Don Nicholas

Founder & Executive Publisher

Don Nicholas serves as Executive Publisher for Food Gardening Network and GreenPrints. He is responsible for all creative, technical, and financial aspects of these multiplatform brands. As senior member of the editorial team, he provides structural guidance, sets standards, and coordinates activities with the technology and business teams. Don is an active gardener whose favorite crops include tomatoes, basil, blueberries, and corn. He and his wife Gail live and work in southern Massachusetts surrounded by forests, family farms, cranberry bogs, and nearby beaches. Don is also the Founder of Mequoda Systems, LLC, which operates and supports numerous online communities including I Like Crochet, I Like Knitting, and We Like Sewing.

Articles by Don Nicholas

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Digital Media Evolution Charted by JEGI

The Jordan Edmiston Group Inc. hosted its 11th annual Media & Technology Conference for upward of 400 executives in January, focusing programs on the "The Convergence of Data, Marketing &

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Facebook, Publishers Nearing Faustian Bargain?

The late, great David Carr might have said it best in October of 2014: "For publishers, Facebook is a bit like that big dog galloping toward you in the park.

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

De-Coding Digital Magazine Publishing Software Rates Without Getting Swindled

A look at all the different fees you might encounter when choosing digital magazine publishing software Digital magazine publishing software comes in all forms, capabilities, and prices. In the past we've

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Digital Magazine Publishing Update: Adobe, Marriott, & Magzter

The news we look at in this roundup reflects the digital magazine publishing trends shaping the industry. You've got your mobile-focused advance from the arsenal of a longtime ally of

What is Web Advertising?

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

What is Web Advertising?

As a niche publisher, there are likely two ways you think about web advertising. For some of you, advertising is a primary way you generate revenue, by selling ad space

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Digital Advertising Trends: Avalanche, TNR, Conversions

Any and all recent discussions about digital advertising trends – including this one – make mention of native advertising. Some publishers have embraced it, while others are wrestling with the

Creating the Perfect Subscription Website Portal

Here at Mequoda we can never stress enough the value of a free portal to any subscription website, no matter what archetype it is. It’s the key to driving website

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Programmatic Ads the Focus of New Publishing Alliance

Programmatic ads, which give brands the option for automated buys in place of more traditional human interaction and negotiation, occupy a growing segment when it comes to publishing revenue. But

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Digital Magazine Apps: Talking New Media Top Headlines

Digital magazine apps open up many options for publishers. With tablets, smartphones, and phablets accommodating different designs, editions, and content, you can develop new audiences, maintain relationships with your current

5 Tips for Publishing on Apple Newsstand

Digital Magazine Publishing

5 Tips for Publishing on Apple Newsstand

It’s no secret that Apple’s Newsstand is a frustrating experience for many users, which in turn means it’s frustrating for publishers as well. Conventional wisdom holds that because Apple allows

Digital Magazine Publishing

How to Use Digital Magazine Publishing Software If You’ve Never Launched One Before

The truth is I don't have enough space to tell you how to use digital magazine software for every service out there. There are more options than I can count

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Digital Publishing News: Audience Records, More Aggregation, Viewability

Rounding up the latest digital publishing news reveals that several trends are sustaining themselves in the early months of the new year. Multiplatform audiences, driven by mobile, continue to grow.

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Statistics on Mobile App Users That’ll Steer Your Team Ahead

What's up with mobile apps and the people who use them? Anyone publishing a digital magazine, or planning to publish one, must keep up with app user statistics. Recent mobile

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Metered Paywall at New Yorker Working Wonders

For publishers, integrating a metered paywall into your subscription strategy has been on the table since at least 2011, when The New York Times took the plunge and not only

What Are Subscription Websites?

What Are Subscription Websites?

Many subscription websites charge a fee to access the premium content found behind the paywall, which is why subscription websites are among the most profitable websites on the web. And

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Mobile Publishing Trends to Keep Tabs On

Mobile publishing trends come and go, but multiplatform publishers have at least one huge advantage over those who shy away from seizing on the many digital opportunities for building and

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Magazine Publishing Industry March Update: Mergers, Staff Moves, and More

Every month, we check in with Folio:'s sister magazine, min, to monitor big comings, goings, and doings in the magazine publishing industry. This roundup features plenty of executive personnel changes,

What is Digital Magazine Publishing Software?

Digital Magazine Publishing

What is Digital Magazine Publishing Software?

Digital magazine publishing software is used by publishers to design, produce and publish digital magazines. These three functions may or may not reside in the same tools. For example, you

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Could Meerkat Become an Essential Publisher App?

We know, we know: It's a stiff challenge to keep up with all of the emerging social and sharing opportunities for publishers. But one new publisher app is gaining immediate

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Digital Publishing News: MPA Releases 6-Month Numbers

The Association of Magazine Media (MPA) released its most current industry numbers, building onto its monthly report with an accumulated six months' worth of audience data from August of 2014

11 Elements of Highly Effective Event Websites

Are you missing any of these cha-ching worthy event website elements? Publishers aren't strangers to events. B2B publishers often get more involved in audio conferences and webinars, but both consumer- and

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

How Badly Is Google Digital Advertising Beating the Field?

Google digital advertising generated more than $61 billion in revenue last year, more than Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, The New York Times, the Guardian, and BuzzFeed combined. This isn't the only

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Rodale Publishing Platforms Expand With New Sites

2015 is shaping up to be a busy year for Rodale publishing, the health and lifestyle leader always on the lookout for ways to maximize their digital magazine properties –

Mobile and Desktop Collide – What Are You Doing About It?

Digital Magazine Publishing

Mobile and Desktop Collide – What Are You Doing About It?

