But perhaps most impressive is how well customer publishing is faring. ABC results show that customer magazines now occupy the seven consecutive positions by circulation with the medium representing a third of the magazines in the top 100.

Says Julia Hutchison, the APA's Chief Operating Officer: "These latest results are a true representation of the buoyancy of this medium. Brands are continuing to invest in editorialised branded content as it delivers valuable engagement which in turn bolsters loyalty and boosts sales."

Sky Magazine, the title distributed to all subscribers to the satellite broadcaster, continues to lead the pack, with an average distribution of 7,423,570, down 1.6% on the first half of 2009, but up 2.8% year on year. While Sky's other two magazines, Sky Sports (4,127,025) and Sky Movies (3,387,788), occupy positions number two and three. In fourth place is the Tesco magazine with a circulation of 2,055,391.

Of course if you look at the magazine sector over a longer period of time it is a slightly different story. Particularly interesting is research undertaken by Paid Content's Robert Andrews on how sales of magazines have fared over a decade. He's processed data for magazine purchases - rather than magazine circulation which often includes free copies - and discovered that sales have declined by 17%.

Obviously how you process that figure yourself depends on your point of view. In some respects losing nearly 20% of readers is very difficult pill for publishers to swallow. However the web, and increasingly mobile, has delivered all kinds of opportunities for publishers, many of whom are discovering new income streams.

Many traditional publishers have also been able to develop very successful customer publishing wings which are among the most profitable parts of their businesses. So while paid for magazines have seen a notable decline, brand-led free media - both on and offline - has thrived.

"The rise of digital has certainly had an impact on the acceptance of free media," says the APA's Julia Hutchison. "Consumers have an increasing appetite for information and reward those that provide it. As a result we are increasingly seeing brands blur the lines between traditional customer publishing and new media - for example by offering a printed title alongside an e-zine, ecommerce driven branded content site, podcasts, video and social media platforms."

The Paid Content research is here >>
Bron: apa.co.uk