Online publishing extends reach of both mass media and highly specialized content delivery media

Online publishing, also known by the terms web publishing, Internet publishing, and website publishing, is a term used broadly to describe the process of distributing various types of information through the Internet.

Online newspapers and magazines
Because of the extensive audience reach of the Internet, more and more “traditional” publishers, such as newspapers and magazines, are now publishing online or Internet versions of their publications. These Internet editions of traditional media complement the traditional “hard copy” versions of their newspapers, magazines and other periodicals such as newsletters.

Some publications are web-only
Alternatively, many new web publications are today produced only in a web version. Publishing companies producing such online publications generally started publishing on the Internet, and because of the cost efficiencies involved with web publishing, usually do not have hard copy versions of their online publications.

Provinsys.com, which publishes this website, is an example of an online publishing or web publishing company that specializes primarily in internet publishing as is first line of service.

Virtually any text materials, available or accessible thought the Internet, whether accompanied or not by graphic elements, is considered online publishing or web publishing. “Publishing in to the web” is a phrase used to describe making any communications or editorial materials available for reading, listening, or viewing, on the Internet. This includes text/graphics files, audio files, and video files.

Online publishing features a wide variety of material
This includes everything from widely popular Internet publishing efforts such as Google News, to general online directories of products and services, as well as highly specialized web content sites such as Internet newsletters on various topics, and blogs. Blogs usually reflect the specialized interests and knowledge of the blog’s author. Political commentary blogs, for example, comprise a rapidly expanding online publishing category.

There is a distinction between online publishing (web publishing, internet publishing) and publishing materials that are available in electronic format. Electronic editorial content materials such as e-reports, are often not published online, but rather are usually promoted or advertised online and are then are distributed online through the Internet, often in pdf form.