Monday, March 17, 2014
Magazines as a New Social Media
Katryn Flynn
Magazines have forever been a form of “social” media. I remember times when I was younger, sitting around with my girlfriends and chatting while browsing issues of Teen Vogue, Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour. Whenever we found an article that interested us, we would pipe up and read aloud the titles of said articles.
Today, we still share interesting articles with our friends, albeit not by word of mouth but through the use of social media. In a report compiled by the MPA: The Association of Magazine Media entitled “Magazine Readers are Social,” there is a researched statement that explains that avid magazine readers tend to use multiple social platforms and that “a substantial majority also re-tweet articles from a magazine’s Twitter feed” (3). Twitter is such a strong source of social sharing when it comes to magazine articles that the MPA has found that “56% of total Twitter users and 65% of avid readers ‘follow’ a magazine editor or columnist on Twitter”, while “51% of respondents have re-tweeted to a magazine editor’s Twitter” (4). Personally, I follow a number of magazines, their editors, and magazine columnists on Twitter. For many, this is a method of retrieving magazine news and articles without even purchasing a single issue.
As for any reading material, it is imperative to engage your intended audience. There are a number of ways to accomplish this, with the primary method being the ability to write about what interests your audience. A Mashable.com article by Gina Gotthilf describes “7 Ways Print Magazines are Using Social Media to Engage Readers.” The number 2 way she discusses is the way magazines are now expanding their editorial content. By monitoring feedback via social media, magazines can pinpoint exactly what it is that their readers want to read about. Gina states, “Now, savvy publications are using social media to harvest ideas based on feedback from their social media communities to efficiently craft future issues.” Luckily for print magazines, this success in engaging their audiences can eventually translate into future sales of physical copies and digital subscriptions alike.
Many of those who purchase digital magazine subscriptions own both smartphones and tablets. In fact, those who read digital editions of magazines averages to about half of all tablet owners, 54.6% who are men and 45.4% are women (MPA Factbook 52). Digital editions aside, many magazines now offer apps that readers can download to their phones and tablets, some of which can be downloaded without purchasing a subscription. According to the 2013 MPA Factbook, magazine apps have become the top sellers in key iPad categories (61). In the “Lifestyle” category alone, thirteen out of the fifteen most downloaded lifestyle apps are magazine apps. The three highest ranking of the magazine apps in the lifestyle category are GQ; O, The Oprah Magazine; and Cosmopolitan (61). Looking back at the statistics on tablet magazine consumers, we can see that men are in fact the top digital edition readers, especially when it comes to GQ.
The wonderful thing about most magazines is that they target a niche audience, which also helps engage their readers. Gotthilf’s third example of magazines using social media in this way talks about providing expertise and editor/columnist feedback in real time; this of course could only be accomplished with a live audience, which in this society tends to mean an active social media following. About a year ago, editor-in-chief of Glamour magazine Cindi Leive took advantage of this opportunity. Like we have seen with TV shows such as Scandal, Glamour fans were able to ask Cindi questions about not only the magazine itself, but about her life, her hobbies, and how to break into working in the magazine industry. All of this took place over Facebook and Twitter. Those interested would post a question in the form of a comment on Facebook, to which Cindi would answer. Throughout the event, both Cindi and Glamour “advertised” the actual event by tweeting about it. Glamour also created numerous posts on their Facebook account telling fans how to become involved.
Even though print media may be slightly fading, magazines are not going anywhere. By turning themselves into highly social platforms and media outlets, one might say that they have become their own form of social media.
Works Cited
Gotthilf, Gina. "7 Ways Print Magazines Are Using Social Media to Engage Readers." Mashable., 9 Feb. 2007. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. http://mashable.com/2011/02/09/social- media-magazines/
MPA: The Association of Magazine Media, comp. Magazine Media Factbook. Rep. Brown Printing Company, n.d. Web. .
MPA: The Association of Magazine Media, comp. Magazine Readers Are Social. Rep. MPA: The Association of Magazine Media, n.d. Web. .
