Songlines magazine covers world music, with a compilation CD included in each issue. Like any specialist title, its main challenge is cost effectively reaching a niche audience. Publisher Paul Geoghegan has developed a clever way to find world music fans through what they buy, by building partnerships with specialist music retailers.

Songlines creates a free digital sampler for each issue, with snippets about artists, video clips, and audio samples of their tracks, and links to buy the album on Amazon. Great use of digital technology, and a small but helpful stream of commission on album sales. But the clever part is how the Publisher, Paul Geoghegan, has developed a partnership with Amazon, who include links back to the digital sampler from their product pages, and see the magazine as helping to establish them as a destination retailer for world music. As well as driving up to 1000 clicks a day, Amazon has sold special editions of Songlines’ printed magazine as well as their Songlines Music Awards compilation album. The record labels also like the sampler, and mail it out to their email customer lists. This third party promotion helps the sampler reach 50,000 visitors per issue.

The main value of the sampler is to drive subscriptions to the magazine; Paul Geoghegan is convinced it has fuelled their 20% growth over the last 3 years to 8000 subs. The sampler is also a route into international markets – the US and German editions link into amazon.com and .de to provide a seamless buying experience for readers.

Songlines also publish a full digital edition, either as a standalone sub for £19.75, or a £9.75 upgrade for print subscribers. Digital subscribers get an extra 5 track downloads each issue – labels are happy to co-operate as they see it as a promotional tool.

Of course the other specialist online music retailer is itunes. Songlines have 10,000 subscribers to theirpodcasts, with tracks and commentary, and have recently developed a free iphone app (50k downloads) with reviews, excerpts and links to buy music from itunes. Their next app is linked to the Songlines Music awards, with track samples and voting for the 600 nominated artists via the app as well as the website.

A growing brand extension is Songlines Music Travel, a partnership with The Taylor Made Groups Company to run trips to music festivals in Mali, Ethiopia and India. Coverage in national press travel sections has boosted awareness of the brand.

All in all, an impressive example of using the power of digital magazines to allow readers to discover, sample and buy music, plus working with specialist retailers to find more world music enthusiasts.

MAY 2011 UPDATE

Since the original article was written in September, plenty has moved on for Songlines.

Songlines Travel now has 14 destinations for 2011, incuding Cuba, Mali, Morocco  and Malawi.

Songlines Encounters already take part in established music festivals, and are now running their own festival at Kings Place on 23 June with 8 concerts featuring artists from around the world.

And the Songlines Music Awards have helped the publisher build strong relationships with three key music retailers: HMV, Amazon and itunes.  HMV are promoting the awards on their website, and the winners page on Amazon has a Songlines banner.  Plus itunes have created an awards page on their site with winners, nominees, podcasts, album and iphone app.

A winners video was launched via YouTube which was also released as a video podcast, automatically going to the 10,000 subscribers of the Songlines podcast.  Press for the awards has included BBC News, BBC Radio 3, Reuters and National Geographic.

All this activity has helped the Songlines' digital edition exceed the 1,000 subscriber mark, only a year after launch.

Earlier this Spring Publisher Paul Geoghegan was concerned that Amazon wanted to review their agreement for the interactive sampler.  However, he has now brokered a new deal for the Buyers Guide, which publicises the best album releases of the last 6 months.  This runs as a double page spread in the mag with Amazon stocking all the featured albums.

Songlines cleverly follow their audience of world music fans through the web, buying music online, live events and festivals, and even take them round the world to experience music in its original setting.  Impressive ambition for a small independent publisher.

Contacts: Paul Geoghegan, Publisher: paul@songlines.co.uk
Website: www.songlines.co.uk.
Interactive sampler: http://www.songlines.co.uk/interactive/071/

Enjoyed this article?  Been inspired?  Register free to attend the 2011 Specialist Media Show and join hundreds of other pioneering media owners to swap ideas and network.