What is the advantage of magazine media?

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.

By Charndré Emma Kippie

Magazines are here to stay! It is true that the Digital Age is here to stay, and has become profoundly integrated into our daily lives. Whether we’re working, communicating internationally, or ready in our freetime,  it’s all done electronically. Thus, we’ve seen many magazine publishers take advantage of the online space, making their publications even more accessible to their readers. 

What we cannot deny, however, is the loss of the tactile feeling of magazines. Many ‘purists’ enjoy physically holding and paging through their favourite monthly or biannual reads. With magazines being converted into ‘digi-mags’, it is this very tactile quality that is highly missed by traditionalists.

All is not lost, though. Statista predicted that in 2021 there would be around 40 million consumers of e-magazines. And this interest in digi mags continues to grow year after year. This interest comes as no surprise since seeing that e-publications allow for loads more content engagement (audio and video content may be embedded) and eliminates the hassle of carrying around multiple magazines at a time. Access your favourite reads from any device, on-demand, at any time! 

For example, Topco Media was forced to pivot as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. With the help of tech tools and digital platforms, the company was able to adopt a digitally savvy approach so that its premium publications offered a wider reach – catching the eye of key decision-makers in national, local and provincial government, as well as corporate South Africa. 

With this case study in mind, know that there are many ways in which your company could benefit from magazine features and advertisements. 

Enlighten the Public 

Digi-mags present a plethora of valuable information all in one place, inspiring readers and making them aware of new possibilities. Knowledge passed down to readers, through e-publications, boosts curiosity and compels readers to search for more, whether it be product specs or highly detailed service packages – they want to know more. Through magazine advertising, your business or organisation gains more public visibility, which will in turn boost your product/service awareness. 

A Targeted Audience 

e-Publications are compiled to meet the needs of a specific, target niche audience, which depends on a particular theme or mission. As a result, all advertisements featured within spreads must be relevant to the actual contents of the publication. This means your company’s ads or interviews will be front and centre to a target audience that is seeking out products and services that are directly related to your business offering. 

Gain Credibility 

Magazine readers are loyal, as they trust and have confidence in their preferred publications, and always go back for more on a monthly or biannual basis. Being featured in a well-known publication (whether print or digital, or both) means your business leverages off of the existing reputation of the publication. Thus, readers will spend time reading through your advertisement and are more likely to trust the credibility of your business. This behaviour is also what motivates the purchase decisions of readers ie. consumers.

Increase Measurability 

Using your marketing and PR budget on a magazine feature or advertisement means knowing exactly when your advertisement will appear and where. This way you’re able to measure the response and engagement. By inserting a clear, specific call to action in your feature, your team will see exactly how effective the advertisement has been.

Make An Impression That Lasts 

By choosing to feature in a local magazine that has been around for some time and carries some weight in the publication community, readers will see the high quality of your ad and recognise its value. Committing to a long-term campaign or relationship with the publication helps to build recognition over time and leave a lasting impression. 

In essence, e-magazines sell and their advertisements undoubtedly enhance ROI for featured companies and organisations. With so many digital benefits, it is a no brainer that this marketing stream works wonders. Stay relevant and in-demand – get your business featured TODAY! 

*For more, check out our bumper 16th edition of the Standard Bank Top Women Leaders publication on Issuu – Digital Publishing Platform – here. 

*Stay up to date with all the latest on Top Women in SA, by signing up to the Standard Bank Top Women newsletter – here. 

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