An App For People Who Still Prefer Print Magazines

Article written by guest writer Kecia Lynn

What’s the Latest Development?

As of yesterday, readers of Esquire‘s print edition can now clip, save, and share content directly from the pages to their online networks, thanks to a new app called Netpage. They can also buy highlighted products simply by holding their smartphones over the image and clicking a button. Aside from a few reminders, the basic layout of the magazine has not changed, yet the app brings much of the same interactivity found in Esquire‘s online edition to the still-much-larger segment of its readership that accesses its content the old-fashioned way.

What’s the Big Idea?

In an age where print magazines are fighting for survival, Kansas-based startup Netpage hopes its app will become the standard for interactive print reading across the industry. CEO Paul Morris is counting on users to share not just articles, but products, since Netpage receives a share of revenue generated from purchases. “[T]he real potential of the platform is the way it lets glossy magazine ads become friend-recommended instant purchasing opportunities online.” Hearst, Esquire‘s parent company, plans to add Netpage functionality to three more magazines in the spring.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com