Many publishers simply replicate their print magazines for their mobile edition and don't offer any extra value for digital subscribers. Motor Sport has created an exclusive F1 Grand Prix review and a pictorial review of the month for their tablet edition, and has been rewarded with a 39% year on year increase in revenues.
While Motor Sport is steeped in history, it’s not shy of breaking new and technological boundaries. In 2012, Motor Sport launched its fully interactive digital edition of the magazine. The publisher made bold decisions to utilize a dedicated designer to create a unique spin on the print product using specialist software, which allowed for as much creative input as possible. Since its launch, the Motor Sport magazine app, with its collection of digital materials has grown from strength to strength.
The Motor Sport magazine app
Free to download and available on either iOS (Apple iPad) or Android devices. One of the key features within the app is its scrapbook, which allows users to easily collect articles or features into their own library while still holding all of its interactive elements. Users can pick from the latest edition of the magazine, the F1 race reports and racing supplements.
The digital edition
This slick, easy to navigate, fully interactive digital edition is available to download at the same time as print subscribers receive their copy, three days before it is on sale in the shops, which is an excellent benefit for international readers. The magazine has also been designed so there is no need to pinch and zoom to read articles. It also uses interactive elements such as video clips, photography tricks and click-throughs to add material that will benefit the user experience. Within the magazine, readers can share Motor Sport articles via social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Other innovations
Motor Sport offer two exclusive free products within the app that are available to regular readers and also entice new users to the brand. The free products allow users more choice and as a result retention on the site has increased.
After each Grand Prix, Motor Sport offer an exclusive free download of the weekend’s action, bringing the best photographs of all the major talking points, plus full results, track illustrations, historical data and live Twitter feeds from the top F1 drivers. The success of the free F1 Grand Prix reviews resulted in a one-off special for Ferrari, for an event held at Silverstone.
In 2013, Motor Sport also launched The Month in Motor Sport, a free pictorial review of the best race and rally action from around the world. With a sport both rich in variety and so dramatically photogenic, Motor Sport can present the best imagery from recent events – exclusively for digital tablet readers. The format is simple: a selection of pictures from some of the best motor sport photographers in every corner of the globe, from Formula 1 to NASCAR via rallying, sports car racing, MotoGP and more. Some of the images, taken from the archive of the publishers’ partners at LAT, are available to buy as prints, key rings, mouse mats and even mugs from their Photo Store.
Results
Since its launch in 2012, the Motor Sport digital edition has seen a steady take up in circulation and revenue.
* From March to August 2013, total revenue was up 39% year-on-year and in-app downloads are up 43%.
* Based on the standard advertising campaigns run this year, which have been straight-forward page creatives, Motor Sport’s tablet solution is currently delivering advertising engagement rates above industry average.
* The Motor Sport app has also featured in iTunes 33 times in 13 countries including the UK, US, China and Australia.
Digital Designer, Zamir Walimohamid, adds: “Motor Sport are always trying to improve our products and have many big ideas for the future. One of the main things that we will be looking to do is giving our users a more advanced container app that will have many more features which would include a back catalogue of our archive dating back to 1924, and functions that would allow us to collect data and increase cross product promotions.”
The Media Innovation Awards are designed to recognise innovation and entrepreneurial spirit in publishing and media businesses, both large and small. Winners will be announced on 8 April 2014 at the Digital Media Innovation Conference in London.
