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E-Newsletters Hit Accelerator to Open 2005
Microsoft sponsorship, new circulation highs and latest reader study results.
From AICPA Custom Publishing

Our E-newsletter group, led by the flagship CPA Insider™ (165,000 weekly circ) came out of the gate strong this year with a number of important announcements. Microsoft Corporation has agreed to sponsor a monthly small business accounting section in the CPA Insider beginning in May. The section will feature white papers, research and product new geared to CPAs and their clients in the SMB space. Microsoft joins SAP, Lockhart Industries and Surgent & Associates, as sponsors of recurring editorial special sections in the AICPA’s Insider family of E-Newsletters.

Launched in 2001, the CPA Insider is the world’s most widely read regular electronic publication for CPAs and once again will feature weekly or bi-weekly columns from Rick Telberg, John Bowen, John Moreland, George White, Lesli Laffie and other top thought leaders of the accounting, tax and finance professions.

Circulation Gains

In other news, a year-end awareness push to AICPA members has boosted the circulation of all three advertising supported digital publications to record highs. The weekly Insider is currently reaching an average of 165,000 active CPAs each week, the Tax Insider over 52,000 with each bi-weekly edition and the monthly Career Insider over 75,000. The circulation totals include only successful deliveries, according to Publisher, Hank Berkowitz. The numbers do not reflect copies sent to outdated e-mail addresses and to “soft bounce-backs” such as readers whose networks are temporarily down or who have implemented temporary “out of office” replies.

Readership Study Highlights

Preliminary results are in from the December study of CPA Insider readers conducted by Bay Street Research Group, LLC. From a random study of nearly 3,000 readers, we learned that CPA Insider™ reaches top management in both industry and public practice. For instance, nearly four in five survey respondents (79%) classified themselves as CEO, Managing Partner, Owner, Sr. Exec, Audit/Tax Manager or Sole Practitioner.

Here are some other highlights:

• Nearly 75% of all respondents participate in key purchasing or strategy decisions for their companies or firms.
  
• The average respondent reads 3.3 out of every 4 issues of CPA Insider™ and spends an average of 20.5 minutes reading a typical issue.
  
• 61% of respondents said they forward or discuss the advertising with colleagues.
  
• Advertisements in CPA Insider™ induce readers to take action:
  >> 37% visited an advertiser’s Web site after seeing its ad in the CPA Insider™
  >> 61% discussed an ad with a colleague
  >> 20% requested more company information or recommended the purchase
  >> 12% purchased the advertised products or services
  
• 55% of respondents say CPA Insider™ helps them find suppliers, vendors, products, resources or new ideas.

Click here if you’d like to receive a copy of the full CPA Insider Readership Study later this month.