PlasticsToday recently completed its second annual reader survey, garnering responses to a range of questions from nearly 740 plastics professionals. The survey offers a composite sketch of sorts of our readers, and I thank all of you who participated. Ultimately, our community aims to serve you, and to do that well, it helps to know a little bit about you.
Reviewing the results, a couple of figures jumped out at me-numbers that hint at a continued shift in how you learn about the news and technology that impacts your business.
- 57% said their first choice to hear about new technologies, products or companies were e-newsletters
- 54% said they read e-newsletters daily
- 83% said they read about industry news and technology digitally
Those of you who reach for a smart phone, tablet, or a mouse when you want the latest news are not alone. Last year, Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism polled more than 9500 adults and found that:
- Half of all adult American own either a table or a smartphone
- One-third use that device on a weekly basis to view news or video clips
It will be interesting to see in subsequent years how those numbers continue to shift as technologies advance. Whatever happens, PlasticsToday will look to keep you up to speed on the global plastics industry. The fact that more of you are seeking information digitally is reflected in our 2012 traffic stats for PlasticsToday.
- Unique visitors were up more than 17% over 2011
- Total page views were up nearly 7% in 2012
- Unique visitors were up in 11 out of 12 months over 2011
- Page views rose in 10 out of 12 months compared to 2011
And, like the industry at large, the folks who visited PlasticsToday in 2012 reflected a globally diverse group, with nearly half (47.6%) coming from outside the U.S.
Top visiting countries in 2012
- U.S.
- India
- Canada
- U.K.
- China
- Germany
- Australia
- France
- Malaysia
- Singapore
Thanks to you all for your support of PlasticsToday. This September marks our fifth anniversary and we are planning exciting news throughout the year to celebrate and better serve you, the global plastics community.
Tony Deligio
director of content, PlasticsToday