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Magazine media across platforms has seen an increase in 2013 (Wagner). Magazines have done a great job transcending media platforms. Magazines are able to use social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to gain the attention of niche audience members. Since magazines are geared towards specific audiences and readers are committed to magazine brands, the result is receptivity to advertisements, online search, purchase intent, and significant engagement in and sharing of both edit and advertisements (Wagner). Magazines have a very dedicated viewership, therefore people are willing to purchase print or digital copies of magazines and follow them on social media. I follow Cosmopolitan magazine on Twitter, I liked them on Facebook, and I frequently check their website. I continue to buy Cosmopolitan magazine each month, but instead of waiting another a few weeks to read new material I am able to constantly check their website, Twitter, and Facebook for new articles. I frequently purchase products advertised in Cosmopolitan magazine, discuss articles with my friends, and re-tweet their content. Social media has given magazines a new way to communicate with viewers and generate more interest throughout the weeks the magazines aren’t published. Social media enables magazines to interact with viewers and keep viewers interested in material. Social media is used with magazines to enhance the users experience. Magazines are doing a great job of utilizing social media to keep viewers interested.
ReplyDeleteAccording to a report by the MPA: The Association of Magazine Media titled “Magazine Media Readers are Social”, among 18-34 year olds 56% of total Twitter users and 65% of avid readers follow a magazine editor or columnist on Twitter (3). Twitter is a great way for magazines to target a younger demographic and interact with current readers and possibly gain new readers. According to a report by the MPA: The Association of Magazine Media titled “Magazine Media Readers are Social”, 51% of respondents ages 18-34 have re-tweeted to magazine editors Twitter and 42% chat with friends on Facebook while reading a magazine and share what they’re reading (3). Since word-of-mouth is a very effective marketing tool, chatting with Facebook friends and sharing articles through social media enables magazines to increase viewership of articles to possible new viewers. Personally, if a friend posts an article on Facebook I will read the article if I am not busy, then I will discuss the article with my friends. Facebook is a great tool for magazines to reach larger demographics and increase viewership. Avid magazine readers are very involved with social media, 36% of respondents use other media while reading magazines (6). These readers could be posting comments or a link to the article on different social media platforms. Magazines need a find better ways to interact with viewers in order to keep readers engaged and gain new viewership. For instance, magazines could create contests via Twitter and Facebook and create hashtags to gain new viewers and keep readers interested in magazines. I believe Cosmopolitan could take their interaction with readers farther, by asking them their opinion and retweeting their readers. Cosmopolitan tweets information and articles, but does not ask readers for their opinions.
“Magazine Readers Are Social.” MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. Web.
"2013 A Growth Year for Magazine Media Across Platforms." MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. 9 Jan. 2014. Web.
Cara Gilmartin
ReplyDeleteAlthough I never really thought of it this way until Katryn brought it up, magazines have definitely been a huge part of my social media. I feel like I’ve been reading magazines ever since I could read! To this day, I am constantly buying magazines while waiting in line in the grocery store. Confession: I still have two magazines from December 2013 because Justin Bieber and Harry Styles were on their covers. While it may be much more rare to buy actual magazines today considering almost every article can be accessed on the computer, I still love the idea of reading a physical magazine. After I buy one, I sit down and thoroughly read the articles and the advertisements. When I’m finished, I hand it over to my roommates and they read it, too. If I read an interesting story, I might actually summarize it to a roommate or tell them they should definitely read that article.
What I am realizing now is that I do basically the same thing with magazine pieces on social media accounts. While I do not think I follow any magazines on Facebook, I follow a bunch of accounts on Twitter, and Instagram, too. If I find an interesting piece, I will either retweet or favorite it, but if I just want to share it with one or a few people, I will save the link and text message it to them. I find myself doing this a lot with Cosmopolitan and People.
The press release titled, “2013 A Growth Year for Magazine Media Across Platforms” mentions that, “Magazine media transcend any one platform. Whether they are consumed in print, tablet, on a smartphone or on the web, magazine media fulfill readers’ desires for timely information and entertainment that appeal to a broad spectrum of personal interests.” (MPA) I think this is the exact reason why I still look to magazines for information. Since I am very interested in celebrities, athletes and the entertainment industry, visiting a magazine’s website or Twitter page gives me that instant gratification about the latest dirt in Hollywood (cough Justin Bieber or Harry Styles cough…see how this works out pretty well for me?) However, the press release mentions a “broad spectrum of personal interests.” Magazines are not just putting out information about Hollywood, but also using social media to be even more relatable to followers, which shows in their successful numbers. They are also connecting with their niche audience in interactive ways. The article, “Magazine Media Readers are Social,” mentions that participants in their study voiced that some of the reasons they choose to follow a magazine on Twitter “ranged from special offers, contests and games to checking real-time news updates to seeing what others had to say/for links to articles.” (MPA) This gave a follower even more of an incentive to follow the account. While magazines have always been targeting a niche audience, I think it is definitely a loyal one that will always be looking to a magazine for interest.
