Digital Magazines - Great Growth on the Consumer Side - This is Just the Beginning!

The Alliance for Audited Media recently issued its semi-annual report on their audited consumer titles.  Digital magazines (replica editions) already make up 3.3 percent of total magazine circulation, with 10.2 million digital magazine editions sold in the first half of 2013. During the same time period in 2012, magazines sold just half of that number - that is quite an impressive growth rate, using either % growth or absolute increase.

Magazines on the B to B/Association side of the publishing business have been at the digital game much longer and have been able to consistently reach 15%, and upward to 80 - 90% digital readership penetration (depending on the audience).  It is fair to say that these business readers have different motivations that have driven their online behavior (i.e. searching relevant content, staying current for their job).  This behavior no doubt  led them to embrace digital magazines earlier - before the advent of iPads and tablet devices. 

But now with the beautifully rich and immersive digital magazine experience that exists and will continue to evolve on tablet and other mobile devices, leisure readers are quickly adopting digital magazines as well.

As the world of print magazines and digital magazines continue to merge, the technology, design, and business models will continue to evolve and drive new opportunities for publishers.  Publishers who embrace this evolution by learning, experimenting, and drawing on new skillsets that digital creates will no doubt survive and prosper.

It is an exciting time to be in the publishing space!