There are many benefits to newspaper advertising which you may be aware of: it tends to be cheaper than other media channels; it is highly effective for repeat exposure; it offers great local market penetration and more flexibility; and consumers seek it out to help them make buying decisions.
But, here are six facts about newspaper advertising you probably didn’t know:
1. The Newspaper Industry is Quickly Evolving
Data from the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) indicates that circulation revenue for U.S. newspapers experienced a second consecutive year of growth with figures increasing 3.7% to $10.87 billion in 2013. Their report stated that "this trend reflects an industry evolving its business model in a significant way, taking advantage of developments in technology, consumer behavior, and advertiser interest, to grow audience and diversify its revenue stream."
2. Newspapers Have More Reach Than Stretch Armstrong
Have you heard newspapers are dead? Then how do they still, hands down, offer more reach than any other advertising vehicle? According to Scarborough Research, nearly 105 million people read the newspaper in print or online on any given weekday nationally, and more than 110 million adults read the Sunday newspaper.
3. The Affluent Crowd Reads Newspapers
In an effort to determine the most effective way to engage highly affluent consumers, Shullman Luxury, Affluence and Wealth Pulse asked wealthy participants which media platforms they remembered seeing advertising in the past 30 days and their reaction to it. The results? Despite all of the attention digital media garners, affluent Americans are far more likely to engage with advertising in printed newspapers than any other media channel, followed only by online newspapers. Download our white paper: Proven Methods for Reaching Affluent and Educated Consumers.
4. Small Town Communities Love Their Local Papers
In 2013, the Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) conducted a Community Newspaper Readership Study on behalf of the NAA and found that 67% of small town residents read their local paper at least once a week. 78% of respondents said newspapers were their main source for local news and information, and 71% responded that newspaper inserts helped them with their buying decisions.
5. Millennials Rely on Print for Savings
Yes, you read that right. Millennials, those digitally-savvy consumers who seem permanently connected to their mobile devices, actually look to print newspapers as their main source for coupons, promotions and deals. This information comes from the Sixth Annual RedPlum® Purse String Survey that offers insight into Americans’ shopping behaviors. According to the survey, 51% of Millennials responded that print newspapers were their go-to source for savings.
6. Newspaper Advertising Drives Action
According to an NAA study, 81% of adults took some form of action, such as clipping a coupon or visiting a store, after seeing a newspaper ad in the past 30 days, and more than half (53%) made an actual purchase because of it.
The study also revealed that newspapers ranked the highest (at 62%) as the most noted source people used to plan their shopping. Inserts scored very high, with 81% of respondents saying they took action in the past month after seeing an ad; and seven out of 10 respondents said they regularly seek out inserts.
Even those respondents who considered themselves “non-readers” said they did in fact use newspapers to clip coupons, compare prices, and check for sales in their local stores.
We’ve said it before and we’ll keep saying it: newspaper advertising is still an extremely effective option for business owners who want to penetrate their local market, connect with their target demographic, and drive them to take some form of action.
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