Works Cited
“Magazine Readers Are Social.” MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. Web.
"2013 A Growth Year for Magazine Media Across Platforms." MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. 9 Jan. 2014. Web.
I think new technology, like social media and tablets, was the best thing to happen to the magazine industry, and clearly, like Katryn said, magazines aren't going anywhere. More specifically and contrary to popular belief, print magazines aren’t going anywhere. While I am one of those people who needs to get the physical copy of a magazine, I was surprised to see that according to the McDonald article, 87% of weekly magazine readers are still reading print editions. But as McDonald points out, both digital editions accessed on a tablet and the print edition are easily portable.
ReplyDeleteIn “Magazine Media Readers are Social,” it says that magazine readers 18–34 are highly connected social media users. As I mentioned, I love getting the physical copy of a magazine, but I also follow several magazines on Twitter as well as like them on Facebook and I think it's a great way to see articles immediately instead of having to wait for the magazine to be published. I also access the digital edition on my Nook when I am out somewhere and don’t have the physical magazine with me. I like having options.
In addition to this, we are the masters of multitasking. Charts in “Magazine Reading in the Distracted, Multi-Tasking Attention Economy,” specifically Figure 3, shows that while people are reading magazines, they are also doing something else, with the highest percentage of multi-taskers being readers viewing a digital edition on a tablet or e-reader. So while reading an article, a reader may also be on a social media site – let’s face it, it’s right there so it’s probably open – and then the reader is more likely to then share the article that they are reading if they feel strongly enough about it, getting more people to read the article.
In the background section of the McDonald article, he raises the following question: “If media are being consumed in social settings or in conjunction with social media, are advertising messages amplified or muted?” I think the messages are amplified. As we have discussed in class, we have all been victims to the ads on sidebars of websites recommending products they think we might be interested in, finding that they were similar, if not the exact item we had just looked at on another site. The article from the MPA says that “Magazines rank as the #1 medium for advertising acceptance“ and that print magazines are the number one place people look at ads. When you look at any magazine, it is clear that advertisements are huge and when viewing a digital or online edition it is no different. Except for the fact that when you are done reading the article, the links to all those products are right there to lure you in. Once you click on it, it’s in the search record and that ad is going to show up on the sidebar of every site you visit for the next week. Eventually, you’ll buy the product and that’s a win for the advertisers and also the magazine that started it all.
"2013 Is Pivotal Year for Magazine Media: Advertising Up 6% Across Platforms." MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. 30 Dec. 2013. Web.
“Magazine Readers Are Social.” MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. Web.
McDonald, Scott, Jim Spaeth, and Alice Sylvester. "Magazine Reading in the Distracted, Multi-Tasking Attention Environment." Paper presented at the MPA's Biennial Research Symposium. Accessed from MPA website (www.magazine.org), 1 Feb. 2014.
In a world where print media is dying out, magazines are hanging tough. In fact, 2013 was considered a growth year for magazines on multiple platforms, according to an article from the MPA (2013 1). Reading magazines has always been a social activity, even before the social media craze. Therefor the transition to social media hasn’t fundamentally changed the way people consume magazines, the way it has with other forms of media. When I was younger, I can remember pouring over issues of Teen Vogue and CosmoGirl with my friends. We would read the magazines simultaneously and share what we thought was cool or funny with each other. Even now, my roommates and I will look over the latest issue of Cosmopolitan together and talk about the different articles and trends. Sometimes though, rather than talking about it we will post the articles on each others’ Facebook walls, or retweet links to the articles so that all of our friends can read it. “56% of total Twitter users and 65% of avid readers ‘follow’ a magazine editor or columnist on Twitter” (MPA 4). This further shows how well the magazine world has translated onto social media. They have found ways to engage their readers beyond their pages. We have always liked to share what we are interested in with our friends, and social media has only made it that much easier to do so.
ReplyDeleteMagazines have managed to maintain a predominately print readership. In an article from MPA entitled “Magazine Readers Are Social” it stated that 87% of average weekly magazine readers are consuming their magazines in print. To some it is a mystery as to why people are still buying magazines when the same articles can be viewed online for free. But many buy magazines for more than just their articles. They buy them for the experience. Physically holding and reading a magazine is an experience much different from reading one on a computer screen. Magazines’ high gloss and high quality appearance makes them more enticing and entertaining than the disposable, one-dimensional posts on social media. For those who deeply care about the content in a magazine, purchasing one is equivalent to buying a book. They get sincere enjoyment out of buying the magazine and will more often than not pour over its pages many, many times.
