The role of the website in a magazine business – revisiting old truths

Abstract

This paper explores consumer behavioural patterns on a magazine website. By using a unique dataset of real-life click stream data from 295 magazine website visitors, interesting behavioural patterns are noted: most importantly, 86% of all sessions only visit the blogs hosted by the magazine. This means that the visitors short-circuit the start page and are not exposed to any editorial content at all, and consequently not to any commercial content on those pages. Sessions visiting editorial content, commercial content or social media links actually represent only 1% or less of all sessions recorded. Consequently, the online platform gives very limited support for the business model. Our data questions the general assumption that online platforms are key components of a contemporary magazine’s business model.

Keywords:

• magazine
• business model
• website
• clickstream
• pattern
• consumer behaviour

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hanna-Kaisa Ellonen

Hanna-Kaisa Ellonen is Professor of Strategic Management of Innovations at Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Business and Management (Finland). Her research interests are in the areas of strategic management and technological change particularly in the magazine publishing industry. Her work has been published in Technovation, International Journal on Media Management, and Journal of Media Business Studies among others.

Patrik Wikström

Patrik Wikström is Principal Research Fellow and Chief Investigator at QUT Digital Media Research Centre at Queensland University of Technology. His research is primarily focused on innovation and learning in music and media organizations.

Anette Johansson

Anette Johansson is acting assistant professor at Jönköping University, School of Engineering. Her research interests include business development and innovation in the media industries..