What is a Digital Edition?
A Digital Edition is an online publication delivered in electronic form. Digital Editions can range from replicas of their printed counterparts to entirely unique, custom publications designed for digital delivery. Nearly any printed publication, from a magazine to a catalog to a brochure, can be successfully converted into a Digital Edition.
BlueToad, Inc. is a Digital Publishing company providing Digital Editions to publishers worldwide. We utilize Page Flip technology to convert a PDF into an online viewable format. Readers can view the publication as a Digital Edition using Flash or HTML. BlueToad works with over 10,000 publishers and helps create over 2,000 digital editions each month.
What are the Components of a Digital Edition?
There are 5 primary components to a digital edition: Content, Viewer, Toolbar, Background, and Enhancements.
1. Content : The core of the digital edition is the content you provide us by way of a PDF. We do not design or re-format your content. Your content can include presentation pages, inserts, bellybands, gatefolds, blow in cards, and the like. Click for PDF Requirements.
2. Viewer : The Viewer is the technology allowing your PDF content to be viewed as a page-flipping digital edition. BlueToad’s new Vu2 Viewer is a flex based viewer with some cool features like true gatefolds and barn doors, spread rotations, reader controls, sticky notes, favorite flags, search, content menus, advertiser menus, and more.
3. Toolbar : The Toolbar is located across the top of the screen and is your reader’s user interface when interacting with the digital edition. You can customize the Toolbar colors and icons and further enable or disable features available on the Toolbar.
4. Background : The Background of the digital edition – the area behind the digital edition and the Toolbar – can consist of custom colors or images.
5. Enhancements : Enhancements can include flash animations, hyperlinking of urls and emails, video, audio, tabs, business reply cards, and other interactive elements.
How do I get Started?
Getting started is a simple 4-step process.
1. Register : By giving us some basic information, you can create a BlueToad account in a matter of a few minutes. There is no cost to register.
2. Upload : Once registered, you can easily upload an appropriate PDF file for conversion into your digital edition.
3. Customize : Choose your toolbar and background and then add rich media or other customization options like tabs, video, audio, or flash.
4. Activate : Once completed, activate your publication to make it available to your readers.
Next Steps?
Ok. You now have a digital edition. What next? You should consider expanding the impact of your digital content through any of the following:
- Email Campaigns : notify new readers as soon as your digital edition is activated
- iPad/iPhone Apps : release your own publication-specific App available in the App store
- Rich Media : add video or audio to your edition to enhance your content.
- Archives : convert your old issues to create an online searchable archive of your publication.
Kudos
In the short time we've had a BlueToad App in iTunes, we have seen rapid growth in our online readership. The subscription feature allows customers to instantly purchase back issues as well as current issues. This has opened up the markets to international customers, as well as providing us with a vehicle to grow more on the web with new interactive features and bonus videos.H3 Publications
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