Most people would say that it’s a crazy idea. After all, according to The Guardian, sales of the top 100 magazines in the UK and Ireland decreased by more than half since the year 2000. Why would anyone want to get into a dying industry?

Well, sure, starting a print magazine probably is a bad idea. But who said anything about print? You can always create online magazine!

Step One: Ask yourself “Who is this magazine for?”

It’s important to remember that trying to appeal to everyone ultimately leads to appealing to no one.

For example, “Cosmopolitan” is a magazine that caters to women in the early 20s - mid 30s age bracket, and this clarity makes it easy for them to produce content that appeals to this specific demographic.

Now, of course, that doesn’t mean that no one besides women in their early 20s - mid 30s reads “Cosmopolitan”, but it’s clear who the content is tailored to.

You have to decide what specific group of people will your magazine cater to.

Step Two: Research your target audience

Don’t just assume that you know what that group of people is interested in without doing any actual research.

Join relevant Facebook (News - Alert) groups, check out subreddits, participate on Internet forums, read other magazines in that niche, etc. And don’t be afraid to talk to people and ask questions! This will allow you to understand your target audience better and produce content that resonates with them.

This is especially important if you aren’t the person that you are targeting (for example, you are a man who wants to start a magazine for women, or vice versa).

Step Three: Create the content

Do you have writing chops? Then you are in luck. You can simply create all the content yourself.

However, if you aren’t confident in your writing ability then it’s probably best to hire professionals, which you can do by posting an ad on the Problogger Job Board.

Make sure that you clearly describe the project, ask for 3 relevant writing samples, and tell the applicants to use a specific subject line when applying so that you could be sure that they actually read the ad.

You will probably get a lot of applications so give yourself enough time to sort through them and find the best people for the job.

Step Four: Create the design

Now that you have the content you need to create the .pdf version of your magazine.

Again, if you have design chops, then good for you, you can create the design yourself.

Alternatively, post an ad on UpWork. Make sure to clearly describe what you have in mind and ask the applicants to provide samples of previous work. Also, pay attention to the feedback they have received from the previous clients.

Step Five: Publish your magazine

Once you have the .pdf file it’s time to publish it.

That’s what digital magazine websites like Yumpu are for. Get an account, upload your .pdf document, and voila, the first issue is live! You can then embed it into your website. There’s also an option to use Yumpu iPhone (News - Alert) app to charge for subscriptions.