Top 25 Magazines on Social Media: The MPA’s Latest Report

Magazine Media 360° releases update for performance of magazines on social media; plus, the niche content that’s generating the most engagement

Which magazines on social media are performing especially well as of the third quarter of 2015? Well, the Association of Magazine Media 360° is glad we asked – they recently released their latest Social Media Report, which covers the top 25 magazines across all social networks in terms of likes and followers, as well as the top on each channel.

In addition, they delve into the editorial categories – or, in the parlance of Mequoda Members, niches – are gaining the most traction on respective sites.

The common denominator for these successful magazines is the fact that they have a strong social media strategy in place, a regimen that finds them posting with regularity and a nice mix of tone and approach.

You can accomplish this, too. Sure, you may not have the reach of a National Geographic or Entertainment Weekly, but you can build audience to levels that will lead to a boost in traffic and, if you play your cards right, an increase in conversions and revenue, too. To do so, you need staff, methodology, discipline, savvy, and analytics.

In other words, we’re convinced that social works, but only if you work for it.

Now, let’s take a look at these lists!

Top 25 Magazines on Social Media (Total Likes and Followers Across All Networks)

1. National Geographic (90,024,662)
2. ESPN The Magazine (47,007,699)
3. Time (26,398,239)
4. The Economist (26,261,907)
5. Vogue (24,871,269)
6. Playboy (20,698,195)
7. Natl. Geographic Mag (19,287,472)
8. People (14,596,942)
9. Forbes (13,824,729)
10. Elle (12,652,615)
11. Discover (11,658,415)
12. Natl. Geographic Traveler (11,418,016)
13. Entertainment Weekly (10,691,208)
14. Glamour (10,424,487)
15. Cosmopolitan (10,374,845)
16. Wired (10,172,433)
17. Popular Science (9,987,477)
18. Harper’s Bazaar (9,984,036)
19. Women’s Health (9,878,819)
20. Teen Vogue (9,300,764)
21. InStyle (9,246,526)
22. The New Yorker (9,192,611)
23. Vanity Fair (8,682,069)
24. Martha Stewart Living (8,646,685)
25. Men’s Health (8,400,572)

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Likes and Followers Leaders by Network

Facebook

National Geographic, 37,310,411
Natl. Geo Magazine, 19,162,686
Playboy, 16,442,615
ESPN The Magazine, 14,074,565
Time, 8,567,744
Vogue, 6,739,700
Cosmopolitan, 6,249,646
The Economist, 5,809,538
People, 5,678,506
Muscle & Fitness, 5,641,753

Twitter

ESPN The Magazine, 21,906,598
The Economist, 10,643,925
National Geographic, 10,516,308
Time, 8,338,147
Vogue, 7,698,634
Forbes, 6,858,211
People, 6,625,839
The New Yorker, 5,599,734
Wired, 5,158,320
Entertainment Weekly, 4,212,680

Google+

The Economist, 9,631,200
National Geographic, 8,850,578
ESPN The Magazine, 8,056,127
Time, 7,864,150
Discover, 6,935,315
Popular Science, 6,416,516
Forbes, 4,425,807
Elle, 3,959,813
Glamour, 3,876,747
Vogue, 3,873,723

Instagram

National Geographic, 32,480,222
Vogue, 6,299,713
Natl. Geo Traveler, 5,636,441
Playboy, 3,164,324
ESPN The Magazine, 2,946,503
Super Street, 2,444,663
GQ, 2,015,374
Time, 1,562,590
Teen Vogue, 1,384,021
Harper’s Bazaar, 1,293,865

Pinterest

Harper’s Bazaar, 4,634,448
Ski, 1,622,112
Consumer Reports, 1,210,361
Better Homes & Gardens, 962,771
Smithsonian, 961,871
National Geographic, 867,143
Martha Stewart Living, 756,998
Real Simple, 603,824
This Old House, 599,903
GQ, 538,873

Growth Leaders by Network (Percentage of Growth)

Facebook

Town & Country, 40%
Dwell, 32
Shutterbug, 26
Sierra Magazine, 26
Road & Track, 25
Money, 23
Boating, 21
Allure, 21
Martha Stewart Weddings, 20
Scuba Diving, 20

Twitter

Life & Style, 82%
Parents, 43
Food & Wine, 40
National Geographic Kids, 27
Real Simple, 25
FamilyFun, 21
Entrepreneur, 20
Forbes, 19
Vogue, 18
Vanity Fair, 17

Google+

Super Chevy, 67%
Chevy High Performance, 35
Prevention, 22
Shape, 22
Fitness, 21
Street Rodder, 20
Women’s Health, 20
Kraft Comida y Familia, 18
Mustang Monthly, 17
Southern Living, 16

Instagram

The Economist, 209%
Woman’s Day, 163
Car Craft, 119
Vegetarian Times, 114
Street Rodder, 110
Classic Trucks, 107
EatingWell, 102
American Baby, 101
Reader’s Digest, 101
Super Chevy, 99

Pinterest

AARP The Magazine, 100%
Wood, 35
Scuba Diving, 30
Bicycling, 27
Cycle World, 23
Fortune, 20
More, 20
Forbes, 18
domino, 16
Backpacker, 15

In terms of niche performance, motorcycle content is the leader on Facebook, luxury and sports lead on Twitter, science and tech on Google+, travel on Instagram, and women’s service on Pinterest.

Overall, Facebook’s dominant share of social is shrinking, while Instagram’s share continues to grow.

Magazines on social media need a strategy for audience development. We have a strategy for audience development, and you can download it for free!

To read more about magazines on social media, visit The Association of Magazine Media.

 

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