Equipment, Repairs, Employees Lead Internet Use

Responding to the 2023 Timber Harvesting magazine Logger Survey, 70% of loggers from around the country say buying and selling equipment is their most likely use of the internet and social media in their businesses. The next most popular use is learning how other loggers and truckers resolve mechanical issues, say 40% of loggers. Not surprisingly, finding employees is the third-most popular use, cited by 30% of loggers.

Other top uses by loggers include finding timber to harvest (22%), educating the public about logging and forestry (21%), and showing examples of your work (19%).

Compared to just four years ago, this year’s results show much higher usage rates. For example, in 2019 only 8% of loggers said they used the internet to find employees, and while only 9% said they used it to find timber to harvest.

Judging by the number of loggers who skipped the question in 2023 and the 7% who answered “other,” there’s evidently a stubborn minority continuing to avoid the internet and computers in general. The best comment? “You cannot run a competitive business without knowledge of the electronic age. No longer should a contractor say, ‘I hate or don’t understand a computer.’ From bidding sales to mapping and bookkeeping, you have to use the internet. You cannot just say, ‘I leave that to my wife.’”

Learn more about loggers and the internet, top logger challenges, business outlook and much more in the full 2023 Logger Survey Report in the July-August issue of Timber Harvesting.