It's no secret that Flipboard is a resounding success among people (50 million of them) who want to consume a wide range of organized content. But in the two weeks since Flipboard announced their user-generated magazine feature, more than 500,000 personalized magazines have been created. For most, it's the perfect way to be your own content curator. For savvy content creators, however, it can be an excellent avenue for self-promotion.
I'm a writer, so I'll be focusing on promoting the written word within the digital pages of Flipboard's user-generated magazines, but these tips can be applied in a variety of other ways. Promote products with your Amazon Affiliate account, share your band's music from Soundcloud, recommend your own recipes or restaurants, get the word out about your YouTube channel, short film, small business...you get the idea.
Step 1: Assemble Your Sources
A selection of my Flipboard Feeds
My interests lean toward technology and games, and my Flipboard subscriptions (above) reflect this. I use the app for personal enjoyment and content discovery -- as do millions of others -- so let's use that to our advantage.
Assemble at least 9 of your favorite feeds by using the search bar at the top of Flipboard. The app will scour Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, RSS Feeds,
The goal here is to add a variety of sources related to the content you're promoting. I write about tech, so I've surrounded myself with other experts in the field like Tom's Hardware, AnandTech, and Maximum PC.
Step 2: Create Your Magazine
The magazine creation process is simple. Find any content on your Flipboard, and touch the + sign on the bottom right of the screen to kick things off.
When it's time to name it, don't be shameless -- you don't want to create the "Jason Evangelho's Awesome Articles" magazine. Name it something people who would gravitate toward your content should find valuable. In my case, I've named it "The DIY PC" (subscribe to it here!) and added this description: "Tips, news, deals, and useful articles for the PC building enthusiast."
Step 3: Add Useful, Entertaining Content -- Including Your Own
My cover for "The DIY PC" magazine on Flipboard
Key to promoting yourself is avoiding the temptation of promoting only yourself. Going back to my magazine as an example, I've surrounded my own Forbes content with benchmarks from Tom's Hardware, daily deals from Tiger Direct, and other interesting reads from around the web. A good rule of thumb: if it interests you as it relates to your specialty, chances are good it will interest your intended audience.
Earlier I mentioned adding your Twitter favorites timeline to Flipboard, and here's why: I have my Twitter stream open all day, and can quickly mark a tweet that catches my attention as a favorite. Perhaps it's a great deal on PC hardware at Amazon, maybe a longread on the history of compact computer cases. That propagates to my Flipboard, and then adding whatever was associated with the tweet is as easy as clicking the + sign.
Take this approach a step further, and you can add your own Twitter timeline to Flipboard -- and of course anyone's YouTube channel, Flickr page, etc -- to create an entertaining blend of multimedia content.
Again, don't be shy about promoting the work of others as a springboard for your own work being discovered. Make it a good read, update it constantly, and be sure to...
Step 4: Get The Word Out
Flipboard will do its part to include your magazine in related searches, but you'll want to share your creation to friends, colleagues, future clients, and everyone in between. From your magazine's cover, simply touch the Share button, and you can promote your new magazine via any account you've added to Flipboard: LinkedIn, Tumblr, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Don't merely send out the blurb Flipboard auto-generates, either. Tell people this is your magazine, with engaging stuff they'll enjoy reading. I guarantee they'll be impressed.
Have a question about creating, building, and sharing your Flipboard magazine? Reach out to me on Twitter. And hey, some shameless self-promotion: Subscribe to my magazines at the following links:
- The DIY PC: Tips, news, deals, and useful articles for the PC building enthusiast.
- Hardware Lust: Nothing but drool-worthy tech, gadgets, and shiny wallet-draining electronics.
