If you can think of a topic, then there is probably a magazine dedicated to it. While physical magazines have been a popular source of information, some may argue that they no longer have the reach they once did.
Many magazines are now making sure they have a presence on social media websites to find and reach potential consumers. Professor Parul Jain and researchers Zulfia Zaher and Enakshi Roy of Ohio University wanted to find out the kind of the people who want to connect with a magazine brand on social media and why.
The researchers conducted two different experiments. The first was a focus group to find out why people connect with magazines on social media and what kind of content they expect to find. Students were asked questions that focused on “1) the kind of magazines that participants followed on various social media platforms; 2) motivations behind connecting with magazines on various social media sites, and 3) expectations regarding content on magazines’ social pages.”
First, the results of the focus group found that people expect magazines to have a social media presences. The results showed that magazines including Time, Rolling Stone, People and National Geographic were mentioned and followed for their high visual content.
The results also showed that magazines were followed because of their user friendliness and the content being available in different forms such as video and text. Finally, free content and targeted messaging were reasons were reasons participants connected with magazines on social media.
The second experiment was an online survey to find if certain someone’s personality indicated what type of magazine they liked. The results showed that the personality type “agreeableness” was related to connecting with magazine brands on social media.
Personality types “openness” and “neuroticism” were related to connecting with men’s magazines. Finally, “openness” was related to connecting with travel-related magazines.
Social media can and should be a useful tool for magazines. It can give them great insight into who exactly is interested in what they are talking about. Social media can give a new life to magazines. They have a chance to reach their audience they may have lost or reach a new audience.
Magazine brands should understand who exactly they are talking to and making sure they are creating relevant content. They should also create user-friendly content that is available in different forms.
To read the full text of this study:
Jain, P., Zaher, Z., & Roy, E. (2017). Magazines and Social Media Platforms: Strategies for Enhancing User Engagement and Implications for Publishers. Journal of Magazine & New Media Research, 17(2), 1-23.