Last Updated on April 15, 2024 by Carlos Alonso
When a business, any business, wants to reach out and connect with consumers to sell their products or services, they use advertising to do it, and one of the biggest forms of advertising is printed media. In fact, print media advertising has been around for hundreds of years in the form of newspapers, magazines, posters and flyers, among others, as one of the oldest forms of human communication, and is still incredibly popular today even with the advent of computers, smartphones and tablets.
One of the reasons print media advertising remains so popular is simply that it’s tangible. You can hold printed media in your hands, which gives it more credibility. Plus, printed advertising persists. You can leave it on a desk, put it in your pocket or stick it to the fridge, a constant reminder of the company that created it (and their products and services). For these reasons, and more, print media advertising remains incredibly popular and potent today.
What Main Advantages Does Print Media Offer?
For any media to have remained so long and still be popular signifies that it must have some excellent benefits, and printed media does indeed have many. Below are a few of the best.
- Printed media leaves a lasting impression as the consumer engages with it in a more in-depth manner.
- Locally speaking, printed publications like newspapers, magazines and even brochures do a great job of reaching out to the people in a particular town, city or geographic region.
- Consumers are more receptive to printed media because they aren’t as distracted when reading it.
- Advertising with print media can be very cost-effective, especially in comparison to TV.
- Printed media can help build a loyal fan-base and, as such, that fan-base is ‘primed’ to purchase anything advertised within.
- Spreading awareness of a product or service can be easier and faster with printed media.
What are Some of the Main Elements of Print Media?
While every type of printed media has its own set of specific elements, they all share many of the same, including the message, the way that message is delivered and the production of the printed media itself. In order to take advantage of print media fully, knowing what you want to say and then crafting your message in the most engaging, exciting or persuasive way is a definite must.
- Production values are the key to successful print media. It should be attractive at first glance, accessible to most consumers and deliver a balanced, insightful message.
- Delivery is also key because in order for print media to be consumed it must first reach consumers. Newspapers, magazines and flyers do this well and provide something tangible the reader can hold in their hands and enjoy at their own pace. It’s also relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of media.
- Reaching a massive audience is also one of the key elements of print media. The more people that consume a printed article, advertisement or story, the more reactions it will achieve.
What Main Benefits Does Print Media Advertising Offer?
While many business owners believe that digital media is the best way to build a brand today the fact remains that print media advertising still works and works very well if produced and delivered correctly. That’s why the biggest businesses in the world still use it on a regular, ongoing basis to build a strong foundation, increase loyalty and build affinity for their brands. Below are a few of the top benefits print media advertising delivers.
- Excellent top-of-mind advertising. Printed ads are the best at keeping a product, brand or service in the consumer’s mind, with an excellent recall value over time.
- Print media delivers excellent returns on the call-to-action (CTA) that it delivers (if delivered well, of course).
- Unlike, say, a smartphone screen, with printed advertising, you can go as big or as small as you like to get the desired results.
- Printed advertising in publications with a loyal following will help build a loyal following for the brand that advertises in them.
- When used in a trusted publication, printed advertising can piggyback on that trust and persuade consumers more easily.
- Where and when you run your printed advertising is easier with print. For example, if you sell high-end timepieces, advertising in The New Yorker magazine is a great choice as the readers of that magazine are more likely to make a purchase.
- The MRI Survey of the American Consumer found that printed advertising in newspapers and magazines had a highly influential effect on consumers.
- Recall rates among consumers are very high with printed advertisements, which increases the likelihood of a consumer taking action afterward.
How To Decide if Print Media Advertising is the Right Choice?
We’ve been talking at length about advertising with print media but, to be sure, there are many ways to advertise effectively in today’s world. That said, if you’re keen on determining if advertising with printed media is the right choice for your business, startup or SME, there are a few things you need to consider.
- The requirements of your particular market
- The budget you will put towards your campaign
- The availability of printed media in your locale
- The strategy you will use to deliver your printed ads
- How deeply you wish to penetrate into your specific market
- The specific message you wish to deliver, and how it will appeal to your target market
- The media choices being made by your competitors
- The type of business being advertised and its size
- The products, services or both that are being advertised
Conclusion
As you can see, advertising with print media is still viable and potent, and should definitely be in the mix of advertising platforms any business uses to brand, reach and connect with consumers. If you need Dallas printing services, have questions or would like to leave a comment, please do so in the space provided.
