One for all? Or Two for Some? The Online Strategy of AAAS and Science Magazine

For three years now, I have had a window seat to the trend in phasing out Web sites and “e-zine” electronic newsletters, and segueing to interactive digital publications. I have watched some publications maintain their Web sites and/or newsletter, all while the technology of interactive digital magazine interfaces became a more viable and all-encompassing alternative. Those familiar with my blog and/or were present during my demonstration last week of digital reader interfaces have observed the functionality of its features. Together we’ve deemed it an ideal solution for merging the accessibility of a Web site with the interactivity of new media and the Internet. As a publishing professional on the brink of seeing my publication into the digital world, I am particularly interested in exploring why some publishers continue to manage both.

One such organization is the American Association for the Advancement of Science, publisher of the weekly, Science magazine and html-based Web site, Sciencemag.org.

I visited the offices of Science magazine back in 2005 to observe their magazine production workflow as field research. AAAS and Science magazine was one of the first publishers to migrate to a workflow system where they produce their own press-quality PDF files in-house for direct transfer to printer presses. Having been one of the first publications to make this transition, they were also the first to view their PDF files through the emerging technology of Zinio’s digital reader interface. It was during this visit that I got my first glimpse of the electronic, page-turner interface I’ve since become so familiar with. Then, Science was way ahead of the trend. A staff member candidly admitted that their migration to the digital interface was nothing more than a modest acceptance of a new media as part of their communicative strategy—to stay on the cutting edge of science and technology, in line with the goals of their mission statements. Key among them, their aim is to:

• Enhance communication among scientists, engineers, and the public;
• Increase public engagement with science and technology
  

Both individually and combined, Science magazine and Sciencemag.org stay true to carrying out the organization’s mission. Making Science magazine available via a digital reader interface would enhance the reader experience for an audience obviously in tune to the dynamics of technology and change. Yet, three years later it is still providing the static replica of the print version, with the exception of the search and link functionality.

John Meyers is the director of marketing at AAAS and oversees the advertising and marketing efforts for the digital version of Science. Meyers admits, “Science hasn't really exploited the full potential of our digital issue yet.”

Use of Multimedia

That “full potential” that Meyers speaks of is namely the rich media feature. It is a capability that exists in many if not all of the digital magazine interfaces, allowing for the upload of audio and visual supplements to editorial and advertisements; music; podcasts, webcasts and real simple syndication feeds to make the digital reader experience more personalized and interactive. Meyers is confident that such integrations into the Web-based Science are on the horizon.

That is because, interestingly, rich media is heavily incorporated into Sciencemag.org in the “Multimedia Center” section. Oddly, this section includes the “Science Signaling” podcast series, images and slide shows, and even interactive versions of posters and illustrations from Science, and other interactive environments from their companion sites.

The extent of their use of the digital interface for Science does at least have some semblance to the participatory component of new media. They have incorporated interactive business reply cards to solicit membership, a strategy that is at least an efficient use of the capability, recognizing that through their digital edition and the virtual “newsstand” that “distributes” these digital editions, they are reaching audiences beyond their constituency with just one click. Still, it makes no use of the creativity needed to drive a digital magazine to reach that “full potential.”

One for all? Or Two for Some?

Perhaps AAAS recognizes that their audiences of scientist and engineer subscribers and readers have different expectations of new media than a good portion of their public. There is quite reasonably an age and social gap in the AAAS publics. While that key demographic of new media users aged 18-34 might be more apt to the interactive and participatory components of digital magazine interfaces, it should be considered that those aged 35 to 64 might be more inclined to access their content via Sciencemag.org, where they are in control of engaging or abandoning the interactive elements.

Whether the content is viewed via the digital version or the html version, neither audience is shortchanged. Science magazine’s content mirrors that of Sciencemag.org, from the tables of content, to the letters, to the research articles. In fact, the latter offers more, as observed earlier with Sciencemag.org’s multimedia section. If the reason for maintaining both the Web site and the digital interface lies mostly in demographic considerations, I am still prompted to ask, “Why then, does the digital magazine not incorporate the multimedia elements that give digital interfaces the flair and luster that appeal to their digital subscribers?”

Sciencemag.org uses its multimedia section largely for its podcast and webinar series; both are constants on the site. The other multimedia that appear—the various images and slide shows—have neither continuity in, nor connection to Science magazine content. In a sense, they have no home in the print or digital editions, making their inclusion on a Web site that is maintained daily rather than weekly a more feasible solution. Reasons for maintaining both Web site and digital edition might also be a matter of accessibility in this case. If I can use my experience as a publishing professional to make sense of the numbers, it is likely that less than a quarter of their members subscribe to the digital version. In contrast, the entire AAAS constituency has member-access to Sciencemag.org. AAAS likely uses real simple syndication feeds for the podcast and webinar series. For the prosperity of the ongoing series, maintenance of Sciencemag.org is essential.

Merging the Media

So it can be said that in cases like AAAS and Science, the online strategy should lie in fusing the editions rather than abandoning one. AAAS already does a commendable job of promoting the digital edition on Sciencemag.org. Where it falls short, it stops shy of providing a preview of the digital edition. Organizations like AAAS should do their due diligence in selecting the right provider for their digital edition. Some interfaces, like Zinio, make their digital reader available exclusively through their digital newsstand, making the digital edition a seemingly separate entity. Other interfaces, like iMirus, mask the digital edition as a link from the existing html-based Web site. In other words, the digital edition would have opened from a link or icon from the Sciencemag.org Web site. I am of the opinion that this would have been a better strategy for Sciencemag.org.

There are best practices for promoting, still, that AAAS might consider incorporating. I suggest that AAAS:

• Engage readers aged 35-64 indirectly by promoting the features and benefits of the digital edition in the content of Sciencemag.org. This would work best, however, if the digital reader interface was an extension of the Web site, as I mentioned above. The accidental or intentional perusal of the digital edition could yield a familiarity and comfort with the interface.
• Find another home for the podcasts and webinars. As I mentioned, they have no observed connection to Science or Sciencemag.org. Moving them to the main AAAS website might eliminate the ongoing need for maintaining Sciencemag.org.
• Cross-promote digital editions through the Web sites and all communicative efforts, with a link or URL that directs publics to sample editions and a subscription form.
  

There is a reason why “the truth is in numbers” is such a popular saying. For AAAS, the decision to phase out Sciencemag.org in favor of the simplicity of their digital edition is a matter of where the most readers are.