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The Beginner’s Guide to Basic Newspaper Space Advertising

by | May 13, 2021 | Newspaper Advertising, Remnant Advertising

Newspaper Space Advertising

You might think that in this predominantly digital age, print newspaper advertising is a waste of time and money. Actually, the opposite is true. Despite the fact that many members of younger generations tend to get their news and direct advertisements from digital platforms such as social media, there’s still a large portion of the population that reads physical newspapers.

In case you’re still not convinced about the prevailing impact of advertising in print newspapers, here are some important statistics to consider:

  • As of a recent 2020 survey, about 16% of adults in the United States still read physical newspapers. That might not sound like a lot, but it translates to approximately 52.5 million readers.
  • Approximately 25% of senior citizens (adults over the age of 65) get their news exclusively from print newspapers.
  • A whopping 73% of Americans say they have more faith in their local print newspapers than watching the news on TV or getting news from social media outlets.
  • 72% of adults over the age of 65 are still willing to pay for print newspapers and 54% of newspaper subscribers prefer printed hardcopies versus digital news consumption.
  • 53% of older adults who pay for print newspapers have had longstanding subscriptions for over five years and aren’t planning on cancelling them anytime soon.

There you have it. Times may be changing, and the world may be headed in a more digital direction, but for the time being, print newspaper space advertising is still making great headway.

Now that you have more than a few good reasons to take advertising in newspapers a little more seriously, here’s a beginner’s guide to getting started.

Define Your Target Market

Yes, it’s safe to assume that many younger demographics are keener on getting their news from social media, TV, and other digital news outlets or sources. But that doesn’t mean that they’ve completely turned their backs on traditional print newspapers.

Many Millennials (adults born approximately between 1981 and 1994) have stated that they like using both print and digital newspapers when given the opportunity.

We already know that many baby boomers prefer the former based on the fact that they find print easier to read than digital. Based on this information and who you want to appeal to the most, you need to determine who your target audience is. Are you trying to attract more of an elderly demographic who are more likely to see your ads in a print newspaper? Or, do you want to attract a younger demographic who are more akin to targets social media and digital advertisements? The third option is to get the best of both worlds by investing in a robust digital and print newspaper advertising campaign.

Consider the Language You Use

Language plays an important role in advertising. The type of language you use in advertising can have a huge impact on your readers. Make sure to use clear and concise wording that speaks directly to your readers and gets your message across in the most effective way possible. If you have a multilingual readership, then consider incorporating different languages in your advertising to appeal to them on a larger scale.

On the other hand, if you’re trying to attract a specific linguistic demographic or a group of people that speak a certain dialect, then do proper research into the type of phrases and words they use so that you can communicate with them on their level. Keep in mind that dialects vary on a regional basis, so use local vernacular that people in different areas can comprehend.

Determine Your Newspaper Space Advertising Budget

Advertising campaigns require a certain amount of ad spend. During the planning process, it’s customary to determine how much funds should be allocated to each portion of the campaign. Determine how much you can spend on newspaper space advertising and design your ads based on that. A few factors to consider include:

  • The amount of advertising space needed
  • How much each outlet charges per word or letter
  • How widespread your advertising is going to be

Using multiple advertising platforms is recommended to help you expand your outreach as much as possible. That means integrating a combination of print newspaper and digital advertising so that you can reach out to multiple demographics on a national and international level.

Determine Whether Your Target Audience Is Urban or Rural

Urbanites have completely different sensibilities than those who live in more rural communities.

City life tends to be faster paced, whereas rural life moves at a much slower pace. People living in cities are constantly on-the-go. Whether they’re commuting to work or they’re checking out the latest events and restaurant openings, city folk rarely have a minute to stop and catch their breath. Many of them only have a few precious moments to stop and pay attention to their surroundings or read a newspaper—usually while they’re on public transit. For that reason, it’s important to make your print newspaper advertisements as easily accessible as possible in various urban cultures if you want to tap into that demographic.

Rural communities are typically more remotely located, which means you need to find cost-effective and feasible methods of getting your newspaper advertisements into the hands of readers. The obvious way is by purchasing ad space in local newspapers or dailies that are delivered directly to the doorsteps of your intended readership.

Create a Dynamic and Unique Layout

Newspapers are full of advertisers trying to grab and keep the attention of readers. The more dynamic and unique your advertisement is, the better your chances are of capturing the attention of more potential customers to support your brand. Position your advertisement in such a way that it instantly draws the eyes in. Make sure your company name, contact information, and address are all clearly indicated, so that they’re easy to read. Lastly, choose a spot in the newspaper where more people are likely to see the ad. It may cost a little extra, but the return on investment will be worth it.

Want to get into the newspaper space advertising market, but don’t know where to begin? North American Media specializes in direct response marketing that’s designed to drive up customer acquisition and engagement on a more personal level than digital advertising ever could. Contact us today to learn how we can help you expand your customer base outreach by employing custom-tailored direct response marketing strategies such as advertising in newspapers for your brand.

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