Magazines by nature lend themselves to niche markets. They allow readers to find exactly what they want depending on what their interests are. As social media and the Internet have grown, so has the need for more diversified media outlets. Not all people are alike and therefor the one-size-fits-all media platform will not do. The Internet and magazines create the perfect marriage for these niche interests to be showcased.
DeleteThese diversified markets and continued interests in magazines are music to advertisers’ ears. “Attention has become the rarest and most precious consumer resource” (McDonald 1). It has become increasingly hard for advertisers to gain the attention of consumers through media. In fact, people will do just about anything to avoid advertisements, including paying an extra fee so as to not be bothered by them. But advertisements in magazines are accepted as a part of the experience. Unlike many digital ads, these ads are visually stimulating and readers can look at them for as long or as short as they like. Despite the popularity of digital and social media, the ads that clutter these sites are found to be a disruption and a nuisance to users. Ads in magazines are accepted and sometimes even looked forward to. “Magazines are more efficient in their ad delivery than other media and [their] net recall levels [are] comparatively superior” (McDonald 1).
For advertisers these trends and opinions could not be more perfect. It gives them a way to access a more specific target market and is a safer bet that they will capture that market’s attention. Magazines are a unique and versatile form of media. Their content translates well onto digital and social platforms, but there is still an audience for print based consumption. They cater to niche markets extremely well and allow advertisers a way to reach their desired markets. I predict that in the coming years magazines will only grow stronger. The only change that could occur is that magazines may become even more fragmented into smaller niche markets as consumer tastes and interests grow.
Works cited
- McDonald, Scott, Jim Spaeth, and Alice Sylvester. "Magazine Reading in the Distracted, Multi-Tasking Attention Environment." Paper presented at the MPA's Biennial Research Symposium. Accessed from MPA website (www.magazine.org), 1 Feb. 2014
- MPA: The Association of Magazine Media, comp. Magazine Readers Are Social. Rep. MPA: The Association of Magazine Media, n.d. Web.
- "2013 A Growth Year for Magazine Media Across Platforms." MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. 9 Jan. 2014. Web.
I think that there are both benefits and setbacks to magazines becoming more sociable and adapting to online readers. Since a big topic is Cosmopolitan and how 'easy' it is to read now that it's content is scattered everywhere across the Internet, I figured it would be worth noting a problem that I've had with their strategy. Not only has Cosmo been reduced to many "Buzzfeed"-like articles - compiled of only listed items such as GIFs, memes, and no real journalism at all - but also the magazine's actual content has spiral downward within the past year or two. Now, whenever Cosmo posts something to Facebook (which is approximately every fourteen seconds), I click the article specifically to read all of the critical comments. So, they're getting my click as one of thousands on their Hootsuite click stats, but I don't buy the magazine anymore. Social may get my vote (albeit unintentionally), but my money has gone nowhere near that company in the last year or so. This can either be attributed to a new editor who stepped in last year, or to the impression I get from the magazine's online edition. I tend to think it's a blend of the two. Since "26% of respondents have followed a magazine on Twitter or ‘liked’ a magazine on Facebook after accessing that magazine’s content via a newsreader" (Magazine Readers Are Social), it's important for these publications to have their social content live up to their hard content. When such an extremely well-developed brand like Cosmopolitan is losing touch with once-loyal readers, it's hard not to think that overanalyzing the attitude of online readers and trying too hard to adapt to a social setting are just two factors contributing to why I, and hundreds of others judging by online feedback via social media and article comments posted to the website, feel this way about the magazine.
ReplyDelete(cont. below)
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ReplyDeleteCosmopolitan's presence online, in my opinion, is one that makes followers of the publication feel dumb. When a popular international magazine claiming to represent the progressive, confident, intelligent woman is posting "OMG LOOK WUT BRITNEY WORE SHE LOOKS AMAZEBALLS" accompanied by a link to their site, I feel dumb for even following them. But then again, I haven't stopped following them, so maybe I'm the one being fooled in the end!
