How to Start a Publishing Company

Nonfiction is a growing sector of the U.S. publishing industry. From creating how-to guides to courses and educational resources, there’s plenty of demand for insightful, informative, practical content.

Journalism requires a special type of publishing — information needs to get into the world quickly, and it relies not just on reporting but analysis and insight. Because it’s very difficult to be a generalist when it comes to news, you should choose and publish in a niche that you know well.

More people are choosing to consume published content in audio or video form. From publishing on YouTube to creating podcasts, there’s an ever-growing market for content you can interact with while doing other things.

Blogging is one of the easiest ways to become a publisher. In some cases you will create blog content yourself, and in others you may accept content from guest contributors in exchange for backlinks or other collateral.

There’s nothing more traditional than a book publisher, and with easy access to ebooks via Kindle and other platforms, the costs are low. If you’re an author, you might even try self-publishing your work.

For most publishers, your USPs will come from two areas: the niche you choose and the style/format that you present work in.

The thing to learn here is that it’s okay to say “no” to your first, second or third publishing business ideas. Very few entrepreneurs get it right the first time. In fact, getting it wrong is often a badge of honor! Still, you don’t want to waste too much time, energy or money on the wrong initiatives, so ask and answer these questions honestly to find the right way forward.

Clearly identify their niche that you’re targeting and what they are likely to want from your content. This will be essential to your marketing, communications and promoting your content.

One of the great things about the publishing business is that there are plenty of great communities and discussion groups. Get involved in them and learn the ins and outs of your chosen market before committing.

You will need a separate business bank account for your publishing business. You might also want to consider a business credit card. Additionally, you will also need to keep careful bookkeeping records and file business and personal taxes. Here at Incfile we can even help you file your taxes.

Marketing will be a huge part of your publishing business. Naturally, you will need an awesome website, but you'll also need to get branding, newsletters, digital ads, social media accounts and other channels in place. As a publisher, organic SEO will be a large part of your content and marketing strategy.

If you’re a digital publisher, you probably won’t need to hire anyone else for your publishing business until you have grown, especially if you’re a good administrator.

If you’re a digital publisher, it’s very likely that you can work from home or a shared working space, at least initially. This is great as it reduces your office costs considerably. If you’re a more specialized publisher or you publish in a traditional way, you may need extra space for support staff and equipment.

As a digital publisher, it’s likely that the only equipment you will need to run your publishing business is a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone and specialized software. If you’re producing audio or video content, you will also need a microphone, relevant recording devices and software to edit and add to your content.

The right software and processes will make running your publishing business much easier. See our list of the best apps and software at the end of this guide.