Building Income from a Passionate and Engaged Customer Base

AFLOAT Publications is now benefiting from multiple new revenue streams from BOM's online solution for the 15-year veteran publisher of one of Australia's most popular community boating magazines.

Challenge:

Develop a professional, portal-style environment through which AFLOAT could build incremental income from existing advertisers, attract new advertisers and realise income from their readers through value-add services while keeping the magazine free.

Solution:

BOM developed and continues to evolve a marine portal for AFLOAT which is meeting the challenge through:

• A paid online subscriber community that provides avid Afloat readers with discussion forums, sharing of their favorite boating photos, bonus magazine content and a comprehensive marine weather service as well as full access to back issues of Afloat
• Sponsorship of the online community gives advertisers access to this passionate and dedicated boating audience 
• A comprehensive marine services and products directory and automated classified ad facility provide a significant reader service and is a major revenue contributor 
• The publication of the full, current magazine each month allows print advertisers to extend their reach for a small incremental rate

Results:

In the first month of the new website, there was no promotion of the re-launch -- while the number of unique visitors remained level, the page views increased by more than 25%.  Readers have begun to take up online community subscriptions and to purchase classifieds and a complete advertising package is currently going to market to begin to realise the full value of exposure to this audience.