Readership vs. Circulation — What's the Difference?

Readership quantifies the audience of a publication, including both subscribers and non-subscribers who read the publication, either physically or digitally. This metric often surpasses the actual circulation numbers due to shared and public copies. Circulation, on the other hand, strictly counts the number of copies distributed to subscribers and vendors, serving as a tangible metric of the publication’s distribution scale.

While readership focuses on the estimated reach among readers, including shared reads and multiple readers per copy, circulation provides a concrete figure of the publication's distribution, such as sold or freely distributed copies. This distinction highlights how readership aims to capture the broader impact and reach of content, whereas circulation emphasizes the physical distribution of the publication.

The methods of measuring readership can involve surveys, digital analytics, and estimation models, aiming to understand how many people engage with the publication's content. Circulation figures are typically audited and reported, offering a more straightforward metric based on sales and distribution records.

Publications often use readership numbers to attract advertisers by demonstrating a wide and engaged audience. In contrast, circulation figures can signify the publication's market presence and financial health, impacting advertising rates but from a different angle.

While both readership and circulation are vital for understanding a publication’s reach and influence, readership offers insight into the publication's engagement and content impact, and circulation provides a snapshot of its physical spread and availability.