That being said, I believe that catering to the reader's tendency to become distracted needs to be taken with a grain of salt (I apologize for the cliche). GQ has one of my absolute favorite social media campaigns; rather than being mindless and tween-sounding (ahem, Cosmo), the company utilizes the power of short, clear, concise, and powerful writing to lure the reader to the article. Of course, Cosmo and GQ are looking to reach two rather different audiences, but while one gives off the feeling of immaturity and senselessness, the other looks sophisticated and well thought out despite its brevity. And since I'm following both publications, and seeing a clear difference in how they reach out to their audience, who says thousands of other fans aren't doing the same?
Perhaps this is why "...consumers are still most likely to read magazines in their printed forms", however, mindless social media strategists will soon need to wholeheartedly adapt to the fact that "increasing integration of social media tools" will lead to "...a less passive, more active style of reading" (McDonald et. al). This means that consumers and followers have more ways to not only share the articles among friends and followers, but also tell the world what they think of this content - and it would be wise for Cosmopolitan and the like to take more time developing a social media plan to entice the distracted members of society.
Works Cited:
“Magazine Readers Are Social.” MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. Web.
McDonald, Scott, Jim Spaeth, and Alice Sylvester. "Magazine Reading in the Distracted, Multi-Tasking Attention Environment." Paper presented at the MPA's Biennial Research Symposium. Accessed from MPA website (www.magazine.org), 1 Feb. 2014.
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ReplyDeleteKatryn brings up a very good point about the connection between magazines and social media. Often times when I think about magazines I think about buying a physical magazine, but often don’t think about how many times I find myself reading one on my laptop. If someone were to ask me if I read a (physical) magazine at least once a week I would immediately say no. After reading this blog post and thinking about the amount of magazine articles I actually do read because they are posted and shared on Facebook and Twitter my answer would change. Magazines have always been a niche media; there are publications about anything really, from magazines for teenagers, to bankers, to brides. That being said now that magazines are being advertised and promoted through social media it is now even more of a niche media. I’m sure many people can agree with me when I say that I don’t typically read a magazine from cover to cover, but rather an interesting article here and there. This is why more and more people are viewing magazines through social media.
ReplyDeleteYounger generations especially are the ones that are reading magazines, or magazine articles through social media due to the fact that they are not ready to pay and commit to a subscription. As cited in the “Magazine Reading in the Distracted, Multi-Tasking Attention Economy” article, “attention has become the rarest and most precious consumer resource” (MPA). This supports reasoning behind a decrease in subscriptions of magazines over the years. Instead of sticking to one publication consumers prefer to jump from magazine to magazine online rather than read an entire magazine that is just about one particular niche or lifestyle.
In addition to consumers that read various articles, there are consumers who do subscribe to a particular magazine. These readers are most likely reading it on their smart phone or tablet. I cannot name one of my friends that are subscribed to a magazine that arrives in the mail. This is out of convenience, why carry around a magazine when you can carry around a tablet that not only holds your magazine but also movies, and books, and whatever else may be on that device. As Katryn mentioned, magazines have always had a social aspect. When reading a magazine you were on the beach with friends or even just hanging out and commenting on different articles or pictures of celebrities. Today, social media allows us to discuss magazines not just with friends who may be in the same room, but virtually anyone. By reading a magazine on a tablet, computer, or phone it allows readers to comment on articles and engage with other readers who may be complete strangers or even share or comment on articles with Facebook friends. In key research findings results found that “Social media use is rapidly transforming how magazine readers interact with and share magazine content” (McDonald). The social media interactions and magazines even goes further than just the reader interacting with other readers, magazine editors are very accessible on social media and are able to connect with readers. With the grace of new technology such as social media, it has enabled magazines to thrive in new ways, and it seems to be staying around for a while.
Works Cited:
“Magazine Readers Are Social.” MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. Web.
McDonald, Scott, Jim Spaeth, and Alice Sylvester. "Magazine Reading in the Distracted, Multi-Tasking Attention Environment." Paper presented at the MPA's Biennial Research Symposium. Accessed from MPA website (www.magazine.org), 1 Feb. 2014.
