Our client partners may need to keep a watchful eye on budget, but shouldn’t have to compromise on quality or cut member benefits in the process. That was the challenge in helping identify a digital publisher that would deliver a great reader experience for a reasonable cost. ASHT was one of the first AH client partners to release their newsletter, ASHT Times, on the digital platform, and has gotten a great response from their members.
Starting from Static
ASHT’s newsletter had gone digital several years back. It was distributed via email to ASHT members as a scrollable PDF document. The design was eye-catching, the content was sharp, but the reader experience left something to be desired. For example, if a reader saw on page 1 an article they’d like to read on page 17, they had to scroll through 17 pages to reach the article. A secondary challenge was the lack of readership metrics available. While ASHT staff knew how many members received, opened, and clicked on the attachment, they didn’t have metrics to really know how many people read the issue, or returned. They didn’t know what articles performed well and which ones tanked. The static PDF left enough lacking that, when presented with a digital publishing option, ASHT staff was ready to jump.
A Better Metric
The response was immediate after ASHT’s Director of Operations, Jess Ercolino, posted a link to the issue in ASHT’s LinkedIn group. Members wrote in noting how easy it was to search through an issue, or to read the entire piece cover to cover. One member noted that she was “inspired to spend more time reading the ASHT Times” on the new platform.
But, beyond just a better reader experience, ASHT managed to gather valuable readership data that helps the organization make decisions about content, issue organization, and even advertising. For example, if we know that the clinical articles are the most highly trafficked pieces in the newsletter, ASHT is better able to ask for a premium from advertisers who wish to appear in that section of the newsletter. Having solid readership metrics also help ASHT experiment with different kinds of content to gauge readership, evaluate where and how readers are accessing the publication, and identify readership trends that inform content for future issues.
It’s no secret that RCC believes in the power of publications. Print or digital, long or short, a publication provides a valuable touchpoint with members, and is a tangible benefit, that just isn’t found elsewhere. For ASHT, a digital publication was a smart financial choice that allowed them to enhance a member benefit and increase engagement with the association.
