Why should brands use customer magazines?

The UK's customer publishing market has weathered the recession well and is now estimated to be worth £904m; moreover, it is predicted to be worth £1.2bn by 2012. So is it the right time to launch a magazine, or if you already have a magazine how can you make sure it continues to engage your customers?

Julia Hutchison, chief operating officer at the Association of Publishing Agencies (APA) explains the lasting appeal of customer magazines, and the power they have to develop a lasting relationship with a brand - whether they're targeted at a B2B or B2C audience.

With readers spending an average of 25 minutes looking at customer magazines, this medium allows for meaningful engagement with a brand. And with 57% of those people reading at least half the content, she explains why the customer magazine is a powerful marketing tool.

Hutchison also explores how printed mags can drive traffic to online media, whether through tracked click-throughs and CTAs, and weighs up how print and e-zines can play to their respective strengths.  

In the second part of this article, How to launch a customer magazine, Julia gives a comprehensive guide on developing your own title – from choosing an agency to preparing for launch.