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Rethinking Print as Part of the Content Strategy: Fortune, APA Proving Print is Not Dead

I just took three flights to get to Slovenia.

On each flight and in all the waiting areas, I saw people holding, reading and engaging in print magazines.

Then, I spent the day listening to the state of content marketing in Europe at POMP Forum 2010 conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia.  Here’s what I learned from the Julia Hutchison and Patrick Fuller from the APA (the association of branded editorial content in the UK).

  • The average time a reader spends with a custom print magazine is 25 minutes.
  • Custom print magazines get an average 44% response rate.
  • On average, custom print magazines see an 8% increase in sales (as opposed to those who don’t receive the magazine).
  • 18-24 year-old men and women who receive custom magazines from a corporation are the most engaged of any age group (yes, really!).

Surprising, huh?

Then, I see this Fortune interview where they are investing heavily in the print magazine…including higher quality paper and significant design/font changes.

What does this tell me? When we develop a content marketing strategy, we need to look at all possible tactics to get the best return for our investment. While digital is hot, print may still be a key component to your strategy. It might be worth revisiting.