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Both magazine and newspaper ads are still highly regarded as effective mediums for print advertising. They each have their strengths when it comes to getting a message out to a specific audience, and both are still utilized by businesses both small and large as part of a cohesive marketing strategy.

That being said, newspapers and magazines are two different mediums. So although they do share the commonality of being print media, each is distinct in how they are utilized in targeting and engaging consumers. We’ll discuss some of the benefits of both newspaper advertising and magazine advertising, and explain how each can be effective.

The Benefits of Newspaper Advertising

One of the immediate benefits of placing a newspaper ad is the short lead time. Newspapers are released daily or weekly for the most part, which means whatever messaging you’ve created in your copy can be much timelier when compared to magazine ads.

Cost is also another benefit. Local newspaper costs tend to be relatively low and focus your ad on a specific geographic market. Advertising costs do increase with national newspapers, but the audience is so much wider than the value offsets the extra investment. Something else to keep in mind is that print newspapers hold high esteem with their readers. They care about the content between those pages and give value to themselves in what is included.

Newspapers also tend to have a broader reach than magazines. The general nature of the information inside newspapers means a wider audience can appreciate the content of your newspaper ad. The more eyes that see your content, the more opportunities for conversions.

Here are a few more benefits of newspaper advertising:

Proactive Audience

The great part about newspaper and magazine advertising is that readers are actively looking to search for deals and coupons. Placing your ad in a newspaper provides you the advantage of knowing that your audience is much more likely to notice it because they habitually read that paper or magazine. They may take the time to read your ad and possibly act on a sale or offer.

Targeted Audience

Newspaper advertising allows you to place your content wherever you want. You can send out geographically-targeted prints, which allow your ad to be seen by people who have a higher likelihood of wanting your product or service. Working with a newspaper also allows you to have a better chance of speaking with someone who can distribute the print real estate better, rather than leaving it up to an algorithm (as is used for online advertising). You can make your specific needs for ad positioning known when you work with a print marketing agency.

Affordable

Local newspaper advertising may sound expensive considering that it requires ink, printing, and distribution, however, it actually costs less per thousand readers than when you advertise on television, through direct mail, or online. Additionally, newspaper campaigns do not require any expensive costs for creative materials. They can be customized to any budget, and you can choose from a variety of ad sizes to fit your goals. This is the ideal medium to create brand awareness and start connecting with your prospects.

Trustworthy

Print media agencies work very hard to help you create positive relationships with members of your community, and build a loyal customer base. As your reputation grows through the use of newspaper and magazine advertising, members of the community can trust you to provide timely and accurate information about your products and services, and your content can be complemented by the trustworthiness of the rest of the content in that medium.

Engaging

Companies have studied the way consumers respond to ads on different media. Print newspapers scored the highest on media engagement when compared to radio, Internet, and billboards. Consumers are less likely to get annoyed when they see advertisements in newspapers and magazines than they are when they see them online. If your primary method of connecting with prospects is through the use of advertising, print media will be your most successful option.

Impact and Effectiveness

Newspaper advertising is very effective because readers frequently look for advertisements in this medium. They rely heavily on newspapers to find out about shopping information, so by beautifully creating your ad with text and images you can engage them both emotionally and intellectually. It is also a more trusted medium than other forms of advertising, and it is assumed that print media requires more fact-checking and professionalism than online ads.

The Benefits of Magazine Advertising

We’ve already mentioned that the reach of newspaper ads to a broader audience is positive; however, the fact that magazines typically have niche audiences is actually one of this medium’s biggest strengths. Marketers can take a more targeted approach with magazine ads because the readers are very specific. This can potentially increase the influence your ad has on the readers, even though the spectrum is limited.

Design is another benefit of magazine ads. Magazines are more colorful, and creatively laid out, and readers tend to hold on to magazines for much longer periods of time than they would a newspaper. And because the content in magazines extends over a period of a month, or sometimes three or four months, readers can pick up the magazine several times before getting through all of the content.

Here are a few more benefits of magazine advertising:

Display Higher Quality Images

One of the most attractive aspects of magazine advertising is that you can use high-quality images that are printed onto glossy pages that attract readers and get them to observe the product or service you are selling. For example, if your company sells makeup, you can display beautiful images of models’ faces, alongside your product. There are endless ads in magazines, that are cleverly disguised as gorgeous photography, and your ad can be one of them.

Target a Specific Demographic

If you want to target a specific demographic, all you have to do is choose an agency that can help you get your ad inappropriate magazines. For example, if you are trying to sell your products to parents, consider posting your ad in a parenting or kids’ magazine. Or, if you want to market your products to gym lovers, you can advertise in fitness and health-related magazines.

Target a Specific Industry

Magazine advertising not only allows you to target a specific demographic—it also allows you to target a specific industry. If you are selling sports equipment, you can advertise in magazines that cater to athletes and fitness fans. Or, if you are selling tools and safety equipment, you can post your ads in magazines within the construction or home hardware industries.

Targeted Geography

Another great use of magazine advertising is to target a specific group of people within an area. If you are advertising your new restaurant in a particular city, you can post your ad in community and tourism magazines.

Long Life

Online ads are very easy to miss because most people are looking for a specific thing when they go online, and will scroll past and close ads that pop up. Magazines, however, are usually kept for a longer period of time. People are less likely to quickly toss a magazine in the garbage than they are to close a pop-up ad online. Also, places like medical offices and waiting rooms typically save magazines because they give visitors and patients something to do while they are waiting for their appointment. Also, readers may keep an issue of a magazine if it contains interesting and relevant information to them. If you post your ad in a magazine it is very likely that in one way or another a prospective customer will see your ad and try to connect with you.

Newspaper or Magazine: How Do You Choose?

If you are looking to print media for advertising, and unsure if you should use a newspaper or magazine, consider the points above. You can ask yourself questions such as, who am I trying to connect with? Does my audience care more about visual product representations or detailed information? If you are still having a hard time deciding which medium to use, you should get connected with an agent at North American Media. We can provide all the information, advice, and assistance you need to get your direct mail marketing campaign up and running. Our services also include print media, list brokerage, data solutions, list fulfillment, and list management. For more information about how we can help grow your business, contact us at +1 475-256-0303.