Advantages and Disadvantages of Newspaper Advertising

Newspaper advertising refers to strategies a marketer or business can use to get their products or services, their events, or brand messages in front of readers on the pages of a newspaper. Give it a little thought and it sounds pretty straightforward, don’t you think? And the reason why businesses like newspaper advertising is that it caters specifically to a group of people from which they want to draw their customers, especially those customers who are still loyal to print media, you know?

Let’s explore the benefits and drawbacks of advertising in Newspaper:

Advantages of Newspaper Advertising

1. Reaching All Kinds of Age Groups And People

Newspaper ads are still one of the most powerful ways to inform the public about your company and its offerings, you know? Let’s be honest, there is no specific age group or demographic that the newspapers are designed for, literally, everybody can read and get news, updates, and information. Just think about local newspapers, they are perfect for targeting your neighbors or others living in your community. Yes, fewer are the people who read the papers these days, but those who still do, are generally older and wealthier and so tend to trust what they see in the paper.

2. Built-In Trust and Credibility

See, when your ad is placed in a reputable paper, it gets an added advantage of the credibility of the paper. Unlike certain digital ads that might seem dodgy or annoying, newspaper ads are typically perceived to be reliable and worth a glance, you know?

3. Something You Can Hold Onto

Newspapers are cool because you can hold them in your hand, you can fold them up, and you can come back to them later. What’s more, unlike digital ads that disappear with just one click, the magic of newspaper ads remains intact, sometimes for days, especially when they are left on the kitchen table.

4. Creative Freedom with Ad Formats

Newspapers give you the flexibility to present your ad in various ways, which is quite a lot! Your ad can be a little classified or the latest insert that falls out when someone opens the newspaper or even a huge headline that gets noticed. For example, if you are dealing in luxury, you can simply target the ad placement in business or lifestyle sections, making sure that your ad is seen only by those most likely to buy your things.

5. Kinda Affordable for Local Businesses

Running a local business? Just do a newspaper ad, and everybody around you will know what you are offering. You see, for local businesses, advertising in the local newspaper is super cheap, but the amount of exposure you get from running such ads is really huge. And oftentimes, as a small business in a small town, that’s precisely what you need to gain some loyal customers from the very start.

6. High Engagement, Guaranteed

Newspaper readers are extra focused on what they are reading, right? Unlike in the digital world, where ads can be blocked or ignored, ads in newspapers, which are for such an audience are directly in the line of sight. And sure, studies confirm a significant portion of newspaper readers not only notice ads but also take action, either visiting a store or making a purchase, and that’s how it is.

7. Supporting Your Local News

In addition to promoting your company, advertising in newspapers also helps the local journalism profession to run successfully, you know? In particular, the local newspapers are in a position to connect and keep the community well-informed. By selecting to advertise in such outlets, you are not only marketing your goods and services but you are also preserving a community, a valuable resource, and community spirit overall.

Disadvantages of Newspaper Advertising

1. Fewer People Reading Newspapers These Days

For sure, fewer and fewer people read newspapers with digital media is on the rise every single day. More and more people are consuming their news online, which translates into fewer eyes being on that print ad, and that’s not a good thing.

2. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Newspapers are something which by its nature has a short lifespan. They’re also either printed on a daily basis or weekly but once the next issue comes out, your ad is actually history. And that’s like your ad is a time thing and that’s all.

3. Targeting Isn’t as Precise

You see, compared to digital tools or online advertising, Newspaper ads are not that effective in targeting one gender or a specific interest, for example. Most of the newspaper readers tend to be older than average and higher earners which may not be good if you are trying to target a younger or more niche market, you know?

4. High Cost for What You Get

Even if the number of people who read newspapers is declining, the price of ad space is still far from being cheap, especially if you want prime real estate like the front page. If you consider the cost per reader, you will find that newspapers are sometimes less cost-effective than digital ads which in turn, offer more precise targeting letting you pay less for the same amount of people.

5. Not So Pretty Pictures

Have you ever noticed how newspaper ads sometimes look very pixelated? Many of them are published using low-resolution paper. And if your company needs high-definition pictures, well, the newspaper isn’t the best place to publish your ads.

6. No Do-Overs Or Edits

See, when your ad has been printed in a newspaper there is no way of pulling it back. In case there occurs any erroneous information such as a price, or spelling mistake these will be visible publicly and cannot be corrected in the same edition. And if something like this happens, it really can change the way people look at your company or business.

Quick Advantages and Disadvantages of Newspaper Advertising