I think in a lot of ways, magazines have always been a form of social media. Magazines have been around for a long time and, as you stated in your post, people would sit around and share their favorite articles with their friends. I have done this a few times with my friends and know it to be true. This is definitely still done today however, with the added twist of sharing these interesting articles with our friends via Twitter or Facebook. As I stated before, reading a magazine is definitely a form of social media. According to the article, “Magazine Media Readers are Social”, “Those who consider themselves “avid magazine readers” are considerably above average in all things social. They also interact to a much higher degree with magazine content and even directly with magazine editors via Twitter exchanges. The majority “follow” a magazine on Twitter or “like” a magazine on Facebook.” This quote illustrates just how social magazines have become. Back when magazines first came out, the avid readers didn’t have the option of easily connecting with the editors of the magazine, they would have to write a letter and mail it out. With social media being what it is today the lines between reader and editor have almost been blurred with certain readers easily being able to reach out to the editors should they wish to do so. The people who frequently read the magazines want these magazines to have Facebook pages. According to “Magazine Media Readers are Social”, 48% of avid magazine readers and 37% of total respondents claim that it is important to them that a magazine has a Facebook page.” Magazines are becoming digitally social because that is what their fan base wants. The article, “2013 A Growth Year for Magazine Media Across Platforms”, illustrates in what ways magazines have grown in the media. For example, “For the full year 2013, tablet magazine advertising units increased 16% with print pages essentially flat at -0.2%.” The increase in advertising is obviously a very good thing for magazines and another way that it is a form of social media. The article also says, “Additionally, the latest Fall MRI 2013 release shows print audiences up 1% and magazine media (print plus tablet) up 2% versus the Fall MRI 2012 study, with 5% growth among 18-24-year-olds.” In addition to the 5% growth among that particular age group the article also mentions that there was a 49% growth amongst tablet audiences and an 85% growth for digital magazines. Magazines as a whole are clearly growing in the digital age of social media. To me, this proves the title of this blog to be true. People believe it to be important that they are able to post the article directly or simply post about it. Whether we like it or not, it appears that magazines as a form of social media is here to stay, at least for a while anyways. Magazines as a new social media? The data and research show magazines are a new social media.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
"2013 A Growth Year for Magazine Media Across Platforms." MPA: The Association of Magazine Media. 9 Jan. 2014. Web.
"Magazine Media Readers Are Social." MPA. The Association of Magazine Media, n.d. Web.
Although, like Katryn mentioned, it is evident that the business of print media is becoming a thing of the past, this blog and other articles lead me to believe that magazines are handling this transition very well. By having active social media accounts, many magazines are taking on the task of keeping up with their social readers very effectively. The editors and writers are aware that their readers and followers find it imperative that their favorite magazines have interactional accounts on social media. According to the MPA Factbook, Magazine Media Readers are Social, “Avid magazine readers are connecting directly with magazine editors via social media,” (6). Readers who were dedicated to magazines before social media usage became so prominent now have an entire new connection with their favorite magazines. They are now able to interact with editors and columnists and get even deeper into their stories. Another reason readers find it necessary for magazines to have a social media presence as brought up by MPA is the effect of the twenty-four hour news cycle. “Relevant content is the chief reason for visiting a magazine’s Facebook page,” (18). As most magazines run weekly, bi-weekly or monthly editions, it is obvious that some stories will be missed. However, because of the instant access allowed by social media, magazine outlets no longer have to worry about leaving their consumers unsatisfied. Now, readers can stay up to date on the latest trends, gossip or stories by following a magazine’s twitter account or by checking their Facebook page. This allows magazines to stay even more relevant.
ReplyDeleteThe other aspect that I believe is the most effective in keeping magazines relevant is the access to digital downloads. With tablets becoming so wildly popular recently, it is a huge help for magazines to be able to release a digital copy of their issues. The revenue brought in from advertisements on tablets greatly overshadows the flat line ad revenue from the print issues. According to a press release from MPA, “For the full year 2013, tablet magazine advertising units increased 16% with print pages essentially flat at -0.2%,” (The Association of Magazine Media). My roommate, an avid magazine reader, would always bring home the new Cosmo and People magazines every week. Now that she has a tablet, however, she has subscribed to the digital copies, which saves her a trip to the store and allows her to have numerous copies at her fingertips. Even if readers, like myself, do not own tablets, the apps created for magazines have also been useful in terms of keeping consumers satisfied digitally. In my opinion, having the access to digital copies or the apps makes buying an actual print copy of the magazine that much more exciting. With everyone constantly being on their phones, computers, or tablets, however, it is vital that print media find ways to keep up with their digital competition. Between social media, magazine apps, and digital copies, it is clear that magazines are doing well in their fight to keep up in an increasingly paperless industry.
Kelsey Scriven
"2013 a Growth Year for Magazine Media across Platforms." States News Service.
N.p., 9 Jan. 2014. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.
