Newspaper Advertising: Types and Examples

Written by Stacy Zolnikov for Hearst Bay Area.

Whether you are just launching a new business or you’re a veteran entrepreneur, the challenges of how to best reach your customers is an all too familiar pain.

With constant changes in marketing and advertising, it may feel like it’s hard to keep up with all the mediums and avenues to choose from. But despite all the options available, one channel that continues to be a worthwhile investment is newspapers.

Before diving into all the advantages of newspaper advertising, it’s important to note how readers consume newspapers.

51% of the newspaper audience read print only, and 6% read the paper on their mobile device.

More than 169 million U.S. adults read the newspaper on a monthly basis — either digital or print.

So, even through technological advances, many people still prefer the traditional print format for news.

Advantages of Newspaper Advertising

1. Better Reach

We’re all familiar with the short attention span most of us have.

On the internet, that’s a mere 8 seconds.

But fortunately, for printed media like newspapers and magazines, readers are much more inclined to pay attention for more extended periods of time. Newspaper readers consume news in this medium because they either do so leisurely (and are therefore not rushed like the digital counterparts), or they value the news and content.

Almost 70% of U.S. adults read newspapers each month. This shows that print advertising has massive potential in getting your message to your readers and encouraging them to act.

2. More Focused Targeting

Depending on the types of publications you are working with, many newspapers offer ways in which businesses can target particular audience demographics through zip or postal codes.

You can get even more focused by using a niche publication to target a specific demographic or ethnic group.

Or, as is true of The Chronicle, there is a list of special advertising opportunities that run throughout the year, which appeal to a specific interest that a group of people may have — for instance, The Academy Awards or San Francisco Pride. Advertisers looking to reach a specific group of individuals may choose to place an ad in the newspaper editions that coincide with these “special sections,” thus achieving higher levels of brand awareness among these niche audiences.

And when you combine your print strategy with digital initiatives, you can leverage behavior targeting through a newspaper’s digital property. In this way, you can ensure your message will get in front of your target audience across many different platforms at a higher frequency than choosing print or digital alone.

3. Affordability

Newspaper advertising costs vary and can get expensive if you don’t do it right. Still, when done well, newspaper advertising typically costs less per thousand readers than many other forms of marketing.

4. Flexibility

There are many kinds of newspaper ads you can choose from — classified, inserts, box, etc.

Inserts offer more variety from — catalogs, cards, single sheets, and more.

Each of these can be further customized to come in large or small formats with specific extras not offered through other publication means. You can choose the exact size, location, and design for your ad.

More, a lot of newspapers have a team of designers that can work with you to create your ad if you’re a smaller business owner and don’t have design resources.

5. Better Engagement

In a similar vein as better reach, a majority of newspaper readers are much more engaged with newspapers because they value the news more so than they do when scrolling through social media or casually watching television. Whether it’s print or digital, newspaper readers are highly engaged and super attentive.

6. Early Adopters

This may come as a surprise, but a lot of newspaper readers are actually early adopters to new products and brands. And for a new business, appealing to early adopters is critical to building momentum. Not only are they early adopters, but they also have significant purchasing power. Almost 3/4 of U.S. adults with an income of $100k or higher read newspapers each week. Newspapers offer the best channel to directly get in front of an affluent, educated audience ready to spend some money.

7. Inspires Action

A lot of people take action after seeing a newspaper ad, especially an insert — 30% of users in one study went online or to the store to get more information. Inserts and other types of ads can help drive consumers either online or to the physical store.

8. Bridges the Gap Between Online and Offline

Even though it’s print, newspaper ads are highly effective in this digital age — 34% of consumers trust print advertisements more than search engine ads.

9. Serves as Another Touchpoint Which Offers Trust

As the adage goes, it takes seven times for a prospect to “hear” a brand message before taking action. Newspaper ads serve as another opportunity to deliver your message.

Not only can you build your reputation, but you can begin building trust — according to some research, printed news magazines are the most credible sources when it comes to news.

Newspaper Advertising Costs

Newspaper advertising rates vary, as is the case for all forms of marketing, depending on a few factors. Some of these factors include:

• Size of the ad itself — newspaper ads are sold by column inch, so larger ones that take up more print or digital real estate is going to cost more than smaller ones.
• Ad placement — putting an ad near the front of the newspaper is going to cost more than placing an ad near the back. Where you choose to place the ad on the page is another factor.
• Frequency of ad running — daily newspapers will usually cost more than monthly or weekly, but the more you run an ad, the less it will cost over time. In the world of newspaper advertising, the more you are willing to buy, the more discounts you will be able to get, so make sure to inquire about any potential deals as any open newspaper advertising space is like a vacancy at a hotel. The newspaper would rather have the space filled for less money than not at all, so keep that in mind.
• Ad types — different types of ads may have different rates. For instance, a service directory classified ad may cost less than a box ad on an editorial page.
• Circulation — the higher the circulation of a newspaper, the more you will likely spend on advertising. For instance, a national newspaper ad will cost far more than an ad in a local newspaper. You pay for the reach and potential impressions, just as you would running many forms of Google or Facebook ad.

As mentioned, almost all newspapers offer discounts depending on the volume of space you commit to and for how long. An annual or even a monthly contract with a newspaper can greatly reduce the price. Make sure you research different newspaper costs and always negotiate rates.

Types of Newspaper Advertising

There are three main buckets — or categories — in which businesses can run their newspaper ad as.

Display Ads

Also known as box ads, display ads are probably the more common types of newspaper ads. They are dedicated chunks, or boxes, of a newspaper page running from one-eighth of a page to a full page. Every-day products like cosmetics, electronics, and home goods, are often found in these slots.

Inserts

If you’ve ever contemplated direct mail as a marketing tactic but were too wary of the cost to pull the trigger, insert ads are a great alternative. An insert ad is a full-page ad that is added to a newspaper issue — allowing readers to remove the insert out of the paper as a stand-alone page.

Classified Ads

Classifieds are specific listings, charged by word count, that are organized by various categories such as Pets for Sale, Employment Wanted, Local Activities, Announcements, and more. They can appear both in print and digital versions.

3 Examples of Effective Newspaper Ads and Why They Worked

Below are three examples of effective newspaper ads to spark your creativity.

Shikun & Binui Solaria

Sometimes thinking in black and white adds just the right amount of color.

That’s what this Israeli energy company did with their print ad to promote green energy. Though this ad seems like a dull and straightforward black and white drawing, it’s filled with color when you hold it up to sunlight.

This unexpected element is a great interactive and fun way to get the user involved with your product and also leaves a memorable and lasting impression.

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS)

The amount of plastic dumped into the ocean is a sobering reality, and to many, an opportunity to remain ignorant.

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an international non-profit dedicated to marine wildlife conservation, ran this print ad to catapult a collective movement to clean up our oceans.

Seeing something so jarring is enough to grab the reader’s attention in a memorable way, which in turn, inspires emotion and then, action.

Ikea

This ad insert acts as a two in one. A pregnancy test and a coupon for half-off a crib.

This ad is another excellent example of getting the user involved, albeit, in a somewhat strange way. But more than that, it serves as a useful and practical tool for moms-to-be.

Originally published on the Hearst Bay Area blog. Read the full version here.