A summary of the responses to the January – March 2026 Readership Survey.
A few months ago, NEFI asked readers of Oil & Energy and the NEON newsletter to complete a brief Communications Survey. The responses are in – and NEFI and the Oil & Energy staff thank you for your thoughtful comments and replies.
The industry was well represented among the respondents: more than 57% identified as a heating oil/Bioheat® fuel retailer, 11% as an industry services provider; 7% as a propane retailer, 5% as equipment manufacturer, 4% as a heating oil/Bioheat® fuel wholesaler, and 3% as HVAC Services only. There were also retirees, students, and retailers and wholesalers of other fuels.
NEFI members constituted 66% of the responses. Most participants received both publications, while 20% received Oil & Energy only, and 7% received NEON only. Participants were only able to answer survey questions on the publications they received.
We are pleased to report that readers seem to enjoy both publications. Recipients read both publications on a regular basis. Topics and features of both received a 50% or greater rating in all but two instances.
There were some criticisms – and we are taking them very seriously. Keep reading – in the upcoming months you may be seeing many of your recommendations put into place.
Responses were received from readers in California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
NEON
The NEON e-newsletter is very well read, with 59% of respondents reading it weekly, and 39% reading it “occasionally.”
Many of those who did not read it weekly referenced time limitations and several recommendations revolved around shorter content.
Some of these respondents requested more information on service-related issues, sending the newsletter on a different day, or providing executive summaries with links to longer articles.
Readers also praised the brief “In this NEON” list of articles at the top of each newsletter as a valuable aid in finding relevant content.
Overall, NEON content was rated as very valuable and/or helpful or somewhat valuable and/or helpful, with the highest positive responses going to Government Affairs, Regulatory Developments, and Action Alerts.
Oil & Energy Magazine
As with NEON, Oil & Energy Magazine is widely read: most respondents (54.41%) read each issue of Oil & Energy, and 17.65% read 6-8 issues per year. Of these, more than 58% read the print edition, 11% read it online at oilandenergyonline.com, and 31% read it both in print and online.
The magazine is widely shared. More than 58% of recipients share Oil & Energy with others. The largest group, at nearly 35%, hand the magazine to one other person, and 30% share it with two.
The articles preferred by readers are as varied as the industry, with one looking for “service, financial,” and another requesting “anything related to operations, management, new technologies and legislative alerts” and yet others looking for “power generation,” “renewable fuel and fuel quality,” “weather forecasting,” “company profiles,” “new equipment,” and “heating oil, propane, HVAC business advice.”
When asked to rate the Oil & Energy feature topics, readers found the content to be either “Very Valuable and/or Helpful” or “Somewhat Valuable and/or Helpful.” The topics with the highest combined marks were Business Strategy/Operational Efficiency, Customer Relationship Management, Fuel Quality, Boiler or Burner Technology/Equipment Innovations, Sales and Marketing, Biofuel Infrastructure, Driver & Tech Staffing/Benefits & Compensation, Truck Equipment, Fuel Delivery & Tank Monitoring /Storage Tanks, and Mergers & Acquisitions / Succession Planning.
Readers also find Oil & Energy monthly and annual features as Very or Somewhat Valuable and/or Helpful. Every month our readers look for our Industry News, Government Affairs/Regulatory Updates, Industry Calendar, DOE Doings, Products, and Front Burner articles. There were also strong positives for our October Winter Weather Outlook, January-February Annual State Energy Regulatory Round-Up, and April Annual Hedging Survey.
Respondents were also open about content they would like to see. Many requested more information on biofuels, including, “the effect of B10 and B20 on oil heating equipment,” “Bioheat® fuel education content in digestible volumes for customer-facing employees,” and “biofuel issues on burners from real industry technicians.” Others asked for “general business and management topics,” and “employee compensation” articles. One interesting request was for a feature comparing new oil or propane companies to those that have been in business for decades, and if they differ in use of technology and training.
When asked about how to make the magazine more valuable, some readers requested “more online possibilities for product advertising and education,” and another requested “surplus equipment for sale.” We respectfully recommend that these individuals refer to our media kit, available at oilandenergyonline.com, as surplus equipment can be advertised via our classified ads, and the new website offers many new advertising opportunities! Our thanks to the readers who provided positive feedback, such as “keep up the good work. I like the variety of articles and the experts who discuss the different topics,” and “continue to be cutting edge and innovative.”
Speaking of advertising opportunities, the survey revealed that our readers often act on items advertised in the magazine, with 50% of respondents acting 1-2 times a year; 20% responding 3-5 times a year; and 9.5% responding 6-8 times a year.
Our thanks again to everyone who took the time to respond to the survey. We are pleased with the positive responses we received, and are seriously reviewing all criticisms and recommendations.