MPA: The Association of Magazine Media, comp. Magazine Readers Are Social. Rep.
MPA: The Association of Magazine Media, n.d. Web.
Growing up I definitely took a liking to magazines. I had always read newspapers when I was younger, but when I got my hands on a Sports Illustrated, I couldn’t put it down. As I got older I garnered a pretty solid collection of a types of mags, so it was only natural for me to connect with some of my favorite publications via social media once I jumped on the Twitter and Facebook bandwagons. I realized how great a way it was get your fill from a magazine that you might only be receiving once a month.
ReplyDeleteDuring my junior year, I interned with a well-known basketball magazine with national readership. I was able to see first hand the way our brand utilized social media with their sharing of content. The entire online platform for Dime was based on page views, so they would link a newly published article at least 5-7 times over the course of a day to their 200k+ followers on Twitter and Facebook.
At the time I happened to be working for them, they were beginning to take the social media market seriously and looking to increase their internet following. As an editorial intern, I was strongly encouraged to share not just my own published work, but most other things posted to the site. They also encouraged me to tweet mostly about basketball news and items and generate discussion among fans of the magazine. To my editor, and most other editors at the magazine, there was nothing more important than using social media as a way advertise, distribute content, and generate buzz.
Interestingly enough, according to the MPA study, avid magazine readers find it more important that publications have a Facebook page than a Twitter account. I felt as though the editors at the magazine I wrote for had a focus on tapping Twitter because users had more of a tendency to share things there rather than Facebook.
One thing that Katryn touched on that I didn't see much of during my tenure at the magazine was a use of newer technology to present information. The magazine did not post a web edition of the monthly issue for free like other sites, nor did they have any apps that could complement their print edition.
"Magazine Media Readers Are Social." MPA. The Association of Magazine Media, n.d. Web.
Nicolette Illiano
ReplyDeleteIf you look under my bed at home you’ll find a large container filled with old magazines. Teen Vogue, Seventeen, Tiger Beat; name any teen girl magazine and I most likely bought it. Magazines were and still are a great outlet for niche media. There are hundreds of magazines focusing on different niches: teen magazines, fashion and beauty magazines, and fitness magazines just to name a few. They are readily available at any convenience or drug store and now even on the Internet. Todays technologically advanced society allows us to access magazine articles and content through various mediums including print, tablets, smartphones and the web. A press release from the Association of Magazine Media titled “2013 A Growth Year For Magazine Media Across Platforms” states that the print ad revenue for 2013 was $19.7 billion dollars, an increase from 2012. Audiences also increased in both print and magazine media. Katryn is absolutely right with saying magazines have always been a form of “social” media. What’s the point of writing a magazine article if it’s not meant to be shared and viewed by numerous people? Many magazines have Twitter, Facebook and even Pinterest accounts to keep their audiences engaged in various ways. The press release states that “the reader’s commitment to this unique brand experience results in superior levels of ad receptivity, online search, purchase intent, and extraordinary engagement in and sharing of both edit and ads.” This statement supports the fact that if an individual reads, views or consumes an ad or article that they find interesting or compelling they are likely to share it with their acquaintances. This allows the magazine and its content to reach a larger audience. The easiest way to share media these days is through social media accounts. It is found in the MPA study “Magazine Media Readers are Social” that “avid magazine readers and multiple platform social users are in the vanguard for sharing content with friends and they do it to a high degree using social devices. Most chat with friends on Facebook while reading a magazine and share what they are reading. A substantial majority also re-tweet articles from a magazine’s Twitter feed.” The great thing about the Facebook and Twitter consumer/magazine relationship is that when readers comment or tweet their opinions about an article or specific content they are sometimes answered by the magazine’s social media account. This creates a more interactive way for avid magazine readers to consume media. Readers can even contact magazine editors and article authors directly through their personal social media accounts. The study also shows that “19% of respondents and 30% of avid magazine readers have searched for a magazine on Twitter and 16% and 24% respectively have ‘followed’ any magazine’s Twitter feed.” Although magazines were founded in print I believe it is a smart move for the industry to begin moving to other media outlets as well, specifically social media. It is much more engaging and appealing to be able to search for magazine content on sites that we are often on every single day.
"2013 a Growth Year for Magazine Media across Platforms." States News Service. N.p., 9 Jan. 2014. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.
"Magazine Media Readers Are Social." MPA. The Association of Magazine Media, n.d. Web.