Computers, tablets, phones and print
By Rachel Fowler, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief | TLT Publisher's Pen September 2023
There are many different ways to read your favorite articles in TLT.
The world is definitely more digital these days. I sometimes miss taking the train to Chicago years ago, and you’d see 95% of the commuters reading the newspaper. Now almost everyone is looking at their cell phones. I’m starting to sound a bit old.
Personally, when reading articles, it’s about 50/50 for me with print and digital. I still read print books and magazines—I still love the smell of print publications and actually flipping pages. I find it easier to read in print, too. I do sometimes read books on my tablet as well. But if I want to look up something quickly, I use my phone.
Out of curiosity, I decided to research how everyone is reading the STLE website, the Digital TLT and STLE emails. In 2022, for those who visited www.stle.org, 77.8% used a desktop computer, 21.4% used a mobile phone and 0.8% used a tablet. Also in 2022, for the Digital TLT, 68.1% of monthly active users used a phone or tablet, while 31.9% used a desktop or laptop.
For a recent TLT Sounding Board email that went out, 89.9% of STLE members opened the email on a computer while 10.1% opened the email on a mobile device.
Looking at this data, most people look at STLE emails and the website by desktop computer while most read the Digital TLT by phone or tablet. I’m assuming many are reading the Digital TLT on the go, and most could be viewing emails and the STLE website while at work on a computer.
Also, according to a TLT survey sent out in 2020, 46% of STLE members read just the print edition, 39% both print and digital and 15% just digital. STLE members still prefer print, and according to the STLE membership survey sent out in 2022, TLT continues to be the most valued STLE benefit. Naylor Association Solutions, a company that helps build strong trade and professional associations, shares: “According to the 2021 Association Benchmarking Communications Study, three times as many associations use their digital magazine to complement their print editions (40%) rather than to replace their print editions (14%).”1
As for more data, Naylor created the 2022 Association Benchmarking Report that shares more interesting information:2
• Use of print and video increased in 2022.
• After a couple years of print communications struggling to maintain their value in the face of pandemic challenges, the medium began to see gains as part of an association’s overall integrated engagement strategy.
• Even in this digital age, print media, when used judiciously, can be highly effective for engaging members. Even direct mail gained favor with association respondents in 2022, suggesting that associations have been looking for economical ways to cut through the barrage of digital and social media.
• In terms of print engagement tools, the member magazine or journal remains one of the most valued.
So, whether you read publications by print, computer, tablet or phone, all have pros and cons. All are good options when reading STLE content and TLT.
REFERENCES
1. Click here.
2. Click here.
You can reach TLT publisher/editor-in-chief Rachel Fowler at rfowler@stle.org.