Digital vs Print Reading: What the science says

A 2024 study found that people reading in print retain more information for longer than people who read online.

The study reviewed recent research on the ways in which people read and absorb information. The neurology of reading is the same in both cases, but print reading is more focused.

“Recent evidence indicates that digital readers exhibit a tendency towards more shallow or superficial text processing and less metacognitive regulation,” the authors concluded.

In other words, smartphones and screen content encourages “skimming”, which is to say that readers are distracted by animated ads, pop ups, links, and other digital items.

A review of research studies on this point suggested that people generally understand less from text on screen than the same text on paper, and that this is true across several languages.

This speaks favorably of print as an old-fashioned but still effective channel. Companies still use print publications, such as custom magazines, extended brochures, or other types of printed materials, for trade shows or as part of a mailing list.

It means that a print channel offers a pathway for an already-engaged client to digest a larger, longer or more complex narrative.

It does not mean that printed content can be dull, however. Writing and imagery in print must still engage readers, and bloated text will cause readers to put down your publication and walk away.

Potential readers need to feel that there is value in your printed material, and they must wish to take it with them for future reading.

But what it does offer is a way for companies to create material that, done right, can help convey complex messages to the right audience. It suggests that the role for print within the marketing mix is distinct from digital.