The chorus of “print is dead” keeps echoing all over the Internet and some of the latest numbers may indicate that there could be some truth to that idea. According to Folio Magazine, subscription rates to printed magazines dropped by 2.2 percent in 2014. Single newsstand copy sales dropped by 14 percent overall, but business magazines such as Entrepreneur and Inc. enjoyed another year of double-digit growth.

The prevailing notion is that digital content is causing a decline in the demand for print, but the answer may not be quite as cut and dry. According to Mequoda.com, only around 10 percent of tablet owners actually read magazines on their portable computing devices. The answer for publishers and publishing websites lies in between the printed content and the digital world.

There Is A Synergy Between Print And Digital

If there is one common theme between the numbers we see regarding print and digital content, it is that consumers are using both to get the information they desire. Entrepreneur Magazine points out that 33 percent of Millennials read printed magazines and newspapers every day. Yet those same Millennials will spend almost 18 hours a day on social media because they like to read content created by people they know and can access.

A publisher can enhance their authoritative print media with interactive online options that allow readers to feel like they are part of the story. The interactive nature of the Internet allows publishers to capitalize on the synergy between print and digital and enhance their revenue.

Develop A Personal Experience

The technology that is available these days allows online publishers to create a personalized experience for consumers that print is unable to offer. To some consumers, the idea of seeing advertisements that relate to their needs is important. By using the latest Internet marketing tools to create a personalized online experience for consumers, a publisher can use its digital presence to capture the revenue lost by its printed publications.

Use Content That Is Immediately Relevant

Printed magazines have a large audience that like to sit back and absorb detailed material that has been relevant for some time. Digital magazines offer publishers the option of giving an audience the very latest in trending news stories. When a publisher learns how to balance the need for comprehensive information in printed format with the desire for the latest news on its digital platform, then it becomes easier to give your audience everything they need in formats that they prefer.

The drop in the consumption of printed material is undeniable, but it does not need to drain a publisher of much-needed revenue. By understanding the digital format and using it properly, a publisher can find a variety of ways to offer content online and offline that will attract readers and help to grow ad revenue. As consumers get more tech savvy, it becomes important that publishers know how to deliver information in a manner that will help to grow readership and expand the publisher’s marketing influence.