With magazines appearing in so many formats lately — traditional print, web-based and app — the question on most publishers’ minds is “which format works best to engage my audience?”
To answer that question, IPC Media commissioned a survey of 3,500 consumers, and published their findings in January.
“The study found different magazine platforms play important roles … in influencing consumers throughout the stages of the purchase behavior funnel,” states this article in Print in the Mix.
Which platform works best to spark inspiration and ideas? All do a pretty good job at this: 89% of consumers say they are inspired by print, followed by digital (85%); online (81%); and 72% from both apps and social media.
Not surprisingly, digital editions took the highest rank in inspiring online searches, at 67%, but not far behind at 57% is print. The reader is already engaged on a digital platform, so searching is simply a click away.
Yet print remains the strongest platform in key areas like word of mouth and influencing the actual buy.
“Print had the most influence over actual purchases — either from a brick-and-mortar store or online,” continues the article, summing up nicely what we’ve been seeing in other research across the industry.
So there you have it…if you want to spark ideas, generate buzz and influence actual purchases, print magazines are the format of choice.