A big round of applause to all who participated in a recent e-readership survey we conducted online to plan our editorial calendar for next year. As an enticement, we offered an iPod Shuffle as a drawing prize.
Initially, I was worried about the response. After the first day, there were only 15 people who had taken the survey. Then it caught like a wildfire - the speed of which we’re amply aware of in July in Arizona, where I live. We wound up with better than a 5% response rate, which is very good by any measure.
Of those, fully half (51.1%) listed Power Generation as their primary industry of interest. Next were Chemical Processing, Oil & Gas, Food Processing, Pulp & Paper and Beverage industries. Your top editorial preferences were for technical articles, application pieces and case studies, in that order - with a particular interest in “Trends & Technologies.”
Editorial topics of highest reader interest are listed at the top of the page. They were followed closely by Automation Technology, MBR/Membrane Treatment; Flow, Level & Pressure Measurement; Process Control Systems; and Sludge Dewatering & Processing.
The only thing that surprised me were the number of requests for more on municipal water and wastewater utilities, as that’s largely the purview of our sister magazine, WaterWorld. Other top requests for more coverage included: mining/refining/metal processing, pharmaceutical/medical, semiconductor/microelectronic, textile, oil & gas/chemical/petrochemical, and food and agriculture applications.
As for what’s not covered adequately, I was also pleasantly surprised with some of the positive comments about how the magazine has changed since I came on board as editor two years ago. “I think you are well balanced,” said one person. “I have been very satisfied. It seems there’s always something else new and I’m interested in learning about it,” said another. And my favorite: “You do a pretty good job overall. But that’s not to say it can’t be challenged with a new look from time to time. Keep your readers off-guard and interested in what’s to come.” That’s, after all, our ultimate goal.
It’s a challenge considering Industrial WaterWorld is a horizontal magazine competing in a series of vertical markets. By that, I mean it broadly covers process, makeup and cooling water and wastewater issues across a range of industry segments often also served by more narrowly focused publications in each segment.
Also, being the web content and e-newsletter editor for the PennWell Water Group, which includes Industrial WaterWorld, WaterWorld and Water & Wastewater International magazines, I was happy to see that nearly 60% of you visit our website often or frequently - we continue to work to make it more user friendly. And over 90% of you receive our e-newsletters, with the Water & Wastewater Industry Report the most popular.*
By the way, the iPod winner was Larry McNeil, of Fresno, CA - but, really, you’re all winners for helping us better target Industrial WaterWorld to your needs. Thanks.
* Others include quarterlies: 1) Pump Systems & Innovations; 2) Water Security & Instrumentation; 3) Stormwater & Watershed Management; 4) AMR/Metering News, and the new monthly WWI International Report.
Carlos David Mogollon
