Purchasing advertising space may be more complicated than you think. The rates depend on your display ad size, as well as how much the publication charges per unit. However, posting an advertisement in a newspaper can be an effective way for you to share a new product, announce your business, or share the benefits of your services with your target audience. With print media, you can precisely reach your prospects while saving money and turning leads into customers. If you are wondering about the cost of placing an advertisement in a newspaper or where to purchase advertising space in general, here’s what you need to know about choosing the right ad size for your campaign.
What Are the Different Display Ad Sizes?
Quarter Page
Quarter page advertisements refer to the 1/4th of a newspaper page that has dimensions of 15-16 cm in width and 25-26 cm in length. This ad occupies a complete corner of the newspaper page and is also called a postcard size ad. Out of all the display advertisement options, the quarter-page ad is the most common. It is beneficial because it is economical and when placed strategically, it can be very effective.
Half Page
As its name suggests, a half-page ad occupies half of a newspaper page; however, there are two types of these advertisements. A vertical half-page ad is printed vertically on the page and the dimensions are 16 cm wide and 52 cm long. This ad covers the full vertical length and half of the width of the page. A horizontal half-page ad is 33 cm wide and 25 cm long. It covers the complete width and half of the length of the page. Half-page ads are commonly used for business, retail, and Fast-Moving Consumer Good (FMCG) categories.
Full-Page
Full-page ads consume the entire page of the newspaper, meaning there is no other content on that page apart from the ad. These ads are about 33 cm wide and 52 cm long, and they cover about eight columns, however, the dimensions of a full-page ad depend on the size of the magazine or newspaper page in the publication.
Minimum Ad Sizes
The minimum size of a display ad is about 4 cm in width and 4 cm in length. This differs from classified display ads which are 3 cm by 5 cm.
Custom Ad Sizes
Although there are many options for ad sizes you can use, there is also a category of ad size that can work even more in your favor. Custom ad sizes are undefined because they are customized. The dimensions for these ads depend on the advertiser’s choice or the personalized size of their ad. Here are some of the most common customized ad sizes:
- 4 cm (width) by 5 cm (length)
- 8 cm (width) by 4 cm (length)
- 8 cm (width) by 5 cm (length)
- 8 cm (width) by 6 cm (length)
- 8 cm (width) by 12 cm (length)
- 12 cm (width) by 20 cm (length)
- 16 cm (width) by 20 cm (length)
How to Calculate Newspaper Advertising Rates
Now that you understand the different ad layout sizes that you can choose from, it’s important to know what they cost. Most ads are measured in column width across and inches in length, so when you are getting a quote from a publication, the rate is usually the cost of a unit of advertising. One unit of advertising is equivalent to one column width and one inch in length, which is often referred to as a column inch. Whether the publication measures its rate in inches or centimeters, it will disclose the measurement of the unit in the rate.
In many cases, the open rate or the one-time rate is the most common cost option. This is often charged to advertisers that only want to run their ad once and who may not qualify for a discount. The sum of the open rate is usually the total column inches of the ad multiplied by the column inch rate in the rate card. For example. if the rate is $50 per column inch, you will need to multiply this by the total size of your ad.
Let North American Media Help You Get Quality Ad Space at a Good Rate
Display ad rate cards can be complex and confusing because publications like to encourage advertisers to run larger ads more often. However, they may offer discounts to encourage you to run more often so you can benefit from the partnership. It is important to know that you will need to consider these discounts as you create a budget for your print ad. If the details of print advertising seem complicated or confusing, you can benefit from partnering with a direct mail marketing agency.
With over 30 years of experience, North American Media has grown to become one of the leaders in the direct mail industry. We help our clients target consumers with precision through our comprehensive list offerings, and work with clients when choosing the right dimensions and ad spaces. With our help, you can get great exposure to your market, while enjoying discount rates thanks to our connections in the print industry. We can help you stand out from your competitors and engage readers, both of which are essential to growing your customer base and enticing them to visit your store or website.
If you are looking for the right professionals to help lead your next newspaper or magazine space advertising campaign, we’re the team you need. Our services also include direct mail marketing, list & insert brokerage, data solutions, list fulfillment, list management, digital media and radio, TV & Podcast media. For more information about advertisement costs in print media and how we can help grow your business contact us today!
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