Peku Publications recently published its first two electronic books, and plans to publish four more by the end of this year. The online publishing company, affiliated with a Baltimore accelerator, is also kicking off a marketing analysis this summer to grow readership of its 23 free online magazines.
The two e-books are “Entertaining with PKP,” recipes for cocktails and appetizers; and “Beyond Cats & Dogs: A Guide to Unique Pets.”
Both topics were chosen because of their popularity in the online magazines, says CEO and Editor Michele Pesula Kuegler, who is married to Tom "TK" Kuegler, co-founder and general partner of Wasabi Ventures LLC. The books are sold for Nook and Kindle on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com at $4.99 each.
Kuegler took over Peku Publications in 2008, which was launched that year under the name of Wasabi Media Group. It was renamed Peku last year.
Based in Manchester, N.H., Peku Publications is a portfolio company of
Wasabi Ventures, a venture capital firm that partnered with Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore last year
to create the Wasabi Ventures Accelerator.
Peku Publications received engineering and design support from Wasabi Ventures, and uses Wasabi Ventures interns on as-needed basis for business and marketing anaylsis. It has also used interns from Loyola’s English department for editing and writing.
Kuegler has grown the publication from five freelance writers and 20 articles per week to 20 freelancers, two editors and 100 articles per week in 23 online publications for a national audience.
“We have new, original content every weekday from experts in their fields,” she says of the publications on health and fitness, home and garden, entertaining and other lifestyle topics.
Peku Publications claims 1.7 million readers per month. The privately owned company has a revenue-based advertising model. Kuegler says that from 2009 to 2010, ad revenue grew by 639 percent; from 2010 to 2011, by 220 percent; and from 2012 to 2013, an expected 125 percent.
This summer’s marketing analysis will examine the current publications, what’s popular and look for ways to provide more in-depth content within the context of the current model.
Source: Michele Pesula Kuegler, Peku Publications
Writer: Barbara Pash