Our consumption of entertainment is constantly shifting. The digital revolution means that information that was once restricted to the pages of the daily paper is now instantly accessible online - but what does this mean for traditional forms of printed entertainment?
A recent National Readership Survey conducted in 2017 found that 72% of UK adults aged 15+ consume magazines both across print and online. Of this cohort, an overt interest in consuming entertainment has shifted towards new age digital platforms, as last year, 64% of said users opted to use the internet in this consumption as opposed to printed publications. This shift highlights the imperative for these companies to understand this environment and adapt accordingly to survive.
Most companies have tried to accommodate this inevitable shift by hosting online versions of their printed magazines, or by changing to a less frequent publishing schedule; for example, after three years as a weekly publication, commercial magazine The Lawyer changed to monthly publications at the end of 2017. The decision to reduce this publication schedule accommodates the decrease in demand of the printed press. However, this provides new problems for the owners of the magazine as with fewer issues less advertising opportunity is presented. For example, magazines such as Marketing Week, that relied heavily on print advertising, have been hit hard by the industry-wide decline in print advertising revenue.
To combat the impact of the reduction in publication schedule, most magazines now offer a digital version of their print magazine, which can vary in accessibility. Consider the British edition of the fashion title Glamour who, towards the end of 2017, implemented a digital-first strategy under which it announced it would print a special edition of its magazine twice a year and merge its editorial and commercial operations. Albert Reed, the managing director of the publication made this decision as it was noted that today’s Glamour consumer ‘moves to a different rhythm than the one who bought the magazine when it launched in 2001. It is a faster, more focused, multi-platform relationship.’ Instead of fighting for survival with each publication printed the company have chosen to refocus its recourses predominantly into online production. Not burning the candle at both ends means that the company can focus on creating valuable content once again.
To further entice readers into reading the printed version of the magazine, the rejuvenated copy of Glamour, that is to be released twice a year, features cover stars that are social media influencers. Zoella, Patricia Bright and Huda Beauty all featured on the covers of the brand new issue of the publication. These three found fame online and hold an impressive following of over 50 million between the three of them across their social media platforms. These ‘new celebrities’ were originally everyday users of social media whose commitment to their platform resulted in them gaining more followers and thus becoming more influential. The followers that these social media influencers attract are digital natives and are thus more inclined to use digital platforms. In collaborating with these 'new celebrities' Glamour are enticing the digital reader into purchasing a printed copy, which should boost the demand and therefore overall readership.
The purpose of these adjustments on behalf of the publishers is to succeed enough that advertisers once again want to invest in their magazine. The contemporary culture of consuming magazines displays a disparity in the way advertising and revenue works on each platform. In addition to trying to increase their readership, in order to remain successful, it is important for all magazines to find a balance between the two mediums in regards to advertising revenue.
‘Many editors are struggling to strike the right balance between physical and digital content. They are faced with the choice of either posting all their articles online for free so the magazine stays relevant, or charging readers money to protect the financial future of the brand.’
BBC (2017)
Digital platforms could provide the efficient platform advertisers require to measure their return of investment (ROI). To sponsor an advertisement in Vogue’s online editions, although rates are still pricey, companies have the option of a daily or weekly feature and can also choose which mode of device and region they wish to target. Another benefit of advertising with the online editions of magazines is that consumers have the ease of clicking on the relevant links to purchase said product instantly. Personally, there has been so many times that I’ve read a magazine and seen a product I was interested in but then forgotten all about it with a flick to the next page. Now I can just click on a link straight away, which is not great for my bank account, but brilliant ROI for the advertisers.
The majority of fashion magazines have attempted as best they could to keep the printed version alive as well as accommodating their digital market. Take Vogue as a publication, if you pick up the latest issue in shops, you’ll be paying £3.99, pretty pricey when you think about the ratio of adverts to original and creative content throughout. However, the company provide deals for subscriptions, which are pretty tempting. To gain access to their digital magazine, subscription is £2.29 pm (£27.48 for 12 issues), but to gain access to the digital copy as well as have their printed issue delivered to your house for 12 issues, it’s just £19.99. These deals and offers are arguably what will encourage their printed magazine to maintain strong readership; after all, everyone loves a collection.
Magazines are taking the steps necessary to evolve and stay relevant in the 21st century - the end goal for them is not to survive in a specific form but to continue with the creation and distribution of their own brand of entertainment. Many readers still prefer the tactile nature of ownership that comes with physical material and so the steps magazines are taking to accommodate this, by introducing subscription-based charges and offers is ingenious. To me, it’s not about whether the information is received on or offline, those seeking to read, on any platform, is positive for literacy as a whole and could potentially act as a gateway for reading other forms of literature; be that political, historical or contemporary.
This post was written in collaboration with Emma Fleming, Publishing with English student at Loughborough University
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