Blurb adds magazines and brochures to its services. Minimum order: one copy

Publishing platform Blurb has announced two new additions to its on-demand suite of print products: magazines and brochures.

The company has been moving apace with new options for publishers. Last month the company updated its e-book offering to include video and audio integration, something more suited to people who now prefer to read on tablets.

The magazine and brochure additions are available via an Adobe InDesign plug-in and results can be scaled to suit the needs of consumers of businesses.

Printing glossy, high quality brochures and magazines can be pretty costly. Getting a print run organised can also mean limitations such as minimum print orders, not great if you want to create something of quality for only a few editions.

Blurb says that the new service allows users to create low-volume orders in one week and that existing orders can easily be updated and reprinted if required. It’s something to think about if you would like a greener way to make a publication too – fewer copies can mean less waste.

“Creating a distinctive print marketing piece used to mean printing thousands of copies and take weeks to turnaround,” said Eileen Gittins, Blurb’s CEO and founder. “With our new brochure offering, the minimum order is one copy, the turnaround time is a few days and there are multiple options for cover finishes. Our new magazine offering is perfect for the way that people create and consume content today in short, sharp bursts. Who doesn’t want to see their work published in a magazine?”

Both of the new products are printed on HP Indigo presses. The company says that 20-240 page publications are ideal for magazines and 4-48 page brochures are also available. The brochures are presented with saddle-stitched binding and there’s a selection of cover finishes to choose from.

Both Magazines and Brochures are offered initially in 8.5 x 11-inch formats. An A4 range is also being developed and should arrive early next year.

To ensure a wider audience for a publication, Blurb users can also convert their brochures and magazines into digital versions as ebooks for the iPad or as PDFs for other readers. No minimum orders are required but the company does offer discounts for bulk orders.

Magazines are priced from £6.95 for a 20-page publication and brochures are available from £3.95 for the 4-page option. Volume discounts for both start at 7 copies.

So, if you’ve already written your Blurb book and published the ebook version too, maybe you can think about expanding your self-publishing empire with a few magazines and editorial options. You might create something that fans of the long-read have been waiting for.

Image Credit: Adrian Dennis / Getty Images