Readership
A readership study measures overall readership levels as well as interest in content and in the publication overall. Tailored to meet your specific needs, these studies can be used to learn about your readers, their needs, and their use of your publication. Questions a readership study can answer include, but are not limited to, the following:

• How often do readers read your publication?
• What demographics are most likely to read your publication?
• Which aspects drive satisfaction (e.g. article topics, graphics, name brand, etc.)?

So how is a readership study carried out?
Readership studies are most commonly carried out with the help of surveys, thus producing quantitative data that measure readers’ satisfaction, interests, etc. regarding the publication. Based on the information gathered with the survey, distinctions can be made regarding what sections of your publication are best read, what demographics are most satisfied and/or most likely to read the publication, etc. In addition, by measuring readers’ affinity with the publication, it will show the relationship readers have with the publication. Do they read it regularly, or do they claim to be satisfied and like the publication but hardly ever read it? These are questions that need to be answered in order to measure readers’ affinity with the publication.

For more information about readership and measuring readers’ affinity, go to
http://www.quirks.com/articles/a1991/19910405.aspx?searchID=17652843&sort=5&pg=1