As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering the best content possible, toward the end of 2025 we invited the community to provide feedback on Geoscientist magazine. We wanted to know what readers enjoy (or skip) and would like to see more (or less) of in magazine, as well as what they feel works well or could be improved. The results are in—read on to find out more.
A loyal and engaged readership
It’s wonderful to see that most readers engage with the magazine regularly, with 78% reading every or almost every issue. Over half of respondents say they have always read the magazine and over a quarter say they read it more now than in the past. For those reading less often, the main obstacle is not lack of interest but lack of time—a reminder that in our increasingly pressured lives, reading competes with many other demands. That points to a growing role for shorter, more accessible content that readers can dip into more easily.
While readers appreciate having the choice between print and digital formats, most respondents (73%) have a strong preference for print, with some stating they would read the magazine less often or not at all if it were online-only, and with only 8% saying they have any interest in reading the magazine via an online app.
Anecdotally, despite the stereotypical view of older generations being wedded to print and younger generations to screens, print continues to stand the test of time and is experiencing a cross-generational resurgence. Most of us are struggling with digital fatigue and younger ‘digital natives’ also crave the tactile, distraction-free experience offered by books and magazines. Print holds both emotional and practical appeal for geoscientists, many of whom spend long hours travelling and working in remote, WiFi-free field locations.
A couple of respondents report being unaware that Geoscientist is still available in print. The quarterly print edition is a core membership benefit. If you are not receiving it and would like to, please get in touch with our membership team (membership@geolsoc.org.uk) so that they can update your preferences. Conversely, all magazine content and back issues are available online, so if you’d prefer to opt out of print, the membership team can arrange that too.
Informative and interesting
Motivations for reading the magazine are diverse. Most respondents (81%) read Geoscientist to keep up to date with developments across the broader geosciences, and because they find it interesting and entertaining (76%), while some (19%) use it as an educational tool.
The magazine helps readers stay informed about Society activities. 84% of respondents cite Geoscientist as their preferred means for staying in the loop with Society news —ahead of both e-newsletters and website updates, though these are popular too.
Many describe the magazine as “informative,” “interesting,” and “engaging”, noting the good diversity of topics covered in every edition, as well as the quality of content—particularly the science features, news from the geoscience sector, and opinions and debates. Almost half have recommended the magazine to someone else.
Respondents report finding the obituaries inspiring and insightful, preferring them to be published quarterly, rather than in an annual supplement.
There is clear appetite for expanded coverage of applied geoscience, engineering geology, hydrogeology and other industry-focused topics, particularly given that almost half of respondents are applied geoscientists.
Some respondents would also like to see more careers and education-related content, although we are keen to avoid duplicating the excellent resources already provided by the Society’s education team, which include a variety of primary and secondary educational resources and posters, as well as the ‘This is Geoscience’ campaign, which features diverse careers profiles.
Overall, 81% rate the magazine as very good or good, and it is gratifying to see that the vast majority are satisfied with the different magazine components—92% with content, 95% with tone of voice, and 96% with imagery and design. Indeed, the attractive layout and striking graphic design are frequently mentioned by respondents.
Multimedia content
Geoscientist is primarily a print magazine, so it is encouraging to see that 20% of respondents visit Geoscientist.Online every week or month, with another 16% visiting quarterly. That said, a third of respondents say they never visit the website, and around two thirds are unaware that Geoscientist produces a variety of multimedia content. For those respondents who have watched our Science Snapshot videos or listened to our podcasts, 72-87% rate them as good or excellent, so we will focus our efforts on more actively promoting these digital resources. Almost half of respondents expressed interest in signing up to a Geoscientist e-newsletter that delivers our latest content direct to inboxes, so, if resources allow, this may offer one avenue for building visibility and engagement.
As an aside, Geoscientist.Online is thriving and has seen an overall increase in annual views of 317% since its launch in 2021 (with many viewers finding Geoscientist content through our dedicated social media channels). The popularity of the website, compared to the lower digital engagement reported by our survey respondents, suggests we are reaching different audiences in print compared to online, reinforcing the idea that we should continue to offer a range of options for accessing Geoscientist content.
With thanks
The survey results show that our readers particularly appreciate the authoritative content, breadth of coverage and sense of connection to the geoscience community that Geoscientist provides. The responses also highlight opportunities for development, including sharpening content relevance for different sectors, and improving digital discoverability and engagement.
Going forward, we will use these valuable data to help tailor our content and publishing strategy. In the meantime, we offer our sincere thanks to all those who took the time to provide considered and constructive feedback.
