your best advice for marketing and branding pros who want to use Flipboard Magazines?

• Don’t be afraid to experiment. Flipboard is relatively new for advertising and there isn’t a “best method” yet.
• Figure out why you want to flip—what’s the goal? Who benefits and how? Don’t flip on a wild goose!
• Don’t stop at one mag. Do a series of mags! Product lines, company info, industry data, blogs, lots of possibilities!
• Emulate successful magazines but be unique, have your own flavor.
• Don’t overload the mag with so much content the reader becomes overwhelmed; try a periodical mag.

Don’t forget to join the #FlipboardChat tonight: the topic is “Using Flipboard Cover Stories.” Start chatting on Twitter at 7pm PT / 10pm ET, or come back to this blog for an update.

~jdlv on behalf of the Flipboard Club

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