One of the big differences in the publishing world before the internet and now is managing distribution and scaling the business. Publishers who built their business over decades found themselves at a disadvantage when competing with online players.
In the earlier business model, there were fixed points of distribution. Once titles were edited and published, there were channels to tap into and the books or journals could go through a well-defined network with visible points and revenue sharing arrangements.
Going with any of the established online players meant giving up both control and revenue. Some of the larger publishers and academic enterprises also found that the technology issues that needed to be tackled were challenging and building that capability inhouse would be both expensive and time-consuming.
Impelsys changes the game with IPC Scholar 3.0
Impelsys helps publishers establish their own branded digital publishing portal. Starting from conversion of all existing IP to multiple digital formats and helping them retain complete control. Whether it is e-books, interactive books, audio books, videos and special collections, every single publication can be created afresh or re-designed and repurposed.
Impelsys will help manage conversions (ebook conversion services)with a team that has deep expertise in learning management systems. By repurposing content and making it available in different formats, the revenue opportunity opens up far beyond a single market and modes of learning.
They can be managed from within a central content management system with hierarchical control defined for making edits and changes by team members when required. This can be deployed across geographies globally, providing a wide degree of flexibility and ease.
Publishers can reach audiences in any part of the world (and it is GDPR compliant) with language editions adapted from the original as well as collect payments in local currencies. Since they hold the copyright, it means additional revenue opportunities open up with the same content being available in multiple languages.
The payment system is integrated into the platform and does not need to be built separately.
Build and earn revenue from your own ad network
If publishers already have a large audience in the hundreds of thousands or millions, they could be leveraged to earn advertising revenue. Existing audiences could be the point for cross promotions with brands who would like to reach them to promote their products.
Impelsys has the system for building and managing SEO, widgets, creating a ratings and review system, sharing articles or snippets on social media, running discounts and promotions at specific times during the year or creating and redeeming coupon codes.
Each of these are integrated into a seamless whole to provide visibility. For example, finding out which content gets the best traction, or which promotions get the best ROI. Even within the content, contextual targeting of ads can expand revenue opportunities. It also gives brands an opportunity to go out of the opaque ad networks run by Facebook and Google.
Impelsys will manage the ad network and build it out as required by the publisher or the academic enterprise. It opens up revenue streams and business opportunities that were simply not accessible in the earlier business models.
The ability to switch between business models or even explore new ones is the flexibility that IPC Scholar 3.0 allows. Publishers can begin with conventional modes and then decide which ways they want to attract new audiences or grow existing ones. Content repurposing for example, allows charging for multiple access modes.
Content adapted to all screen sizes
One of the problems with content created a few years ago is that it was accessible only on laptops and desktops. Mobile screens presented a challenge.
Impelsys creates responsive product pages (Themes) that can be adapted and modified to fit any screen size with ease. That makes it easier for learners to concentrate on learning rather than the mechanics of magnifying certain areas on the screen.
Take, for example, the older PDFs. They are essentially much harder to navigate and read on mobile screens. Simply converting existing text to PDFs (epub conversion services) is unlikely to drive greater interest or understanding among users.
In addition, actionable product pages make it easy to test comprehension and the levels of learning. On the reader, it is possible to present and go through video, audio, infographics and text, depending on what needs to be communicated.
The way content is structured also makes it easy to split the exercises based on the screen. Mobile-friendly content provides greater opportunities for learning, since the device is always within easy reach and even a few minutes a day spent on learning makes a difference.
We’ve seen large companies like Google split complex subjects in digital marketing into smaller and easier to consume modules. This reduces the stress on users who can go over things they need to visit multiple times, if necessary to attain the required level of comprehension. Similarly Scholar 3.0 LMS module has micro modules that are easier to consume and market.
Military grade security (DRM) and deep analytics
Protecting intellectual IP is essential. For the publisher or the academic enterprise, it constitutes knowledge gathered over years and decades. They could have an edge in certain disciplines and that reputation is well-earned.
Keeping that edge while attracting fresh audiences is the key. In addition, as touched upon earlier, repurposing content to reach audiences who may want it in a different format or language and retaining control provides a way to significantly higher revenues.
Impelsys already works with some of the best-known names in the academic and institutional firmament. They are able to manage their content streams and expand into new territories, leveraging the reputation they have already built.
The analytics built into the platform provide insights for teams to work on as well as gauge where effort needs to be directed. The content that produces the best results, the feedback that emerges from interactions and the levels of comprehension that can be tracked makes IPC Scholar 3.0 an invaluable asset for teams to work with and collaborate.
There’s no need to worry about security, updates or device compatibility. Keeping the brand identity, colours and typography ensure that for anyone accessing the portal, it’s like an extension of the existing brand in all respects.
