How to Know If Newspaper Advertising is Worth It

No matter the business, advertising is always a worthwhile investment. However, depending on different factors (size, industry, product/service, etc.), how, when, and what you spend on advertising will vary. If advertising campaigns aren’t planned out and budgeted properly, chances are that they’ll be ineffective and drain cash.

In today’s digital age, it’s easy to assume that the paper industry is a dying form of media. So you may be surprised to hear that there are people who are still reading newspapers on a regular basis, but it’s the truth. However, this doesn’t mean that all businesses are finding ad revenue success with print campaigns. Many business owners are starting to wonder, “Is newspaper advertising worth it?” Below, we explore a few factors that can help you decide if you should go totally digital or stick with traditional methods of print media advertising.

Target Audience
If you’re marketing to an older demographic, print advertising may be a real winner for your business. Take time to research whether or not your target audience uses print media, and whether or not they retain information from it. Especially if you’re running a small business, local magazines and newspapers may prove to be some of the best places to advertise.

Credibility
Distrust in the media continues to grow year after year, and it’s starting to impact the relationship between consumers and businesses. Although many people receive their information through digital resources, newspapers still hold credibility among audiences. Sometimes a well-crafted newspaper ad has more impact on the consumer then something they quickly glance at while scrolling through Facebook.

Cost Efficiency
When combined with online advertising, newspaper ads can aid in an effective marketing campaign, especially if a newspaper has its own website where they can utilize tools like SEO, website design, and social media that allow them to stay current and continue business. Also, depending on the marketing strategy, certain platforms pay off more than others. Even if newspaper ads are costly, if the initiative of the campaign aligns with this form of media, than it can certainly be worth it.

Track Results
One of the main benefits of digital advertising is that you can use marketing automations tools to track and measure the results of a campaign. Many businesses now look for these tangible results, and when it comes to newspaper ads, the same measurable data isn’t available. Businesses set aside a great deal of their budget for advertisements, so it only makes sense that they want to know that their money was well spent.

Your goal is to support sales—remember to monitor your advertising campaigns and hold them accountable to ensure that they pay off. There’s an almost endless amount of research out there, some in support of print media and some claiming it’s not worth it. At the end of the day, only you can determine whether or not newspaper advertising is worth it for your specific business