The Pros And Cons Of Press Advertising: A Comprehensive Guide By PromoMedia
01 Nov 2024 15:11
Newspaper Advertising in St Albans
Get in touchOur expert teams specialise in the buying and planning of newspaper, press and magazine adverts all over the UK; from major national titles through to small local titles in St Albans, to promote a full range of products, goods and services.
Our press teams ensure our clients get the best adverts, targeting both niche and broader markets depending on what is being promoted (catering for different budgets), delivering adverts at a variety of sizes and in an array of titles.
Press and newspaper advertising is common throughout the United Kingdom with a range of industries. This is because a great many people buy and read newspapers on a daily basis; for this reason, press ads are a great way to promote both new and existing products, as well as just getting your business name out there and in the public eye.
If you would like to discuss press ads with our newspaper advertisement teams in more detail, please fill in our contact form and will be in touch.
Most major newspaper campaigns have a recommended minimum spend of £2000 to have a successful impact.
What is Press and Print Advertising?
Press or printing advertising is the industry term for advertising in newspapers and magazines.
Advertising in newspapers and magazines is still one of the most effective forms of advertising in the UK, forming the cornerstone of many successful campaigns across a range of industries. Newspaper advertising has been around for centuries and has certainly stood the test of time!
Whenever you open a newspaper you will find adverts for a full range of products, events and services; everything from concerts to toys, plumbing businesses to betting websites, cars to clothes – the list is endless.
Newspaper advertisements are perfect for retargeting existing customers as well as appealing to new clients in a cost-effective way.
Print Advertising Options
As they are many different newspapers and magazines there are naturally lots of different options for you to choose from when looking at this form of marketing.
Here at PromoMedia our teams can guide you through the maze and find out what is likely to work for you and your business.
Here is our brief overview of the different types of newspaper and magazine that you can select from for your bespoke print advertising campaign:
National Newspaper Advertising
These are the “big titles” we have all heard of. National newspapers have massive circulation (circulation is the number of copies that are printed) making them a very effective form of marketing as they hit a huge amount of people.
These well-known titles include:
Mail on Sunday
Sunday Mirror
Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Times
The Observer
The Daily Express
Sunday Express
Each of these titles has a different type of reader so choosing the right one for your product is key; this is something we can advise on should you need help.
Some of these titles appeal more in certain areas and to certain people or demographics e.g. some work better in the North, some in the South, some are more tailored to men, others women etc.
These newspapers are also broken down into types; known as tabloids or broadsheets.
Naturally, as these titles cover the whole of the UK (such as the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror), they are the most expensive form of print advertising. However, if you have a brand, company or product which is nationwide (or that’s the direction you want to go in) they are a brilliant way to reach a mass audience quickly.
Get in touch to find out our very competitive rates on national print ads.
Local Newspapers Advertising
Most areas of the UK have their own main newspapers, examples of these include:
Glasgow Evening Times
Bristol Post
Brighton Argus
These are newspapers which are daily and have high circulation in their own town and cities, these are good for a local target audience and they often cover national news as well as local stories.
Events, products and services which are relevant to these areas work particular well through this kind of print marketing e.g. if you are advertising a concert in Manchester you would use the Manchester Evening News, a special offer at a department store in Bristol you would use the Bristol Evening Post etc.
Products that have a national presence also work very well in these main local newspaper adverts.
Costs of regional newspaper advertising vary depending on the area and circulation but often these local/regional newspapers adverts offer a great return and value for money as they can hit a target audience very effectively.
Free Newspapers
These are the ones you get free through your door! In the UK most areas get a free local paper every Wednesday/Thursday. Sometimes these papers are known as Freesheets.
The stories and adverts in these tend to be very local; everything from cats stuck up trees to local sports updates.
The adverts in these are cheaper and tend to be very locally focussed. They are commonly used for local hairdressers, shops, restaurants, plumbing businesses etc. They normally work well and are good at raising profiles in very specific areas. Freesheet advertising is often the first step in growing a business.
Metro Advertising
This is a free paper that is distributed nationally every day in major towns and cities.
It is read most mornings by centre-city commuters across the UK and tends to work well when targetting younger and often male audiences. It is a national newspaper.
You can advertise both nationally and also locally in The Metro. Again The Metro as a form of newspaper advertising is great for raising profile both locally or across the country. It is the most popular daily free newspaper in the UK.
Standard Magazines
There are hundreds of different magazines to choose from when marketing, it really does depend on your target audience on which of these you should choose. You will probably have an idea of which magazines interests your target market if this is the case let us know and we’ll get you our special rates.
We work with all types of magazines including major ones including Heat, Women’s Own, Women’s Weekly, Primary Times, BBC magazines etc.
Free Magazines
Some areas have free local magazines which are distributed to schools, doctors surgeries, cafes etc. These magazines vary all over the country. If there is a particular one you like, let us know and we’ll go and get you the best rate.
If any of the above newspaper advertising options are of interest fill in the contact form and let us know what you looking for, an idea of budget and when you would like the ad to appear.
What are the Costs of Print Media Advertising?
We commonly get asked “How much does it cost to advertise in a newspaper?” or "What are the best newspaper advertising costs in the UK?”
As you can imagine with so many variables and different options it is not a simple answer, various factors have to be taken on board.
