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Is Digital Fatigue Real? Why Digital Detox is Giving Rise to More Print

Is Digital Fatigue Real? Why Digital Detox is Giving Rise to More Print

 

For years we have been hearing that print is dead. Digital technology has certainly cornered the market in the past 15+ years. Medical offices started transferring paper records to digital and many schools stopped using hardback textbooks in favor of digital textbooks.  Newspapers, magazines and books have gone digital. A lot of companies have decided to make the switch from print advertising to web advertising. It is obvious that print is no longer the only game in town. But is print really dead? Not so fast.

For years we have been hearing that print is dead. Digital technology has certainly cornered the market in the past 15+ years. Medical offices started transferring paper records to digital and many schools stopped using hardback textbooks in favor of digital textbooks.  Newspapers, magazines and books have gone digital. A lot of companies have decided to make the switch from print advertising to web advertising. It is obvious that print is no longer the only game in town. But is print really dead? Not so fast.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, a lot of industries switched solely to digital, however over time consumers started to feel overwhelmed by their number of devices and subscriptions. Digital fatigue has begun to set in, with one in five people needing “digital detox” and 70 percent of people admitting they are reducing their consumption of digital media. Print gives that break from staring at the glare of a screen. It’s easier to read large amounts of text in a printed magazine or book than its online equivalent.

Many Industries Still Utilize Print

Also, there are many industries where print is not only relevant, but alive and thriving. Although many textbooks may have gone digital, education is certainly an industry where a lot of paper is used. Whether it’s teachers and professors handing out assignments and study papers or administrators dealing with paperwork, education accounts for over 262 million pages per day being used in our nation’s schools.  

Construction companies or homeowners conducting remodels require various accurate, high-quality prints of architectural plans that can only come from a professional printing company. This also ties into engineering firms who use printed blueprints for their architects.

The legal and medical fields also utilize a ton of paper. Without paper, many functions of a lawyer’s work can’t happen. Documents are moved between the paralegal, lawyer and court as well as opposing counsel. And although a lot of medical offices have utilized EMR (Electronic Medical Records) there are still many that require patients to fill out paper forms, including HIPAA.

In general, there are lots of reasons why print might occasionally have a leg up on digital. Here are just three:

Print helps you stand out from the crowd:

Because so many businesses are opting to publish digitally, print helps your business be distinctive. If a customer has your print title in their hands, they will remember you and come back to you. It’s a way to rise above the digital white noise.
 

Leave a lasting impression:

When at a meeting, presentation or convention, people tend to like tangible assets that they can hold in their hands and read while it’s right there in front of them. It’s instant gratification. Just keep your message short and succinct.
 

Your brand can be a conversation starter:

Having your high-quality printed content sitting on the desk of some of your biggest customers is a form of promotion, especially when it acts as a conversation starter between decision-makers.


The unavoidable truth is that print is not as popular as it used to be, but it will take a long time before print is ever dead. Everyone may be inundated with digital ads, social media campaigns and emails jam-packed with instant communication, but print can offer a valuable alternative if done right.