A digital publishing platform simply put is a tool to easily publish your content digitally. In today's society, consumers want immediate access to the things they need and enjoy. This includes digital media.

At the time that social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter were making their mark on the internet, news outlets like Huffington Post were paving a new path. Today, publishers are fighting to stay relevant as they learn to adapt.

If you publish print media, you should be taking notice of the fast-paced changes affecting your industry. Now is the time to start looking into a digital publishing platform.

You want a platform that is easily readable on smartphones and tablets and offers other capabilities.

Continue reading to learn why digital publishing is here to stay and what you need to do to get in the game.

If you have ever read an online magazine, an E-book or thumbed through an online catalog, you've experienced digital publishing. Simply put, it is the conversion of portable document format (PDF) files (or any other old school formats) into a digital format that can be displayed and read online.

A digital publishing platform allows the creator to house documents on a website as well as offer users the option to download. You can also charge for downloads, sell subscriptions, or give the content away for free.

In the future, shoppers may no longer have the option of thumbing through magazines while standing in the check-out line. They may also lose the option of having newspapers and magazines delivered to their homes.

Things we may take for granted today could be replaced with media delivered via digital publishing platforms. You may have already noticed those metal pay boxes containing the daily paper slowly finding their way to recycle centers.

It is eerily reminiscent of how cell phones made public pay-phones extinct. Now digital offerings are overtaking newspapers.

It may be a big adjustment for publishers accustomed to print media, but read on to see the overall advantages. Your readers may love you for it.

Who doesn't want to save money? Using a digital publishing platform will help you do just that. By reducing or completely eliminating print media, you could reduce publication costs drastically.

With those savings you could offer more competitive packages to employees, reinvest in your business or pay for that dream vacation.

You can also make a huge impact on the environment.

Moving to a digital publishing platform places your content at the fingertips of your customers, 24 hours a day, 7 seven days a week. It also expands your reach to new consumers from around the world.

Imagine the potential for readers. This could create a new model for your publications that create a new experience to your core base.

In addition, the reduced costs of publishing may allow you to publish more frequently, and offer specialized pieces on a dime.

With print media you're pretty limited when it comes to advertisements. The advertiser gives you an ad that may have a coupon attached. He then waits and hopes that the customer saw the ad and took the time to cut out the coupon before discarding the print media.

With a digital publishing platform, advertisements become interactive. It doesn't cost you more to insert the ad multiple times. Consumers now have the option to click links that take them to the advertiser's website.

You can also create downloadable coupons that can be scanned from their smart devices when they reach the check-out line.

In addition, with online platforms you can connect with new advertisers from around the world.

No online business should ignore the power of social media. It is free advertising unless you choose to pay for audience boosts. Even then the fee can be minimal.

Social media boosts your digital publishing platforms. Whether you are sharing the links from your website or uploading the media directly to social media, you can increase your visibility.

The great part about sharing media on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram is it allows readers to share your great content.

You can be strategic and share small clips that drive traffic back to your website. Once there, convert the leads to new subscribers or even paid subscriptions.

By using digital publishing platforms you open a new line of communication with your readers. Add social add-on's that promotes conversations about the content.

Now you can engage with readers, receive accolades and immediate feedback. Some add-on's require social media accounts to verify they are legitimate accounts. Add to that, the comments appear on social media, which can direct new traffic back to your website.

You are now driving traffic without lifting a finger.

With print media you are somewhat limited to the number of people that subscribe to your magazine or paper at any given time. Once your content is converted to digital media you take the legwork out of finding new subscribers.

Your platform has nowhere to go but up with the right marketing strategy.

Once you utilize all the online marketing tools to get your platform up and running you can move on to producing quality content. Your advertisers, subscribers, and downloads can earn you extra cash.

Simply add a commerce piece to your site which allows users to pay online. The fees are deposited directly into your bank account within 24 - 48 hours, in most cases.

So no more "The check is in the mail."

There are numerous digital publishing platforms on the market. MagLoft offers state-of-the-art features that easily convert your PDFs to amazing online content.

Our features include easy conversion processes, and add-ons like animations, games, audio, and video.

If you are ready to convert from print to digital or are new to the industry, click here to see how it works.