Publishing platforms are the backbone of any good digital publishing strategy. They make it easy for authors and publishers to create their own books or magazines and publish them on the web. 

But there's a lot more to publishing platforms than just creating content. You'll need a platform that can handle everything from formatting to distribution, with an interface that makes sense for your team's workflow. Here are a few must-have features for managing a digital publishing platform.

API Integration Options

API integration is a way to connect your content with other apps and services. Integrating your app with other services allows you to extend the functionality of your digital publishing platform so that it can perform tasks in other places and at other times.

API integration can also help you reach more users by providing an easy way for them to find out about all the great features in your app. It's like how when you're searching for something on Google Maps, it tells you which restaurants are nearby—this feature makes it easier for people who are hungry (and looking at their phones) to go out and try something new! Integrating through API means that once someone has found something useful on one service (like a recipe), they can easily access those same recipes from another source without having to re-enter all of their info each time.

Conversion to Different Formats

Conversion to different formats is a must-have feature for digital publishing platforms. You need to be able to convert your content from one format to another, including EPUB, MOBI, PDF and HTML.

Even though conversion may seem like a one-time process, it's actually an ongoing service that continues throughout the life cycle of your content. For example, an ebook might have been converted into multiple formats at the beginning of its life cycle (EPUB and MOBI), but then there’s also the possibility of needing PDF versions once it goes into print form or is made available as an audio book down the road.

Built-In Social Media Links

Social media links are embedded right into the content itself. This means that whenever readers share your content on social media, they can do so by simply clicking a button. You don’t have to do any extra work in order for them to share it with their friends and family, or promote it to a wider audience, or drive traffic back to your website. 

That makes it much easier for people who read your content online to share it on social media than if they had to copy-and-paste text from the browser bar (which requires multiple steps) into their own Twitter updates and Facebook posts.

Digital Rights Management

Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a digital rights management system that controls the use and distribution of digital files. A DRM system can be used to protect digital content from piracy, but it can also help publishers and authors protect their work from being copied or shared without permission. The most common form of DRM is encryption, which makes it harder for unauthorized users to access your content.

DRM systems have several different types of rules that determine how you're allowed to use a file:

• The number of times you can open a file (e.g., once per day)
• How many times you're allowed to print something from an ebook before getting charged extra fees for printing too many pages
• Whether or not someone else in your household can access the same file simultaneously

EPUB Validation & JSON Validation

Validating your EPUB files can be a tedious task, but it's important to do so. The validation process ensures that your book files are in the proper format and that there are no errors. This will help ensure your book is compatible with different reading platforms and devices and is ready for distribution.

JSON validation is another method used by digital publishing platforms to check for errors in a file before uploading it to their systems. It checks for encoding issues as well as other possible problems with text formatting, images, links and more.

HTML5 Output and Mobile Compatibility

HTML5 is the latest version of HTML, and it's the recommended standard for digital publishing. HTML5 offers several advantages over other types of content, including:

• Mobile compatibility—HTML5 output is compatible with most mobile devices.
• Web browser support—Most web browsers have built-in support for HTML5, which means you don't have to worry about compatibility issues or using a third-party plugin like Flash or Silverlight.
• Versatility—You can read your content on any device with a browser or smartphone, including desktops and laptops, tablets; e-readers like Kindles and Nooks, smartphones (Android phones/tablets, iPhones/iPods/iPads), Windows Phones, Blackberrys (OS 7+), etc.

Statistics Dashboard

The statistics dashboard should show how much time has been spent on each page and on the entire book. In addition, it should show how much time has been spent by a particular user and/or device.

For example:

• What is the average time that users spend reading each page?
• How much of your book do people read before they abandon it?

The platform should make it easy for you to track this information so that you can make changes to your digital publishing strategy as needed.

Conclusion

With the right digital publishing platform, you can create a truly exceptional experience for your readers. The best platforms will help you deliver content in a way that's relevant and easy to find, while also allowing you to build a community around your brand and engage with your audience. Need help building or optimizing a digital publishing platform to meet your organization’s needs? Reach out to our team today to get started.