21st Century women stay loyal to the glossy says YouGov research

According to Conde Nast, the findings of the "21st Century Woman Report" emphasise the importance of monthly glossy magazines, with the vast majority of women polled still buying them regularly.

The Report aims to analyse changes in women's behaviour following the last four years of financial disruption. In addition, it also charts the progress of the "digital revolution" of our consumer lives.

Conducted in June and July this year, Glamour polled just under 4,000 women aged 16-40, using the YouGov panel of over 350,000 to reach respondents, all of whom were regular readers or users of at least one of the following magazine brands – in print or online:  Glamour, Marie Claire, Elle, Cosmopolitan, In Style, Look and Grazia.

YouGov claims that monthlies are regarded as 50% more influential than weekly magazines, TV and magazine websites, almost three times more powerful than free magazines and supplements, and 55% of women are still tearing features from glossy magazines for inspiration (59% of over 30’s).

Glossy monthlies were found to be the most trustworthy source of information, and are considered 78% "more inspiring" than any other medium.

Simon Kippin, publishing director of Glamour, said: "Our clients and agency partners will find our latest 21st Century Woman research findings of great value in forming strategies to attract the attention,  and spending commitments, of young women in the UK .

This unique tracking study of attitudes, spending patterns and influencers in the digital age will challenge some assumptions, and inform media decision making as we head through and hopefully out of recession."

According to the research, 97% of the women polled read print magazines, with over a third reading a print title at least once every couple of days.  

79% are visiting magazine websites, with more than a fifth visiting those sites every other day at least.  Magazine newsletters are also growing in popularity with 59% of the 21st century women signed up to them, and 16% are receiving them daily, and 50% once a week.  

More than half have accessed digital editions of magazines, with 42% using magazine apps and 20% following magazines on Facebook or Twitter, often accessing this daily too.

The report also claims that, in terms of trusted influences, magazines are second only to direct recommendations from friends, and almost "twice as powerful" as comments made on social networking sites.

They are more than 3.5 times more trusted than TV and almost 6 times stronger than celebrity endorsements.

The 21st Century Woman Report uncovered three distinct consumer groups, each allegedly representing different faces of the modern woman: The Style Champion, fashionable and experimental; The Traditional Connector, older with confidence born out of experience and the Practically Struggling who has had her confidence knocked by the recession and is finding times tough.

In the recent ABC figures, Glamour increased its lead over second-placed Good Housekeeping in the women's lifestyle sector with a reported circulation 470,138 in the six months to end of June, down 11.3% on the year.

This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk