The results are in, again

We’d like to say a big “thank you” to everyone who participated in the second annual reader survey of Plant Engineering Online (www.plantengineering.com) conducted this past November and December. Your input plays a significant role in Plant Engineering magazine’s expansion to the online world, helping us to better deliver the problem-solving information you need, how you need it, and when you need it. Below are some highlights from the survey.

Sign of the times?

It’s safe to say the print medium will never go away, but results of the survey indicated that readers are relying more and more on the internet to get their information. Over 50% of those responding indicated their preference for using both media to access Plant Engineering material, while almost 20% said they prefer to use only the internet. Compared to 1998 results, this is a 10% increase for each result.

What do these results mean to you? First of all, there’s no need to cancel your subscription to Plant Engineering magazine. Second, if you’re not dialed in to the internet yet, you don’t know what your missing! In the past year, we have placed a strong emphasis on providing you with exclusive online content and resources, and we have also used the web site to expand upon and supplement what we provide you in print each month.

When you consider the interactive nature of the internet and the endless amount of page space it provides, it’s certainly easy to see why you can expect this multiple media approach to continue well into the new millennium.

Do you come here often?

While this line may be losing its luster on the bar scene, it is one of the foremost metrics for measuring a web site’s performance. Assuming a few of the first-time visitors to Plant Engineering Online who filled out the survey have converted to regular visitors, it’s safe to say that over 60% of those who visit the web site do so at least once per week.

Here are some more results from the survey:

– Product information rules!

– So do the Maintenance, Plant Management , and Instrument and Controls channels

– Overall, almost 85% of readers are “very satis- fied” or “satisfied” with Plant Engineering Online .

This last result doesn’t mean we’re going to sit back and relax. As part of the reader survey, we presented respondents with a choice of future enhancements they felt would improve their use of the web site. While we’re happy to say we have made progress toward a couple of the items mentioned — searching within the Plant Engineering channels and expanding the jobs section to include job postings — it’s clear that we still have work to do. And so do you! There is no need to wait for our annual survey to let us know how Plant Engineering Online can be a better resource for you.

Feel free to contact us for more survey details. –Len O’Neal , Web Editor, 630-320-7147, loneal@cahners.com

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