The costs of newspaper ads broadly depend on the below factors:
Which newspaper or magazine you want to advertise in – those with the biggest circulation are generally the most expensive e.g. The Daily Mail is more expensive than the Hull Times.
The size of the ad you want – a bigger press advert will be more expensive than a smaller one e.g. if you want a full-page advert it’s going to be more expensive than a ¼ page.
Where in the newspaper the ad appears - near the front and right-hand sides are generally more expensive as they are seen and read by more people; they are the more sought after positions. Cheaper options are generally near the back and also in the classified section.
Prices can vary from £80 to £25k so there is something to suit all budgets when you consider press adverts, this is a reason this form of marketing works for a variety of industries. Press adverts are something that most people who are selling a product include within their marketing and advertising plans.
As you can see there are loads of options for you to think about. Simply get in touch with our friendly print ad teams today and we will get prices on any titles you are interested in.
Don't forget all quotes are FREE so you have nothing to lose from an initial enquiry!
Does Press Advertising Work?
Yes!
As a high proportion of the UK population read newspapers and magazines on a daily basis it’s a great way to get your message out there. Coupled with that fact that press ads are affordable options for most campaigns means that the results are often very strong.
You only have to look inside any newsagents to see the huge range of titles available - from national newspapers, local free papers, regional newspapers, weekly and monthly specialist magazines (cooking, car, kids, lifestyle etc.) - there is something to target and appeal to everyone.
At PromoMedia we carry out research to analyse which papers and titles suit our clients and their needs, ensuring the best possible return on investment (ROI), so your business and profits grow.
Press adverts generally work because:
They hit a cross-section of society
They offer a good return on investment
They work on a variety of budgets.
If you would like to discuss press ads - whether local newspaper ads or national options - with our team in more detail, please fill in our contact form and tell us a bit more about you, what you are looking for, any particular newspapers or magazines you are interested in and your budget. We will do the rest.
TOP TIP
With lots of competition out there (even within the papers and magazines themselves) we believe that the best newspaper and magazine ads should be:
Clear about what they are selling, marketing or offering - if someone is flicking through a magazine or newspaper the message shouldn't be too complicated, you often have a short space of time to communicate to your target audience.
Don’t be cluttered or too desperate in your message - don’t use too many words! Rather than being too wordy, think about a lovely image to help whether that is the Daily Mail or a local newspaper!
Colour - always works well to make things stand out. Most newspapers are printed on white paper so a strong colour or logo - which lifts your advert off the page and catches the eye is always good!
Sizes of Print Ads and Print Ad Specifications
Press ads come in all shapes and sizes. They are generally defined by how many centimetres tall they are by how many columns widths they are.
It is worth pointing out that column widths are different in each paper.
Sizes of print ads and newspaper advertising options are generally as below - if broken down by pages:
DPS (Double page spread)
Full page
Half-page horizontal
Half-page vertical
1/3 page
1/4 page
Otherwise if broken down by centimetres and column inches the most common sizes are:
25x4
20x3
20x2
15x3
15x2
10x3
10x2
Sometimes ad spaces are also given names such as:
Fireplace
Barndoor
Metro Sticker
Grand National Strip
How to Order
If press ads appeal to you get in touch today.
If possible give us the following information on the enquiry form, if you don’t have all this info just give us what you can and one of our media team will give you a call back to get more information:
The title - if you know which newspaper or publication you want to advertise in let us know, if not we can suggest what we think will suit your advertising and marketing needs.
Size of the advert - if you know what size advert you want to let us know – if not we can suggest based on your budget and what will work for your messaging.
Target marketing - let us know your target market – we may have more ideas to suggest and other titles you hadn't considered which may be successful for your company.
Budget – even if just a rough one - this will make sure we give you options that are suitable and save time.
location - let us know if you want to advertise with a local, national paper or both - sometimes a combination is very powerful and achieves great results.
Position - let us know when you want the adverts to appear - as with most media planning ahead is advisable to secure top rates and positions.
When we have this information one of our media buyers will choose the right newspaper for your ad or give you the rates on the ones you have requested.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an advertisement in a newspaper? It's inserting a pre-design advert into a local or national newspaper. Newspaper advertising sizing options can vary depending on the publication and they are used to promote a variety of products, services or products, due to their proven success over many years.
Is advertising in newspapers effective? Yes! Often one of the more cheaper modes of advertising, press ads are effective in promoting almost any service, product or company as they can carry a large amount of information as well as graphics.
Why are newspapers good for advertising? They are good for marketing due to their versatility, they can carry factual written information or stylish eye-catching designs.
How much does it cost to put an ad in a newspaper? Costs vary on a number of factors, mainly they are determined by the publication and their readership.
Contact Us
If newspaper or general print advertising is of interest to you or your company contact us today.
As a top newspaper advertising agency, we can provide help, advice, great costs and position on any titles you would like to place print adverts in from the Daily Mail and Telegraph to small local publications, depending on your aims and target audience.
As one of the oldest and most proven forms of marketing press, local and national newspaper and magazine ads are a great addition to any marketing campaign or indeed as an effective stand-alone form of promotion.
We look forward to hearing from you and seeing your business in print!.
We cover St Albans (Hertfordshire)