These reasons are why smart advertisers know traditional advertising still holds a prominent place in their marketing strategies. And one form of traditional advertising that tends to get overlooked is print advertising. But print advertising can be quite effective, and offers some marked advantages over online advertising.
It’s hard to argue with the fact that amazing advancements of today’s online technology in the past ten years alone have provided some conveniences for people. From being able to book a flight on your phone, to checking to see exactly where the package you ordered is on its route, the digital age has helped to make so many things so much easier.
But there is an admitted downside to all this accessibility. Many people are not so enamored with the invasive “Big Brother” feel to certain aspects such the perpetual spam and pop-up advertisements they are inundated with online. Online advertisements are overwhelmingly viewed as intrusive, and people feel they infringe on their online experience overall. And spam that comes in on people’s email is seen as terribly disruptive, particularly during critical working hours for a number of people. Think of someone who won’t stop talking about a certain product, or a salesperson that follows you all over a store: their constant pushing often ends up having the opposite effective, where people get so annoyed they end up refusing to purchase the product or service, sometimes on principle alone. This is the effect online advertising tends to have on customers.
Print Advertising is Less Invasive Than Online Ads
Even among the more tech-oriented Millennial Generation, print advertising is not viewed as objectionable as online-advertising. One reason for this is they feel they have more control over when and where they view a print ad. For instance, when someone checks their physical mail, they know they may get flyers and advertisements they may or may not want, and some things may end up in the recycling bin. But they are choosing to take the time to actually check all pieces of their mail, and really think about if something interests them. Now compare this to pop-up ads online that intermittently interrupt people when they’re trying to research something online. It doesn’t matter how wonderful whatever the ad is selling might be; it’s most likely not what the person currently online is interested in at that moment, and will ultimately be seen as a nuisance and be automatically dismissed. Print advertising doesn’t involve flyers being randomly thrown at people throughout the day, or a perfume ad covering a magazine article someone may be trying to read. These aspects make people more receptive to print advertising than online advertising, and therefore more likely to actually look at it.
Print Advertising is More Reputable Than Online Ads
Another advantage print advertising tends to have over online advertising is print advertising often has a more favorable reputation. One of the biggest selling points for online advertising is its low cost. But while that may be good financial news for advertisers, it tends to fill consumers with some doubts. After all, if anyone and everyone can advertise online, how can they be sure what’s being sold is really worth the money – or isn’t just a scam, period? But when people see print advertising, especially in well-established magazines or other publications, they feel more secure in the advertisement’s credibility. They know time and effort went into that ad, and moreover, the magazine had to give permission for the advertisement to actually be featured in their issue. It would be pretty hard to “sneak in” an advertisement into a magazine like GQ or Allure! And since magazines tend to be geared toward specific interests and topics, this makes it much easier for advertisers to select which ones they should select to market towards specific demographics, rather than the helter-skelter placement of online advertising. Bottom line: people trust print advertising.
Studies show print ads are a great way to build brand recognition, and often result in the highest increase for metrics most related to purchasing behavior: brand favorability and purchase intent. Including print advertising in marketing combo strategies leads to more successful campaigns, especially when a strong call-to-action such as a memorable toll-free number is featured. Make sure you make print advertising an integral part of your campaigns today!