Survey · Marketing
Magazine reader survey template
A reader survey for print and digital magazines. It covers format, reading habits and a section-by-section grid, then splits on the overall rating: readers who love it name the piece that stayed with them, and readers who do not are asked what disappoints them. It closes by asking whether they plan to keep reading.
Try it live
Try it as a respondent
Every question, and where it leads
The conversation
What a respondent is asked, in order.
Thanks for reading us. We'd like to know what you love, what you skip and what's missing.
How do you usually read the magazine?
How long have you been reading us?
How much of an issue do you usually read?
How often do you read each section?
Which topics would you like to see more of?
Overall, how would you rate the magazine right now?
Which recent piece stayed with you, and why?
What's letting the magazine down for you at the moment?
How likely are you to keep reading over the next year?
If you were editor for a day, what's the one thing you'd change?
Ends with
Thank you, the editors will read this 📖
The flow
Where each answer leads. Every route here is editable once the form is yours.
Single select
Dropdown
Single select
Matrix
Multi select
Rating
Long text
Long text
Single select
Short text
What this template uses
- Single select
- Dropdown
- Matrix
- Multi select
- Rating
- Long text
- Short text
- 1 branch
Questions to consider
- Do the section names in the grid match what readers see on your contents page?
- Are you deciding something specific, like dropping a section or changing frequency, that deserves its own question?
- Should print and digital readers be asked different questions about the reading experience?
- Do you want readers to be able to volunteer for interviews or contribute stories?
How to use the responses
Read the section grid first: sections most readers skip are candidates for a rethink, and those read by long-time readers but skipped by new ones may need a better introduction. Put the favourite pieces and the disappointments side by side, since the patterns in each tell editors what to do more and less of. Keep an eye on readers who say they probably will not keep reading and what they wrote about why.
How to customize and share it
- 1Rename the grid rows to your real sections and adjust the topics list to your beat.
- 2Change the format options to the ways your magazine is actually published, such as a newsletter edition or podcast.
- 3Put the link in the next issue, on the website and in subscriber emails, then compare answers from print and digital readers in the dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
What should a magazine reader survey ask?
How people read, how much of each issue they get through, which sections they read or skip, what they want more of, and whether they plan to keep reading.
How often should a magazine run a reader survey?
Once a year is enough for most publications, plus a short one when you are about to make a big change such as a redesign.
How do I get more readers to respond?
Tell them their answers will shape the next issues, keep it short and share the link in several places. A chat that asks one question at a time also feels less like homework.
Can I use this survey for a newsletter or blog?
Yes, with a few edits to the format and section names. For email newsletters there is also a dedicated newsletter feedback survey.