Print media has been the number one advertising method for centuries – yet no new media has been able to challenge the still-rising popularity of print media among its consumers as well as among wise advertisers and marketers. The main reason for this is that print media is one of the most trusted ways of communication and one of the cheapest ways to reach a broad audience fast.
However, with digital media marketing becoming the new trend in marketing, many marketers forget print media. But marketers and advertisers should not overlook the power of print media even during this digital age.
Because;
- 18-to 23-year-olds find it easier to read print media over digital content (Source, Relevence.com)
- 34% of consumers trust print advertisements more than they trust search engine ads
- Even the zen gens read 9.1 magazines per week
Thus, we at Tigernix thought to share the advantages and disadvantages of print media to help you decide on whether you need to incorporate print media in your future marketing efforts or not.
Let’s dive in.
What is Print Media?
Any print publication pushed out for mass communication is known as Print media. Print media includes newspapers, magazines, leaflets, flyers, anything physically printed on paper comes under print media.
Let’s have a look at what are the advantages and disadvantages of print media.
Advantages and disadvantages of print media
Advantages
Appeal to visual learners
Flashy images in magazines get the attention of many magazine readers. Thus if you have a killer ad design, the results are always promising.
Still gives a higher ROI than digital ads
There is a high tendency for print media to keep at homes and re-read and shared. Newspapers and magazines at the doctor’s office, the library or public places, have a long shelf life which increases your ad’s exposure. Following gives print ads higher chances to stick than digital ads which forget instantly.
Loyal customer base
Print media has a large loyal customer base that buys the publication on a weekly or monthly basis for months, maybe even for years. Thus you are assured of massive exposure for your advertisement with print media.
Flexible
Print media advertising comes with many options. From features, full-page ads to small ad listings it gives you the flexibility in selecting the type of ad to fit your requirements and budget.
Establish trust
Researches show that print media is one of the most trusted media outlets out there. Since people purchase from those who they trust, advertising on print media can attract you more sales than any other media outlets.
Reach multiple generations
Consumers of newspapers and magazines can range from teens, young adults to senior citizens, enabling you to target a wide range of audience easily.
Best for local targeting
If you are a local business or an organization, it’s the best way to spread your message or promote your business. You can easily hand out leaflets in public areas and get your ads to publish on local newspapers to spread awareness among the local community.
Disadvantages
Not for a global audience
Print media is not the best method to get the word out about your business if you are targeting a global audience as it’s very rare to find print publications that read globally.
Requires a lot of planning
Getting published on print media is quite a process. You will have to plan your ad, write an ad copy, hire someone to design it for you and submit the ad copy to the publication and process the payment. The process can be time-consuming and complex.
Hard to target a specific audience
With print media, it’s hard to target specific audiences. For example, targeting people who want to buy a camera is not possible with print media like weekly newspapers.
Might not stand out
There’s always a chance that your ad to get disappear among other ads as print media publish a lot of advisement per edition even if you pay for a full-page advertisement.
Higher cost
Getting published on print media can be highly expensive.
