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Mission Control / Content

Our Take: Why You Should Be Reading Magazines

C/A Editor Ellen Ranta Olson shares what mags are doing right — and what lessons you can learn from them.

What makes a great magazine?

Good stories paired with even better photos.


What was the first magazine you loved?

W — for a few reasons. The physical heft and oversized format made it feel like a real indulgence. The content itself was daydreamy for my teenaged-self and provided an escape to a more exciting/fashion-centric/glamorous world. And they put Kate Moss, who I adored, on the cover all the time.

More and more readers are getting their content online. Why do you still love magazines?

I find it extremely difficult to actually finish reading an article online. A computer/tablet/phone is just one big device of distraction, with the nonstop notifications, texts, emails and ads. Sitting down with a magazine is a way of setting aside uninterrupted time to do something I love. Also, as a mom, you get a lot of judgment if you’re on your phone with your kid around, but reading a magazine in front of your child is perfectly acceptable [laughs].


What can a content marketer learn from magazines?

Magazines plan their editorial out well in advance and they don’t create content just for content’s sake — everything that they cover is worth covering. Brands should aim to do the same. Content should be strategic and planned, rather than an afterthought. It takes a little effort upfront, but creating an annual content calendar will change your life. (Or at least make your job a little easier.)

Content should be strategic and planned, rather than an afterthought.


What are three magazines we should check out?

This is tough because magazines, to me, are so personal. I love AFAR for its unique-yet-accessible travel stories and fun design; The Atlantic for long reads and sane news analysis; and I’m still a huge fan of just about every women’s mag out there, from Cosmo to Vogue. It’s fun to see how they’ve evolved over the last 20 years — and also how they’ve, in many ways, stayed the same


What brands are doing magazines right?

Net-a-Porter’s massive fashion magazine, Porter, fits right in on newsstands next to Elle and Vogue. Airbnb’s magazine, airbnbmag, reads like a real travel magazine, providing both armchair escapism and realistic trip ideas. The common theme: More magazine and great content, less brand and hard sell.


When you’re creating a publication, what lessons do you keep in mind?

In journalism school, the value of space on a page was drilled into me. Before the internet gave us the never-ending scroll, we were tasked with ensuring that everything we created was relevant and necessary, sometimes even finding the shortest synonyms for words in an effort to free up space. I still keep this in mind today as I brainstorm, write and edit, constantly examining how each piece of content serves the reader.

A person with light hair and a white top smiles at the camera. The image has a sepia tone, giving it a warm, vintage feel. The background appears to be a blurred indoor setting.
Ellen Ranta Olson Senior Editor

Ellen has created content for a plethora of brands, publications and websites, ranging from The Ritz-Carlton to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. A former editor of Southwest travel magazine Dorado, she has managed content marketing programs for various destinations, including Visit Tucson, Visit Charlotte and Discover Gilbert.

Outside of work, Ellen loves to watch her kids play soccer and go hiking with her dogs.

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