Print Verse Digital:

Four Reasons Why Print is Still Around

Print media is thriving in spite of indicators of some pessimist. In fact, in a number of areas, it remains the preferred format. As the dust from digital’s in a number for areas, it remains the favored format. As the dust from digital’s disruption begins to settle, print may be finding some safe footing once again.

“Print has proved to be more resilient than people thought.” says Mark Beare

“There was an ‘over-correction’ years ago, where people thought that everything must be digital.”

However, here we are in 2018 and print is nowhere near dead. So why is that?

Where do YOU think the future of media lies? Print, digital or both?

Here are four reasons why people and publishers continue to invest in print:

People Like Engaging With Print Material

Although digital seems to offer vast amounts of benefits, print media is still very much implanted in memory. This means people will read print media regardless of whether we’re talking about magazines and newspapers, flyers or catalogues.

The print medium offers a variety of content – and often many publishers and advertisers use more than one type of printed content to get their brand message across.

“{Print has} got it’s own particular [set of ] characteristics that are more in-depth and that are more at leisure with time to spend. Andy they’re more physically accessible.” say Beare.

He believes that print will continue to have a place as it remains a very persuasive medium, which people tend to spend more time on, making it a stronger source of messaging.

“It just works – it works for readers and it works for advertisers, [especially] in therms of response levels. And, for as long as something has an intrinsic value, there’ll be a market for it.”

Print Stimulates More Senses

One unique quality that print has and the digital media can never snatch is how tangible it is. Consumers are able to browse through a magazine, feel the paper and even differentiate between certain paper densities and compositions.

A advert can be printed on thicker and more porous paper. This will make it easy to take notice of, compared to the rest of the glossy sheets in the magazine. Also, there’s the smell of ink on paper that adds to the overall experience of reading something printed.

These senses that cannot be stimulated in the digital environment – or not yet, at least.

Information is also absorbed in print than in digital. People need to locate themselves in the text when looking at complex ideas. This makes it much easier to do in print than in digital.

“When you read something from a printed magazine or book you can recall where on the physical page.” says Beare.

The tangibility that print has to offer also makes readers pay more attention to the content than digital does. Readers have to actively engage with printed content to read it. They have to pick up the content, hold it and read it. Which digital content, they can passively scroll through it, without having to focus too much.

Different Print Channels Have Their Own Benefits

When you think of print media, what do you think of? Newspapers, magazines, leaflets? Each type of content has something to offer. It has its own niche or reader, playing a specific role in their lives.

For example, newspaper lure their reader through impartially written news and information. But, you might say that digital news is more consumed than newspapers. The truth is, however, that online news and printed newspapers play different roles. Online sources are used to keep up to date with the latest news headlines. Newspapers are the space for in-depth reporting, satire and analysis.

Magazines still continue to sell copies – although may have a combination of print and online presences. Printed magazines continues to be dominated by entertainment content. Digital versions tend to lead people to buy the printed copy.

Print Can Truly Captivate Readers

What does print offer that digital certainly doesn’t? An uninterrupted reading experience. This means that there are no distractions for a reader. Once they start reading, there are no other bits of news, auto-playing videos or pop-ups taking the spotlight off the article.

This means that a reader’s attention is guaranteed by engagement with the brand since the reader is going to remember it.

“This happens a lot more rarely in the digital space, where you first need to remember to bookmark a page in order to later return to it.”

Story modified from source: media update July 4, 2018.

www.mediaupdate.co.za