Publishing industry still has a bright future, even with changing technologies

by | Jan 24, 2013 | Benefits of physical materials in the digital world

The printing and publishing industries might be working hard to compete with ever-evolving technologies, but with the right integration, they can still find great success in the digital world.

Baratunde Thurston wrote a contribution piece for the business blog Fast Company, discussing how the the future of the publishing industry is strengthened by new technologies – not necessarily hindered.

According to Thurston, words as a whole are a growth market, regardless of where they originate from.

“Yet we’re doing more than digitizing words and adding tantalizing interfaces,” Thurston wrote. “We are networking them – and the ideas they represent. What excites me most about the future of reading is the linking, translating, co-creating and discovering we have yet to do.”

That same idea holds true for printing companies that are beginning to integrate new systems into their daily operations. This blog has previously mentioned augmented reality (AR) applications, and how it can enhance a customer’s experience with printed copy.

Fry Communications announced in a recent press release that the company was also going to be using the new technology in its operations. With AR, publishers can incorporate interactivity with the printed page through a smartphone. For example, readers can watch videos and connect to social media simply by scanning an image from the paper onto their mobile device.

It increases engagement, and enlarges the publisher’s reach through the social media feeds. Additionally, it provides a way for companies to generate revenue by selling feature-rich ads with amazing direct lead generation capabilities.

For companies that want to integrate AR into their repertoire, they should ensure that the images are durable and protected. Investing in quality lamination equipment can provide an extra layer to documents and images. Whether sent through direct mail or other means, binding supplies can hold papers together as well, which will demonstrate that a business values professionalism along with new technologies.