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Plattsburgh Magazine Reader Survey: What You Told Us

Plattsburgh Magazine staff wanted to know what readers think of the print publication. So we asked.

We sent a survey to a random sample of our readers. Of the 7,825 people in that sample, 266 took the survey, giving it about a +/- 6 percentage point margin of error.

Developed by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, this tool allows us to compare our magazine’s results to those from other master’s level institutions with twice-yearly publications and a similar circulation size.

Here are our findings:

Importance

More than half of the respondents said the magazine is their most important source for news about the campus.

Amount Read

Nearly 85 percent said they read every issue or almost every issue. The national average for similar institutions is 50.5 percent. In addition, 69 percent said they read all or most of each issue, compared to 40.5 nationally. And, around 90 percent of our respondents said they spend at least 10 minutes reading each issue — 23 percentage points higher than respondents from other schools.



Reading Preference

Most respondents still prefer to receive the magazine in print, though many said they like to have it both in print and online.

Quality

Plattsburgh Magazine scored significantly higher than peer publications when it came to the quality of the content; cover; ease of reading; layout and design; photography; and writing. At least 76 percent of respondents rated Plattsburgh Magazine as either “good” or “excellent” in each of these categories.



Connections to the College

Almost 83 percent said the magazine strengthened their connection to the school. The national average for colleges in Plattsburgh's category was 71 percent.

Readers of Plattsburgh Magazine express that connection in a variety of ways, including recommending the college to a potential student or family member; making a donation; and contacting a classmate or friend.

Most of our respondents felt that Plattsburgh Magazine consistently portrayed the institution accurately and objectively. However, some felt it only portrayed the college in a positive light and around 2 percent felt it was not an objective source of information.

What Alumni Want to Read

Respondents told us they were most interested in reading about:

  • Institutional history and traditions.
  • Alumni in their professions.
  • Campus facilities and growth.
  • Individual alumni profiles.
  • Student achievements.

Next Steps

“Plattsburgh Magazine staff members are grateful to all of those who took the time to fill out the survey,” said Michelle Marasch Ouellette, director for public relations and publications at the college. “Their answers inform our decision making and will help us continue to craft a better publication.”

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