You may have seen the recent Bo Sacks post with the headline “Magazine readers prefer print.”
One interesting thing about the results is that even younger magazine readers prefer print. Not to the same degree as older readers, but it’s still a strong preference.
At the same time, there is a strong move towards digital on the news side.
“Information vs. experience” explains the discrepancy.
News is information the reader wants in his brain in the most efficient and convenient way possible. That clearly implies digital, and more specifically, mobile.
Reading a magazine is different. While there used to be news magazines, they’re dying left and right. Magazines that do well focus on a lifestyle, a hobby, or a niche interest. You read them in your easy chair with an adult beverage. You like the pictures, and you even like the ads. If you’re into boating, for example, it’s nice to see all the new boats.
A similar rule may apply to podcasts and videos. For a long time, people have been saying that videos should be short. No more than a couple of minutes. Then Joe Rogan came along and dominated the market with three-hour-long shows.
So which is better: short or long?
It depends. It’s information vs. experience. If I want information, I want it fast and efficiently. If I want an experience, I want it to linger.
One implication of this is that it’s meaningless to discuss print vs. digital, long form vs. short form, without the greater context of the consumer’s desire when it comes to that particular form of content.
Does the consumer want you to beam information into his head, or does the consumer want a more immersive experience?
That question should guide how you format your content.
