EMarketer spoke with Jeanniey Mullen of Zinio and found that the web has greatly altered content consumption for most consumers.

In an interview with eMarketer, Jeanniey Mullen, global executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Zinio, said that the web and mobile devices are changing the way consumers interact with magazines and other publications. Among the most important insights for marketers is that more people are accessing content they previously did not, with news content in high demand.

Mullen said that 85 percent of people who read magazines and other publications Zinio’s virtual newsstand do not have subscriptions to them in print. On the web, consumers have more easier access to articles and other content than they do offline. Content marketing campaigns that bring original, industry-related insights to prospects can leverage this idea effectively. Offering potential and current customers news content marketing and other material will attract them as readers and move them closer to conversion.

According to Mullen, the mobile web has also resulted in consumers accessing content across different platforms. About one-fifth of her target audience reads content from different Zinio properties on desktops or laptops, tablets and smartphones. The increasingly web-connected consumer makes content marketing a strong fit for businesses of all kinds, especially as search engines shift to ensure only those offering quality website content rank well.

“The content-discovery model seems to be very interesting to our consumers and driving a tremendous amount of our commerce,” Jeanniey Mullen, chief marketing officer for Zinio.

“We also know that more than 20 percent of the Zinio audience, tens of millions of people, are actually accessing the same magazine from three different platforms,” Mullen told eMarketer.

Prospects are demanding quality content from the websites they visit. However, it’s equally important that marketers ensure that they offer diverse content. While Mullen has found great interest in articles, blog posts and other written content, Brafton recently reported that more than half of tablet owners access videos with their devices at least once per month. Moreover, 10 percent watch clips and video at least once every day.

As tablet ownership continues to grow, the importance of considering these devices in marketing efforts will continue its ascent. A strong mobile web marketing strategy can also drive SEO for companies, as Google recently clarified its stance on mobile search optimization. Brafton recently highlighted comments from Google’s Pierre Far in reporting that a responsive mobile site using the same URL as a desktop site will help businesses drive their search standing. As consumers using tablets and smartphones account for a greater portion of website traffic, ensuring they can seamlessly find and engage content will help web marketing campaigns thrive.

Joe Meloni is Brafton's former Executive News and Content Writer. He studied journalism at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has written for a number of print and web-based publications.