Why Paper Publishing is Still In Vogue
Today’s society is all about convenience. We walk around with tiny computers in our pockets, with all the information we could ever want at our fingertips. The digital age has completely changed how we consume our media.
Studies have shown that millennials prefer printed reading material. A very nostalgic generation, print media takes them back to simpler times when the world was not completely digitized. Holding and turning the magazine pages gives the reader a break from the chaos of everyday life. Reading a magazine article will make the article much more memorable. The tactile process of reading a magazine provides the brain with more time to process the information. People tend to trust the information printed in a reputable magazine more than digital media. Here is a list of why paper publishing is still in vogue.
Building Brand Credibility
Magazines are a long-trusted media source. Print media is widely considered more credible than digital media. People who subscribe to magazines and newspapers do so for a reason — they believe the information in the publication is accurate, credible, and provides some benefit. Advertising in these mediums increases your brand's public perception because they associate your brand's name with the publication's name. There's a reason businesspeople want to be featured in Forbes magazine: it's an incredibly prestigious magazine.
Additionally, printing your publication allows you to bring the aesthetic qualities of font, colors, images, and texture that help to establish brand recognition.
Print Media is Physical
The consumer has the materials in front of them, bringing a psychological understanding of "realness" you do not get with digital media. Handling a physical object has an element of sensory input. Your brain remembers it much more vividly than random pixels on a screen. According to Scientific American, the human brain will remember words on physical paper much better than when displayed on dynamic screens.
The act of physically interacting with the paper of a book also activates the memory section of your brain more than a screen can. Websites are usually skimmed in as little as 15 seconds per visit. When a customer or prospect reads printed material, they are more engaged for a longer period of time. A consumer spends an average of 43 minutes reading a magazine.
Magazines Complement Digital Media to Create Maximum Exposure
Although most publications are available online, there is something to be said about the timelessness of the print magazine. Because of the need for online content, an online publication can work with the paper publication for the widest exposure. For example, Mel McVeigh, VP of Product Commerce & Consumer Brands at Condé Nast, assisted with the publication of an international digital edition of Vogue, unifying the magazine’s content. Before Vogue Digital, each country had its audience, content, and magazine - British Vogue, Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia, etc. There were 12 different companies consisting of different strategies and portfolios. After the digital publication was launched, it became available to 26 different markets and is the full depth and breadth of culture, media, and fashion. It has not replaced the print magazine - it enhances the brand and brings its content to a global audience.
Print Media is Less Competitive
Consumers are flooded online every day with advertisements. Even with the addition of digital media, magazines have scarcely seen a decrease in readership. A niche and predictable audience often reads magazines, so you usually get a higher return on investment from magazine ads than digital ads.
With the constant bombardment of ads, users try to avoid them as much as possible online. There are countless ad blocker plugins for every web browser that exists - you probably have one installed now. In 2020, an estimated 42.7% of all internet users had an ad block plugin installed. However, advertisements are part of the culture; they are expected and part of the magazine experience. Ads in magazines also last for years.