Hundreds of publishers seek to make the print-to-online conversion, but WebMD found success by making a reverse conversion from online to print. By launching its print extension, the online health pioneer WebMD extended its brand, expanded its reach and even increased revenue. Now, after three years of publication, WebMD the Magazine, published in collaboration with The Magazine Group, leads the way in the consumer health category.
Connect.
The average doctor's visit lasts just 7–10 minutes, but how can we as patients make the most of that brief yet important time? Better yet, how can we all take daily steps toward wellness and improve every part of our lives? Enter WebMD, the most influential brand in consumer health and wellness information. With a commitment to "Better information. Better Health" and more than 40 million monthly unique visitors, WebMD is the online health information leader. But, how to build awareness and grow market share beyond the Internet? WebMD turned to The Magazine Group for leadership and experience in expanding into print and integrating its media platform. The result is WebMD the Magazine, a print magazine guided by WebMD's editorial and advertising strategies that offer consumers the health information they need in a new arena and helps them make the most of their health at the meaningful point of service: doctors' waiting rooms.
Engage.
In collaboration with the WebMD team, The Magazine Group created a highly interactive editorial approach with short, must-read articles designed to engage waiting room readers and drive traffic to WebMD.com for additional information, resources and tools. This integrated content strategy is working: online versions of the print stories enjoy the highest click rates on the company's site.
The Magazine Group also helped define and implement an effective advertising strategy that deftly blends WebMD's editorial mission with targeted reach so important to advertisers. The result is a uniquely lively, upbeat magazine that continues to engage a dynamic audience. From the specifics on hundreds of conditions to general reporting on health and wellness, WebMD leads the way in informing readers. Case in point:
WebMD the Magazine has expanded beyond a traditional "symptoms focus" and now covers wellness, healthy lifestyles, and beauty. Both advertiser and consumer engagement with these topics are welcomed and make the effort a success.
Grow.
Launched in May 2005 as a quarterly publication with 1,050,000 copies distributed, WebMD now publishes eight issues per year, has penetrated more than 85% of all doctors' offices and enjoys readership of 8,940,000 (MARS). In terms of total readership, that boosts WebMD the Magazine into the "Top 50" of all consumer magazines, into the #3 position in General Health and into the coveted #2 spot in the Female Health Title category (second only to Prevention and ahead of Health and Shape).
But that's not all. Advertising has grown dramatically. Ad sales increased 66% in a wide range of endemic and non-endemic categories and
WebMD the Magazine recently cracked the 100-page barrier for the time. Plus, it garnered its first ever "book-of-record" mention in a Crestor TV campaign. Driven by demand from advertisers, the new eight issue strategy embodies WebMD's editorial mission of providing timely, tightly focused, seasonally appropriate content.
Industry recognition is growing too.
WebMD the Magazine starts its fourth year of publication with an impressive collection of awards won for editorial, design and distribution strategy, including:
- Gold Pearl Award for Strategy: Best Distribution Strategy
- Gold Pearl Award for Strategy: Best Tie-in with integrated Marketing/Multi-media Campaign
- Silver Pearl Award for Design: Best Cover, more than 250,000 circulation
- Silver Pearl Award for Strategy: Best Achievement of Corporate Objectives, B2C
- Bronze Pearl Award for Editorial: Best Cover Lines
- Bronze Pearl Award for Strategy: Best New Launch or Relaunch
- Bronze Eddie [Folio] Award for Best Table of Contents
