5You may never have heard of zines or ’80s punk culture, but you’ve definitely seen these grungy DIY style print publications with topics ranging from art and women’s rights to sci-fi and rock bands.
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And though they might look different, zines are extremely powerful. For decades, they’ve been a means of sharing ideas that have no place in mainstream culture, giving a voice to those who are usually ignored by big publishers. Created to support subcultures, in time, zines turned into a culture of their own and became the staples of unorthodox thinking and freedom of expression.
Some people used to believe that the rise of social media would put an end to zines, as X and Facebook are much more effective ways to speak out and to connect.
But zines are still here. They’ve gone digital and benefited greatly from it, on the one hand, becoming much easier to make and distribute, and on the other, keeping those bold vibes that people value so much.
The engaging power of e-zines—interactive digital magazines—is so compelling that, as a marketer, you may want to make it your own. So in this post, we’ll discuss what e-zines are, how to use them effectively in your marketing strategy, and how to create your own ezine using tools like FlippingBook.
What Is an E-zine?
A zine (pronounced ‘zeen’) is a small-circulation collage-style publication. Though ‘zine’ is a derivative of ‘magazine’, the two types of publications are very different. Unlike a magazine, which requires an editorial team and a strict publishing schedule, zines are created by a single individual or a small group of people when they feel like doing so.
E-zines are essentially digital zines created with various zine makers. They may be different in terms of means of creation, but the nonconformity vibes and DIY aesthetics are still there, as well as the choice of articles.
Interactive E-zine Examples
Here are some real-life examples to demonstrate the potential of zines as marketing tools across industries.
Beauty and Wellness: Saie Zine
Education: the University of Victory Climate Change Zine
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This interactive e-zine is classic. Its grunge look catches your eye, helping convey the message—the importance of protecting the environment and turning to a more sustainable lifestyle. Zines are heavily used in education, being perfect creative outlets for student projects.
Photography and Art: Artbook Zines
Zines and art are inseparable. And e-zines, unlike print, give creators even more freedom in expressing their vision and experimenting with formats and forms. These stylish ezines incorporate interactive elements such as video and animations for a more immersive experience.
Indie Project Promotion: Son of Dragon
How to Make an E-zine?
Source: Epson.net
The short answer is—however you want.
Before we go into discussing the tools, you must remember that zines are about the freedom of expression. You can go wild with colors and materials, include any photos and images, and play with text layout.
Cut out letters or include handwritten notes, write on the margins, draw your own illustrations. Do whatever speaks to your creative sense and helps to convey your message.
If you have already prepared a physical zine, simply scan it—or use ready templates. There are lots of great selections of fonts, frames, and examples on the web that you can use with Photoshop or Canva to produce a PDF.
Once you are happy with your design, use FlippingBook to turn it into a stunning interactive zine. It’s really easy:
- Upload your PDF zine to FlippingBook, and our zine maker will automatically convert it into an online flipbook.
- Enhance your zine with video, GIF animations, and other interactive elements to strengthen its engagement potential.
- Add your logo and a matching background to complete the look and boost your brand awareness.
- Share your e-zine as a link or website embed to reach your audience where they prefer.
💡 Is your e-zine getting traction?
With FlippingBook, you’ll know for sure. See how many people viewed your zine, where they came from, and how long they stayed. Use the data to strengthen your message and understand your audience better.
Benefits of Using E-zines in Marketing
Using ezines for marketing purposes can feel counterintuitive, given how nonconformist they are. But they are a great opportunity to:
- Foster relationships with the community.
- Reduce production costs.
- Strengthen your brand identity.
Here’s a close-up on why adding e-zines to your marketing kit is a good idea:
⭐ E-zines help you engage your audience
E-zines are not for converting or hard selling, but they work nicely for advertising and nurturing. When developing your e-zine, focus on the engagement value rather than sales copy.
Once you’ve started your e-zine, the best place to share it is social media, where you can show it off with a beautiful preview. Facebook seems like an obvious choice, but ezines also work well on Instagram, if that’s where your crowd is. And don’t forget about email—it’s a classic and very efficient channel for newsletter-type publications. Use a suitable email marketing platform that offers features, such as list building, powerful email designing, advanced automation, analytics, etc. For instance, it could be Moosend. Check out this comprehensive Moosend review to see if it fits your needs.
💸 You can run on a tight budget
The beauty of e-zines is that they don’t need a big budget by design, and thus are available to any small business to create. You can make something very simple, using just DIY materials and a scanner, as we discussed above, and it will be as effective as a six-figure promotional video. The key is being honest and bold, not expensive.
💎 Zines strengthen your brand integrity
Consumers nowadays, especially millennials and Gen Z’ers, are sick and tired of brands trying to sell to them whatever they can. They look for a sense of community and connection with a brand, and prefer to buy from those who share their values and beliefs.
💡Real-world inspiration
Big brands successfully use zines to raise important social issues, just as Gucci does with their beautiful ‘Chime’ zine.
E-zines are a perfect way to create that connection. You can use them to introduce a feature or a new collection, but as e-zines are so diverse, there’s practically no topic you can’t use. Why not make a zine about your team or talk about your production process and inspiration, and show a little bit of backstage? Or just talk about what’s important to you and your community—people will definitely appreciate it.
Final Thoughts
Historically, zines bear a lot of cultural meaning, so if you wish to use them in your marketing strategy, you cannot take the form without taking the essence. But if you aren’t afraid of being innovative, e-zines can become a great addition to your marketing efforts. They have the power to engage and inspire, and talk to people in ways that other publications cannot. So try it yourself—and see where this road takes you.
