Marketing is an area that every company owner will have to look at, regardless of which stage of business they’re at. Many options are available here, each offering distinct advantages and disadvantages.
One of the most common for the past few decades has been newspaper advertising. This is because it offers a considerable number of advantages compared to many of the other options.
While many people may assume that newspapers are on their last legs, and subsequently advertising in them, this isn’t the case. Though there were a few rough years in the media industry, it has begun to bounce back recently.
This means they’re quickly becoming an increasingly popular way to advertise businesses again. As such, it’s something that many companies should start looking at it as an avenue to bring more attention to their products and services.
Despite how long the form has been around, every entrepreneur will need to be aware of a variety of things to advertise in a newspaper effectively. This is especially true when designing the ad appearing in the publication.
While it may seem like an easy process, there are a few factors that every entrepreneur should look at when considering marketing in this way.
What Is Newspaper Advertising?
Newspaper advertising has long been an effective way to market a business, driven by how wide of an audience many publications have. Regarding local papers with a small readership, companies can target a specific group interested in their products or services.
Newspaper advertising is what the name would suggest and involves running an ad for your business in a publication. A variety of things can be included in this, depending on what goals you’re looking for.
Typically, you’ll place an ad in a specific newspaper section. This depends on what products or services you are selling. For example, if you sell sporting goods, it would make sense to place your ad in the sporting section of the paper. This applies to each category of product that you may be selling.
When placing an advertisement in the newspaper, various things will be involved. First, when you’re speaking with a publication’s sales representatives, they will tell you what’s needed for the ad. This shouldn’t include the price, the sizing and format requirements, deadlines, etc.
In many cases, the newspaper will have a designer on hand to help with the design phase of the ad. You may want to take advantage of this, depending on whether or not you already have a designer working on your ad.
Working with the publication should be smooth, as they’ll be experienced in this regard and aim to help you as much as possible during the process.
Benefits Of Newspaper Advertising
One of the primary benefits of advertising in a newspaper is that most readers will be much more engaged with the publication, which is a significant advantage compared to television or digital marketing.
For example, advertising on social media may not be effective as users may scroll past an ad without noticing it. The same could be said for television ads, as many people may not pay attention during the ad break.
Many newspapers can also offer a targeted marketing approach, as they’ll have a significant idea of their core demographics. Alongside this, you’ll be able to place your ad in a specific newspaper section, which means that it should be seen by people who are already interested in your category of products or services.
While newspapers can often be a somewhat more expensive option than many other marketing platforms, they can often be more affordable than you may think, especially compared to television advertising.
Drawbacks Of Newspaper Advertising
While there can be various benefits to advertising in a newspaper, there are also a few drawbacks. One of the most notable of these is that there can be quite a limited readership, which means that a set number of people will see your ad.
This is something that can be minimal compared to online advertising. However, the process can also be much more costly than many other forms of marketing, especially considering the limited results you may see from it.
Alongside this is that you may not have much control over where the ad is placed in the final product. While many publications will give you a general idea of where it will be put, they may often not be able to guarantee where this will be.
Lastly, there may be poor image quality compared to digital advertising. As a result, if you’re looking to advertise photography, artistry services, or even high-end clothing, it may not be a wise choice for your business.
How Much Does Newspaper Advertising Cost?
Like many other forms of marketing, the cost of a newspaper advertisement will depend on various factors. Perhaps the most prominent factor that will affect the price is the size of the ad itself, with larger ones naturally costing much more than smaller ones.
Alongside this is where in the newspaper you want it placed. While there may not be a significant difference in prices, it’s been noted that placing an ad near the front of the paper or on the front page will cost noticeably more than if it was placed in the middle.
Where on the page it’s placed will also factor into this, as those set near the top will be more expensive than those at the bottom.
Other factors that will affect the price of a newspaper ad will be whether or not you use color and which newspapers you are placing it in. Daily newspapers will typically cost much more than their weekly or monthly counterparts.
One way to reduce this price is to have an annual or monthly contract with the newspaper you want to advertise in. In addition, placing a one-time ad can be much more cost-prohibitive than putting several over a few weeks.
When you receive a quote from a newspaper, you should also receive a deadline for when the ad design will need to be sent in and what requirements they may have. Many sales representatives will also help you design your ad, should you want to take advantage of this.
Tips For Advertising In The Newspaper
There are a variety of tips that you should take advantage of when advertising in a newspaper. By doing so, you can ensure it will be as effective as possible. The first is to ensure that the ad is as distinctive as possible.
Many ads tend to have black text and very little in terms of design. To contrast, you should aim to have the right plan in place. This could include having a white barrier around your ad to help it stand out, which is one of the few times you’ll pay someone not to print something.
You should also ensure that the design isn’t too busy. Regardless of the size of your ad, you’ll have a limited amount of space to work with. This means you should keep your ad straightforward and to the point while allowing enough design to attract a potential customer’s attention.
The Elements Of A Good Newspaper Ad
When it comes to creating a newspaper ad, there are a few things that you’ll need to include. Because of the limited available space, this can be a complicated area to design. However, when doing so, there are a few elements that you should keep in mind.
The most notable is a call to action and your contact information. Although these can be easy to overlook, they’re both vital to help generate sales and leads. While your product or service must be highlighted, you should encourage customers to buy them and explain how they can do so.
An image can also play a significant role in this, as it can help to capture a person’s interest when scanning the page. This should be coupled with a header communicating what they can expect in the ad while generating interest.
You will then need to elaborate on this header with the body of the ad, which should be short, concise, and to the point.
Stats About Newspaper Advertising
There are a variety of statistics about newspaper advertising that may convince you to take advantage of it. These include:
- Nearly 70% of people read newspapers regularly;
- Many newspapers have seen a fall in purchase rates, although they’ve seen an increase in digital subscriptions;
- Almost half of all newspaper readers, about 45%, spend up to an hour reading the paper, and;
- About 55% of people have reported researching with a newspaper, either online or in a physical publication, before purchasing a product.
News advertising can effectively break into a specific market and increase overall sales. This means you should take advantage of the tips mentioned above.
Like every other form of marketing, you’ll need to ensure that you’re well-informed before placing the ad. By people smart and ensuring that your ad is well designed, you’ll make sure that you see the best ROI on the ad possible.