5 Tips for Choosing the Right Print Media for Your Advertising Budget

Transcription

1 5 Tips for Choosing the Right Print Media for Your Advertising Budget Choosing the right print media channel for your business advertising can seem a bit overwhelming. There are lots of options available, and each channel offers something a little different. It might feel like the only way to reach your target audience is to advertise in every magazine and every publication around, but that s not always feasible. Before committing to a print advertising campaign, it s a good idea to do your research first. You need to make sure you can reach your target audience and get a decent return on your advertising budget. When choosing a print publication, it s worth spending a bit of time considering features such as its distribution, editorial content and quality. This will help you work through the seemingly endless possibilities. Here we have provided a few simple steps to help you through the process. They apply regardless of the publication type, from national newspapers to magazines to local listings.

2 Tip 1: Does the publication s quality match your brand values? Think about the impression you want to create. How does the publication look and feel? Is it a high-end glossy magazine or a freesheet tabloid-style newspaper? Consider the following: - Layout and style: Is the content well laid out, easy to follow and indexed? Or does it look cluttered, disorganised and hard to read? Can you find articles easily? Or do you have to page backwards and forwards trying to make sense of it? Feel: How does the publication feel in your hands? Is the weight substantial or so flimsy that it s likely to be disposed of quickly? Colour or Black & White? There s a place for both, but colour has more impact. But as colour print is more expensive to produce advertising costs will be higher Finish and trimming: Does it have an attractive cover? Do you want to pick it up and read it? Is it bound properly? Or does it feel flimsy and likely to fall apart in your hands?

3 Tip 2: Does the publication have a shelf life? The most useful publications are those that are kept by their readers so that they can be referred to in the future if needs be. Some readers tend to hold onto certain types of publications more than others. Newspapers and local community magazines: Have great content but tend to be thrown away once read, i.e. can quickly become old news. Lifestyle magazines: Tend to be highly focused on a specific target market (e.g. women, hobbyists, etc) but also thrown away once read Business listings (e.g. Yellow Pages): Are usually kept but rarely browsed since editorial content is minimal or non-existent Local business directories: Usually have a good mix between editorial, local and lifestyle information, and business advertising. These have a high chance of being retained and referred to regularly.

4 Tip 3: Is the content of the publication worth reading? The higher the quality, readability and relevance of its content, the more likely it is that a publication will be read, retained, and referred to far beyond its initial distribution date. If it has content that appeals to most members of the household, then it will be passed from person to person and held onto. The type of publications that get the highest engagement has something for everyone: - Female-oriented: Recipes, fashion, shopping tips, health, home and gardening articles Male-oriented: Cars, gadgets, technology, sport, and hobby-based articles Travel and leisure: Travel features, book reviews and celebrity interviews Kids: Games, puzzles, articles and cartoons aimed at children Brain teasers: Crossword puzzles, sudokus, word and picture games can appeal to all ages and genders

5 Tip 4: Does the publication reach your target audience? Your adverts will only deliver for you if they get in front of your target customers. You should find out how and where the publication is distributed, how frequently, and over what time period. Delivery: Is the publication hand delivered to individual households? Who by? (e.g. an in-house team or do they sub-contract to a 3rd party?) Availability: Is the publication also delivered to public outlets such as libraries, cafés, shops, etc? Free or paid: Does the publication have a cover price or is it distributed free? Targeting: Can the publication be targeted by postcode, or area? Or is it a blanket distribution in several areas (some of which may not be your target market)?

6 Tip 5: Can the publication owners prove their advertised distribution numbers? Authentic publishers have regularly audited figures to show the number of copies they print of each publication, and the circulation (or distribution) volume. Ask the publisher these questions: - Print run: How many copies are printed of each variant of each publication (you can always focus on the edition or variants you are most interested in) Distribution: Where and how is your publication distributed (e.g. via shops, door-to-door, etc) Readership: What s the demographic breakdown of your readership (e.g. males, females, household type, etc)? What s your estimate of how many readers your publication has? (i.e. does the publication get passed around or is it only read by the person buying it) Evidence: What can you show me to prove these claims, e.g. industry audit, verified research, delivery notes from your printers, etc

7 This is not an exhaustive list and is only intended as a guide. It is vital that you only spend your advertising budget in the print channels where you will get the best return on your investment. A few hours doing some initial research could save you wasted time, effort and money. At Local Directory Ltd we have 11 years experience in helping companies such as yours get excellent results from their advertising. Contact us today for expert advice about when and where to advertise with us. Call info@localdirectoryltd.co.uk