Our 2023 BC Magazine Industry Survey, Jan. 12-26: Main Feedback
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Most important MagsBC member programs/services:
- Prodev – free registration (69% crucial, 12% somewhat)
- MagsBC website listing (50% crucial, 31% somewhat)
- Social media posts & promotions (50% crucial, 25% somewhat)
- Promotional campaigns (38% crucial, 44% somewhat)
- Internship subsidy program (31% crucial, 50% somewhat)
- Magazine coach program (19% crucial, 62% somewhat)
Most important programs/services to the BC magazine industry:
Note: only 3 programs/services listed were rated as not at all important at least 15% of the time.
- Newsletter (65% crucial, 15% somewhat)
- Advocacy & promotion (60% crucial, 25% somewhat)
- CPF funding – free 45-minute consultations (50% crucial, 30% somewhat), free webinars (45% crucial, 40% somewhat)
- MagsWest conference (in-person: 50% crucial, 30% somewhat, online: 45% crucial, 35% somewhat)
- Website (50% crucial, 33% somewhat), website resources (53% crucial, 32% somewhat)
- Professional development (45% crucial, 45% somewhat)
- Diversity/inclusion/equity initiatives (42% crucial, 42% somewhat)
- Website accessibility (42% crucial, 37% somewhat)
Least important programs/services to BC magazine industry:
- Member socials (36% (Victoria), 47% (Vancouver) not interested)
- I <Heart> magazines podcast (32% not interested)
- Social media posts & promotion (25% not interested)
Least aware-of programs/services:
- I <Heart> Magazines podcast (16%)
- MagsWest conference (15%)
- Job postings (11%)
- CPF funding – free consultations (10%)
REVENUE STREAMS
Notes: a significant number said “not applicable” (n/a) for various streams. We have only reported below on the most important data.
Best performing revenue streams:
- Subscriptions (22% excellent, 5% good, 28% fair, 17% poor & 28% n/a)
- Digital newsstands (6% excellent, 33% good, 6% fair, 17% poor & 39% n/a)
- Events & grants (both: 17% excellent, 22% good; events 39% n/a*, grants, 17% n/a)
- Contest & submission fees (39% good, 39% n/a)
- Custom publishing (33% good, 44% n/a)
- Freelance work (33% good, 61% n/a)
- Content sales (28% good, 56% not appl.)
Worst performing revenue streams:
- Ad sales (22% poor, 44% fair, 6% n/a)
- Book sales (12% poor, 24% fair, 47% n/a)
BIGGEST CHALLENGE
(* = no. of people who mentioned above one)
- Declining ad revenues/advertisers using other mediums ****
- Rising print costs ****
- Rising distribution/shipping costs ***
- Human resources/hiring the right people/hiring ANYONE **
- Time (to do many things) – stretched thin **
- Capricious public funding/project based funding that ignores need for capacity building
- Confusion about what is reputable news source
- Declining book sales
- Declining subscriptions
- Distribution as social media platforms “implode”
- Donations
- Growing memberships to make business sustainable
- Increased postal rates/poor returns service – Canada Post
- Public loss of interest/trust in media
HEALTH OF OUR INDUSTRY
TRAINING PRIORITIES
- Ad sales (digital/print/both)
- Analytics (understanding/leveraging)
- Audience development/engagement (online/print)
- Digital marketing
- Distribution/circulation (digital/print)
- Editorial workflow
- Grants/grant writing (finding/prepping for/applying)
- Nurturing diverse contributors
- Online content strategies
- Revenue diversification
- SEO/inbound marketing
