Many of us still are figuring out how to evolve our publications from being traditional printed magazines into a digital medium that satisfies our audience and our advertisers. Government Technology has transitioned their title into a digital magazine that takes advantage of the medium’s environment. While their pages are still built in the traditional portrait landscape, the publication brings elements to life using animated type and data graphics along with video clips.
Stepping up the level from the all-too common practice of static, replica PDFs, Government Technology engages its readers with a more interactive platform that brings to life information technology’s role in state and local governments. Noelle Knell, executive editor of Government Technology states, “In translating our print magazine to digital, we prioritized a look and feel that was consistent across both formats to create continuity for readers. For the digital version, we worked to bring as much interactivity to it as possible to really engage the digital audience in a unique way. It’s no longer enough to give readers a static version of what they’re used to reading in print.”
This philosophy helped Government Technology win the 2024 Azbee Awards’ Digital Magazine of the Year. As stated by judges from the competition, Government Technology absolutely delivers on what a digital magazine should be. It makes full use of its digital platform with one judge commenting, “Finally, we have a publication that recognizes that digital publications and print publications are different…the informative animations are really engaging and useful, dynamic ways of presenting otherwise static information. The links to multimedia — video, podcasts — and other content, such as full interviews, are well-presented and keep readers engaged beyond the page.” Another judge added, “Government Technology’s articles are well-written and thoroughly reported.”
I’m certain Government Technology will continue to refine their digital magazine experience as the medium shifts and changes so they can continue to provide a rich, interactive platform for their readers. Let’s look at what they have done to help us all re-imagine our own publication platforms to take full advantage of what can be considered a digital magazine for the future. View the publication’s award-winning entry as well as the other national winners from the 2024 Azbee Awards.