The magazine industry is dropping like maple leaves on a cold autumn day.
So what can a good garden magazine do to keep its dedicated readers and attract a new following ?
Well first and foremost, ‘Content.’ New, exciting, inspiring, innovative, entertaining and educationally informative content produced aesthetically and profoundly presented.
It goes without saying that quality writing is extremely important but lets admit facts, it has everything to do with presentation.
When standing infront of a shelf of garden magazines at your favorite bookstore and you page through a half dozen magazines, it is going to be the magazine with exceptional graphic layout , eye candy photography and inspiring innovative content that piques your interest enough to reach for your wallet and step up to the cash register.
Another boring article on the unique qualities of boxwood is not going to do it, at least for the modestly experienced gardener.
I love Garden Design Magazine because of its diversity in content and excellent graphic presentation.
There is something for everyone at any stage in their gardening hobby or career.
It stays along with and at times ahead of the cutting edge end of garden design.
Gardens Illustrated has by far the best garden writers. I look forward to their gardener biography stories that always comes complete with a beautifully rendered portrait photograph.
I am also in love with their horticultural biased crossword puzzle.
And their photography is sublime.
Fine Gardening Magazine is another magazine that continues to deliver nicely presented and well researched inspiring content.
Sure , there ris some ‘’how to” content but it doesn’t overwhelm the issue and they balance the ‘how to’ content to beginners to the experienced gardener.
Alfresco gardening magazine out of New Zealand is for the cutting edge , top of their game gardeners who are excited by new plants and plant design.
The editor is fearless. She take chances and she has a wicked sense of humor.
How many editors of garden magazines would show themselves in a bikini and talk about great gardens to overly enjoy a bottle of wine in ?
Alfresco is fearless and it is fantastic.
And it goes without saying, that to keep up with the changing climate of content delivery that a magazine MUST have an online content presence. That presence MUST be just as good as the magazine itself , and by that I mean excellent editorial, excellent graphics, exceptional writing and innovative content. It has to be as good as or in many senses BETTER than the magazine itself. This is how it is going to attract new readership.