With apps, mobile has overtaken desktop in total Internet usage, but not in web browsing Mobile Internet usage has surpassed desktop Internet usage, according to comScore, but contrary to predictions in

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Digital Publishing Strategy Evolving for Companies

Here's the thing about digital publishing strategy: It never stands still – especially during this exciting time for the industry – and companies like yours are continually adapting. We're here

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Good News: Magazine + Media M&A on Significant Upswing

Multiplatform publishing is a business model we believe in with every fiber of our professional being, and we put those beliefs into practice around the clock. But it's nice to

Add Event Websites to Your Internet Business Model and Top Off Your Revenue Pyramid

Digital events are quickly becoming a highly profitable Internet Business Model The Mequoda Research Group has identified nine methods used by successful publishers for making money online: The 9 Online Content Business

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Bloomberg Digital Ambitions Built on Multiplatform Approach

After turning Atlantic Media into a global force to be reckoned with, Justin Smith now has his sights set on Bloomberg digital reigning supreme more than one year into his

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

New Digital Magazine App From Two Publishing Powerhouses

Fast Company is bypassing the Apple Newsstand with its new digital magazine app, powered by Adobe's latest suite of publishing tools.

Digital Magazine Advertising Could Be a Goldmine for You

Digital Magazine Publishing

Digital Magazine Advertising Could Be a Goldmine for You

Don’t overlook this powerful revenue stream When magazine publishers get together to talk about their advertising revenues, the common complaint is that even though they’re counting on online advertising to replace

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

New Branded Content Agency From Billboard and THR

Is there a hotter trend in publishing than the in-house branded content agency? And what does this phenomenon mean for niche digital magazines?

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Native Advertising Rules and Regulations the FTC Wants You To Know

Native ads have been around for a while, although they have gone by many other names in the history of media over the centuries. The legal concerns that come with

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Digital Magazine Subscriptions Becoming More Specialized

Do you have any super-subscribers? A recent report in Capital New York explores the idea of digital magazine subscriptions enhanced for your most loyal readers, citing brands like People and

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Event Marketing for Publishers: Stop Asking for Event Sign-Ups!

As event organizers, we send lots and lots AND LOTS of emails to get attendee registrations. After all, that’s the idea–to get as many people as possible to attend our

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Mobile Ad Viewability a Focus for Facebook, MRC

Ad viewability on mobile devices is an emerging issue for publishers, and Facebook – along with the Media Rating Council – has taken the lead on developing workable measurements.

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Digital Magazine Publishers: Replicas Aren’t Dead, Says Expert

Recent articles spelling doom for replica editions could be misleading to digital magazine publishers, writes D.B. Hebbard in a recent Talking New Media post. For his part, Hebbard points out

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Publishing Industry Trends This Week: Video, Tablets, Access

Expanded tablet use in China, growing consumer desire for quicker mobile access, and an increase in video ad viewability are among the publishing industry trends addressed by eMarketer in its

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Digital Magazine Publishers Making Moves, News

Once or twice a month we like to check in on digital magazine publishers making some noise with promotions, mergers, new business models, or major changes in course. We do

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

For Digital Publishing Companies: 5 Recent Stories to Check Out

With our blog, we aim to achieve a nice balance of posts that comprise the "Free Advice" we promise in our navigation bar. This combination includes best practices, case studies,

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Folio: Multiplatform Publishing Tops MPA Agenda

The MPA's annual American Magazine Media 360 Conference (in the past called the American Magazine Conference) took place last week in New York City with an estimated attendance of 500,

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

5 Best Native Advertising Examples That’ll Expand Your Ad Sales

Turns out that not only is native old news – it has gone by many other names in the history of media over the centuries – but the legal concerns

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

Best Digital Publishing Strategies Mix the Old and the New

Ken Doctor writes in a recent Nieman Lab post that the resurgence of email newsletters, among other trends often associated with the digital era, are actually longstanding practices that have

Digital Magazine Publishing

Five Key Trends for Magazine Media in 2015

It’s time once again to gaze into the crystal ball and set out what I think 2015 will deliver. As someone from the ‘boomer’ generation, it appears I must now bow

Digital Magazine Publishing

New Digital Newsstands Will Empower Single Author Digital Magazine Publishers

“For $10,000 per issue I can create a magazine that the big boys can't produce for $250,000. Apple and Amazon have given me a distribution platform where I can compete

Digital Magazine Publishing

What Consumers Want from Digital Magazines

Stay current with new digital magazine trends and you'll stay ahead of the competition. That's the idea, right? Those may be words to consider every day you step into the

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

A Childhood Ambition Achieved, a New Platform Added to my Career

Mequoda Gold Members and every reader of this blog know me as a publishing consultant, journalist and blogger. Now I’m thrilled to introduce to you: Don Nicholas, novelist. No, it’s

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

5 Event Marketing Ideas to Keep Your Attendees Coming Back

I’ve been creating niche events (under 2,000 attendees) for over a decade now and have picked up some sure-fire event marketing strategies along the way. Creating dynamic marketing strategies for

Multiplatform Publishing Strategy

What is Native Advertising Content?

Native advertising is content that is created to subtly promote or sell a product. It is also referred to as an advertorial. Most often, this content is sponsored by a

The Multiplatform Publishing Strategy Handbook

The Multiplatform Publishing Strategy Handbook

Claim your FREE digital copy of our Multiplatform Publishing Strategy Handbook: 60 Digital Publishing Secrets for Making Millions Online now.

The Battle for Best Website Design Lies in These 16 Questions

No matter how many website awards there are out there, no one website could ever win the battle for best website design of all, because there are so many factors

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