By Mark Glaser
Online news startups have a conundrum: Some people prefer print products, but printing newspapers can be cost prohibitive. One solution has been a throwback to that DIY, scrappy print zine, a format that has a long history from revolutionary pamphlets to punk rock in the late 70s. At least six Tiny News Collective members have been publishing zines to help promote their brand, distribute stories and, well, because they’re fun.
“Zines are inherently DIY: not glossy, handmade, a little rough. If those adjectives also fit your brand, don’t be afraid to fully lean into the weirdness of making a zine,” said Soleil Ho, co-founder of COYOTE Media, which created a zine with a comic about starting a mutual aid swap as part of a fundraising perk. Other TNC members with zines include Newsberg, Stumptown Savings, Tenderloin Voice, Southpoint Access and the art rebellion.
And thanks to their connections through Tiny News Collective, many of the founders helped each other by sharing zine templates, advice and marketing strategies. If you’re thinking of starting a zine, here are some ways they can help serve your audience and extend your marketing in unique ways.
1. Zines help market your publication in the community.
Having an email newsletter or website is nice, but they live in the electronic, virtual world. Having a zine creates a whole other relationship with your community out in the real world. Laura Wenus, co-founder of the Tenderloin Voice, said they heard over and over from the community that they wanted a print publication, as there used to be a couple different print papers over the years in that neighborhood of San Francisco. The Voice founders knew that a print newspaper was prohibitively expensive, so they settled on a colorful zine with stories, pictures and even community-written poetry inside (see the first issue here).
“The Tenderloin is dense, and geographically it’s small,” Laura said. “We are a team of three, and we could quickly hit the farmers market and a dozen local cafes that are within walking distance for us. We don’t have to do direct mail distribution. We can genuinely do it by hand, and if we can’t do it ourselves, people are willing to help.”
The Voice’s biggest benefit so far is seeing people react when they see the zine and recognize people in photos or know someone with a byline. “One of them held the zine and said, ‘This is the realization of a dream.’ I was floored,” Laura said.
For Branden Andersen, founding editor of Newsberg, distributing the zine is a way to get out into the community and make connections with people, including businesses that might be potential sponsors. He has been distributing the Newsberg zine, an eight-page explainer about the publication with QR codes to content, weekly since last May in places like bars, cafes and even City Hall. (You can see his simple template here.)
“They can really be a branding opportunity,” he said. “And when you go to drop off zines, say hi to the bartender, say hi to the barista. Everybody wants to talk about the news all the time. So don't forget that that is the financial power of these: You might get a [donor] here or there, and you're also building close connections with the business community.”
2. Zines are flexible, easy and cheap to produce.
The main way our members have been creating zines is to:
Bryan M. Vance, founder and publisher of Stumptown Savings, used the same thrifty mindset in making a zine as he does in his coverage about grocery savings. The zine he recently launched cost almost nothing to make outside of his time. “Our public library lets you print up to a hundred documents a day for free,” Bryan said. “I printed it there and then folded them up and cut them there. I had spent a few hours doodling around in Canva writing the copy, and now I have 150 of them folded and ready to go.”
Bryan used the zine template that Branden had used for Newsberg, and also found some good YouTube videos explaining how to create them. He feels like zines have a handmade vibe that resonates more with people, and you don’t have to be a perfectionist when you fold them up. He created the zine specifically to give away at an upcoming event where he has a booth, but he also plans to create zines for his paying members, potentially on seasonal topics.
Laura at the Voice did notice that toner costs can add up, as they use a laser printer for their zines. But she also appreciated the fact that they could get something out into the community quickly through a zine. Plus, if they want to update an issue, which has mostly evergreen stories, they can just swap in current community calendar listings.
3. Zines can bring in revenues through sponsorships, memberships and donations.
The primary value of zines for publishers is as a marketing vehicle, helping spread the word in the community while giving people reading material at bars and cafes. But they also have the potential to provide more revenue opportunities as well. Branden at Newsberg had so much demand for his zine that he created a larger form, two-page print newsletter (with legal sized paper at 8.5 inches by 14 inches), using the Chamber of Commerce’s commercial printer through a partnership. He even sold a couple sponsorships, including to a realtor (see image above).
“It's not something I expected to monetize,” Branden said. “I view this solely as a marketing play, not where people are actually getting their news. But I think enough people are picking it up and taking it home and sharing it with their friends that it is being seen. And there is a level of effectiveness to it. I do hope to have a full print publication one day. And this is pretty good proof that there is some level of appetite for it.”
Laura says the Voice is considering selling sponsorships for its zine and might add coupons from local merchants. But with their small team, they need to test the market to make sure it’s worth the effort. As with other publishers, the Voice is using the zine more for marketing and outreach vs. driving revenue. “It’s not just about reach, it’s about trust,” Laura said. “We’re well on our way.”
4. Zines offer analog joy as a counterpoint to addictive technology.
Why are people yearning for print zines? They run counter to all the trends toward endless social media scrolling, email newsletters, podcasts and other digital media. And that might be the point — and likely the same reason vinyl records made a comeback. There’s something special about holding that little print zine in your hands, reading what’s inside and then putting it down and leaving it behind.
“People are really craving physical things,” said Bryan at Stumptown Savings. “Something they can hold and flip, that isn't on their phone.”
Branden at Newsberg echoes that feeling, and has even subscribed to more print papers and magazines lately. “I can go sit in my easy chair and just read the news and when I'm done, I fold it up. I use it to potty train the dog or to start the backyard fire. I like the idea of not being constantly pulled into the next thing that's going to distract you. It's a beautiful thing. We're starting to be reminded that there is a better way to consume news, and it doesn't have to be with pop-ups and moving images and distractions and links.”
Soleil at COYOTE Media sums it up best: “The benefit of a zine? Looks hella cute!”
Mark Glaser is a communications consultant for Tiny News Collective, Press Forward and The Lenfest Institute, and was the founder and executive editor of MediaShift.org. He was formerly the director of business and program development for the New Mexico Local News Fund. He runs the Wind Power Media consultancy out of Santa Fe.
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