What is the state of print advertising in 2023? Is it alive or dead?

While digital advertising is effective, provided they’re engaging and appropriately targeted to the correct audience, it’s a very ad-heavy space. Our ability to ignore print ads doesn’t come as naturally as it might in a digital space. When you have someone’s full attention, make the most of it by promoting your brand with a creative print advertisement that resonates with the readers and increases brand recall.

Not only is the claim about print advertising being dead inaccurate, but there are benefits of utilizing local newspaper advertising.

1. Reputation and Relationship Building

Local newspaper publishers work hard to create positive relationships with members of the community to build a loyal customer base. By advertising with a trusted local newspaper, you can build a positive reputation in the community simply through association. This is called the ‘halo effect’.

When people subscribe to a newspaper or newsletter, they have a longstanding, loyal relationship. This devoted readership views your message with a more positive frame of mind. This also helps reinforce your message, especially with repetition.

2. Cost Effectiveness

Print advertising can make your promotional budget more efficient and effective with the variety of placements and inserts available within a specific newspaper. Instead of a broad-stroke strategy in which you try to reach the largest number of people at once, use local newspapers to reach an interested audience less expensively. Local print advertising offers a wide range of options that can fit nearly any budget.

3. High Engagement

People who subscribed to a newspaper made a conscious decision to read it. These readers are more focused on your message because when they are flipping through the pages, they are not distracted by something else. Your headline is designed to communicate a potential benefit to the audience and hold the readers’ attention, maximizing your reach.

When people read offline, they tend to have longer attention spans. Print ads can be viewed in a single glance and do not require scrolling.

4. Flexibility

Most print advertisers offer a choice as to where to place your ad in a publication. You may choose the location that offers the highest visibility. Print media offers fractional sizes, multiple pages, regional editions, and other special-placement options. You can get more creative with your advertising depending on the amount of space you have.

Another benefit of print advertising is a rapid turnaround on production changes. If you need to make last-minute changes to your ad, you can usually get the job done quickly. This helps to cater to tight schedules and deadlines.

5. Longevity

Your print ad will be around longer in a newspaper that tends to be passed around from reader to reader, expanding your viewership. Newspapers are often on display in offices, shops, and other venues for a longer period of time. You can ultimately reach a larger audience in environments like these.

This is not to say you don’t need digital marketing in your mix, but you should absolutely consider where your target audience is consuming content. Chances are they are still consuming print media and it should be a part of your marketing mix in conjunction with digital advertising.

The News We Provide

Our journalists report Michigan’s News, in communities across our Great Lakes State. Advertise alongside these well-read news articles, and reach your audience using print. As part of a wellrounded marketing campaign, print advertising (especially when positioned alongside trusted news content) can make for a healthy mix.

We have all sorts of options for print ads that appear in our paper and subscribers can access daily digital editions for all eight newspapers (exact replicas of the printed paper), as well as online at MLive.com. After all, we have been providing Michigan’s trusted, consistent and award-winning news and information content for 180+ years. Our newspapers reach an engaged audience that give newspapers their attention and actively consume content. It’s the ideal environment for advertising to influence brand choice and direct response. At MLive, we focus on creating compelling advertising and messaging for our advertisers, as well as making sure clients understand the value of our dedicated audience. As a result, MLive Media Group has cultivated a long list of satisfied and trusting clients using our newspapers for their messages.

For information on our print advertising sizes and specifications, click here.

Contact us for more insights on how to add print successfully to your marketing strategy.