Advertising’s Still A Strong Source of Mag Revenue, But Look At These Alternatives

In some publications, advertising’s still the top source of revenue; in others, new hybrid models are what pays the bills.

AdAge surveyed five print magazines to get a sense of where the money’s coming from.

FADER makes 75% of its revenue from advertising, with slightly more (40%) in print than in digital. But another 20% comes from events, branded video, and other nontraditional revenue sources.

On the other end of the spectrum, Make magazine gets just 20 percent of its revenue from advertising, and only 3% of that is in print. A third more comes from circulation and a quarter from e-commerce. Its annual conference, Maker Faire, contributes another 16%.

A third option is The Atlantic which gets 45 percent of its revenue from circulation.

What this means is that magazines are going to have to become more creative in how they keep the lights on, rather than just hiring more salespeople. Entrepreneurial types will find many places to put their talents to work in the new media economy, oh yes.

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