Young Magazine Readers Want Deals, Content For Likes & Follows

August 29, 2012

mpa-mags-value-added-social-media-offerings-august2012.pngMany young magazine readers who use social media see potential for Facebook and Twitter exclusives from the magazines they read, according to [pdf] August 2012 findings from GfK MRI, commissioned by The Association of Magazine Media (MPA). Among magazine readers (both print and digital) between ages 18 and 34 who also use social media, 50% agree that opportunities to sample new products and offer their insights would add “considerable value” to a magazine subscription. 44% see value in special offers from advertisers available only to subscribers.

Deals Draw, But Content Also Key

The next 5 value-adds that magazines could offer exclusively to Facebook and Twitter subscribers were more content oriented, according to data from “Magazine Media Readers Are Social.” They include additional articles and stories available only to subscribers (32%), exclusive sneak previews of features and stories (25%), access to an extended library of video footage (25%), reader submissions (e.g. articles, recipes) that could be selected by the magazine (25%), and webcasts of “behind the scenes” stories and photo shoots (21%). 60% of respondents agree that the more media they can access to learn about a story or topic, the better informed they become.

The last three value-adds were more social, including being part of an exclusive club or community (17%), having editors available for chats (15%) and the ability to upload and share photos and videos with other subscribers (15%).

56% of Twitter users and 65% of those who describe themselves as “avid magazine readers” follow a magazine, editor or columnist on Twitter. 51% of respondents have re-tweeted to a magazine editor’s Twitter account, and 42% report chatting with friends on Facebook while reading a magazine, to share what they are reading.

Avid magazine readers were identified based on top-2 box score agreement to a self-assessment question.

Readers Get Social For Deals

Young magazine readers who use social media also actively use social networking sites to enter contests and identify deals not just from magazine pages, but from company and brand pages as well. 59% of all respondents enter contests on Facebook or Twitter to win products or receive discounts, and 53% download coupons from a company’s Facebook page, or share with friends on Facebook or Twitter about a special sale that they have heard about. Half report seeking the opinion of Facebook friends before buying a product.

Facebook leads in adoption among these magazine readers, at 91%, followed by YouTube (61%) and Twitter (40%). At 31%, more than twice the proportion of female respondents use Pinterest as men (12%).

Other Findings:

  • 93% of all respondents have looked into a magazine, print or digital, in the past 60 days. According to a November 2011 study from GfK MRI, Millennials make up 54% of all digital-only magazine readers, with an index score of 178, meaning they are 78% more likely than the general population to be digital-only magazine readers.
  • Per the MPA survey results, 80% of young magazine readers who use social media personally own a digital device. 69% own a smartphone, 41% own a tablet and 27% own an e-reader. Men are more likely than women to own smartphones and tablets.
  • Avid magazine readers skew high in social interaction with a magazine, with 49% of total respondents and 63% of avid magazine readers reporting visiting a magazine’s Facebook page.
  • 41% of all respondents have liked a magazine’s Facebook page versus 51% of avid readers.

About The Data: GfK MRI was commissioned by The Association of Magazine Media (MPA) to conduct a study among adults 18-34 who read magazines and use social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.). The Marketing Democracy provided additional insight and perspective to the research. Respondents were recruited to the online survey via an email invitation sent to members, aged 18-34, of the Survey Sampling International (SSI) panel. The study was fielded from April 11 to April 16, 2012. A total of 1,019 respondents completed the survey.

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