The next time you’re part of any conversation that concerns marketing, try mentioning newspapers and watch the reaction. In this age when social media is king, you’re likely to receive looks that convey disbelief … possibly even pity. (“What a marketing dinosaur,” the glances seem to say.) Print media – which includes newspapers, magazines, newsletters and catalogs – is part of what is now categorized as legacy media, and the general opinion is that print is dying – or is already dead.
Smart and effective marketing decisions are based on facts, not on opinions. Several attributes make newspapers a viable option, regardless of the appeal of newer media.
“J. Lo just married Prince Charles! I saw it online.”
Print is Still the Most Credible Medium
Consumers still view print as the most credible of all media. Some of that credibility has carried forward from the time when it was the only means of mass communication. But newsrooms continue to adhere to high journalistic standards, which include thorough fact checking, verifying sources, and straight reporting that is free of outside influences.
Many online news outlets are equally credible, including online versions of most newspapers, but anyone with a computer can reach millions of people with whatever content they care to create – whether it’s true or not.
Former Slate editor Chaz Lorenz made a strong case for the need to educate the college-aged public about the necessity of determining the reliability of their news sources.
There is no reason for you to question the veracity of what you read in, say, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The same can’t be said of those crazy headlines in the sidebars of countless websites.
“Don’t Click that Link!”
Print is a Safer Medium for the Consumer
With peace of mind about online security becoming harder and harder to achieve, you have legitimate reasons to be wary of online ads, and that concern might lead you (and your target customers) to avoid them altogether. Should you click the link? Should you not risk it? Will that banner ad really take you to the site that sells those great-looking boots or a well-priced laptop? Or will you end up with your hard drive held hostage for ransom?
No one ever picked up a computer virus from the Sunday paper.
“Finally! A Little Elbow Room.”
Print is a Less Crowded Environment
With many advertisers forsaking newspapers, believing they’re no longer relevant, you have a better chance of standing out if you maintain your advertising presence there – particularly if most of your competitors have jumped ship. Fewer ads in each issue equals more eyes on your message.
“We’re Still Here.”
Readership is Down but Not as Much as You’d Think
The research numbers provide clear evidence that newspapers are not the informational antiques most people perceive them to be. According to a 2014 Survey by the American Press Institute, 61 percent of Americans still read newspapers and magazines. And that number doesn’t include the people who read the same publications online. So your ad could appear in print and also on the publication’s online version to reach an even wider audience.
It is widely known that newspaper readership and ad revenues have continued to decline in the last decade, and less robust titles have ceased publication. But if you’re a smart marketer, you’d be wise to investigate this print medium as it relates to your target customers before you eliminate it from your media mix.
