Profiling the modern (digital) magazine reader

MRI-Simmons is always looking for new ways to deepen your understanding of what makes up current magazine readers. In this blog we leveraged data from our Fall 2019 Survey of the American Consumer, taking a closer look at the profiles that make up three different types of magazine readers:

• Those who visited any magazine’s social networking site or blog
• Those who visited a magazine’s website
• Those who read any print magazine

So who are they?

These three types of magazine readers are an engaged group that are active on social media as well as in their community. They are educated with professional careers. Readers who have visited a magazine’s website are 29% more likely to have graduated college and 38% more likely to have a professional/managerial career than the average adult. They are more likely to listen to podcasts as well as own smart speakers.

Magazine readers who have visited any magazine’s social networking site or blog are 69% more likely than the average adult to have listened to a podcast in the last 30 days and are 30% more likely to live in a household that owns a smart speaker. They are also more politically active than the average adult; as they are 63% more likely to have participated in environmental groups/causes and 57% more likely to have attended a political rally, speech or organized protest.

A deeper look at social

When we take an even closer look at those who have visited a magazine’s social networking site or blog we see that this group is very engaged on social media as well as their community. They enjoying blogging, being apart of online communities such as Tumblr, and attending events sponsored by or related to a magazine’s brand.

And when compared to the average magazine reader, those who have visited a magazine’s social networking site or blog are 55% more likely to have attended an event sponsored by or related to a magazine brand in the last 6 months.

Below you can see further how these three different types of magazine readers compare to each other as well as the average adult:

How Magazines Can Use These Insights

It’s clear that these three types of magazine readers together are a very engaged group and enjoy being involved in their community as well as their online communities. They are bloggers, professionals, podcast listeners, smart speaker owners, and environmental and political activists. Being involved is important to them throughout their everyday lives and magazines can use this information to find new ways to engage with these readers. Sponsoring community events and fundraising opportunities are just a few ways to involve and create further interest for those who visit the magazine’s social networking site or blog. Continuing to find new ways to keep these individuals engaged in a magazines brand whether through social networking, blogs, websites or print is the key to keep these readers coming back for more.