REGIONAL MAGAZINE AUDIENCE SURVEY

Q1. ARE YOU MALE OR FEMALE?

In order to understand a general response from my target audience which is both male and female, I decided to ask 20 people. This was to cover a greater range as possible.

Q2. HOW OLD ARE YOU? The next question I asked was of what age is the person taking the survey. 70% answered 16-19 whilst a further 15% answered in the 20-24 category. 85% of the people that took my survey are in my primary audience, thus giving me a better understanding of my target market. The remaining 15% were either 25 or older. This section would be my secondary audience. They are also important, as some features of my magazine may tailor towards them rather than my primary audience.

Q3. WHAT GENRE’S OF MAGAZINES WOULD INTEREST YOU?

I asked the readers what genre’s of magazines would interest them in the hope they would chose my chosen genre – entertainment. 75% of the people surveyed chose this, which is to my success as this shows there is an interest and a desire for this genre. This can also show there is a gap in the market for this style. I have also noticed that fashion only interested 25% of my readers which is what I had previously thought as there are already well established fashion magazines that have such a loyal market and existing fan base already.

Q4. WHAT TYPE OF ARTICLES WOULD INTEREST YOU IN A REGIONAL ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE?

I was interested to know what style of articles that my audience would be like to read. The feedback I have received was all positive. 70% of readers were interested in both a review feature, whilst they equally were interested in a section related to what I think the best entertainment of the month/year is. Additionally, 40% of the people asked were interested in upcoming releases and question and answers. I will use this encouraging response to offer my target audience with what they want.

Q5. WHAT IS THE STAND OUT FEATURE TO YOU WHEN YOU SEE A MAGAZINE FRONT COVER?

In order to successfully market my magazine towards the customers I want to attract. I felt it were important to see what is the most eye-catching feature when they see a magazine. My responses were quite varied which I can use to my advantage as it means that I don’t have to rely on a single feature to persuade the customers to purchase my magazine. 40% of the people interviewed felt that the cover star was the biggest stand out feature. The cover star must appearing inviting and not dismissive or passive, so that the reader feels comfortable and eager to read about them. While a further 40% felt that the headline was more important. This tells me that my headline must be snappy and important as the customers find this intriguing. Another 15% felt that promotional offers were important which alerts me to include puffs that have an interesting sale. Sub-images and exclusive content both received 0% which simply informs me, although they can be considered vital and a convention of a magazine, they are not necessarily the most important.

Q6. DO YOU STILL FEEL THAT A REGIONAL MAGAZINE WOULD BE OF A GOOD STANDARD IF IT WERE FREE?

This short question has allowed me to gather what the response is from my target audience. An overwhelming 80% feel that a regional magazine would still be of a good quality if it would be free. This supports my thesis in that I have decided to make my magazine free also. This is due to the success of other free regional magazines such as Crack Magazine.

Q7. WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT REGIONAL ASPECT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN A MAGAZINE OF THIS GENRE?

The most controversial question that I have asked in terms of responses was Q7. The answers have divided the people surveyed as it shows that different features appeal to different people. 40% felt that regional people were important, which also relates the ‘other’ response I received which was to include regional musicians/actors. 25% of the people that answered also thought using regional landmarks or locations would acquire a strong tie to the region.

Q8. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU, FOR A MAGAZINE OF ANY GENRE TO HAVE INTERACTIVE ONLINE FEATURES? SUCH AS: AN APP OR A WEBSITE.

This question has made me feel confident in that fact I will be incorporating a website into my magazine. 85% of people felt it was either important or very important that a magazine offered interactive features. As most people have a smartphone this will be very easy to access. I will be However, 15% of the users felt it wasn’t very important, but with looking into individual answers, I noted that all three of the people that answered were in the oldest age bracket of 25+.