Everything's online now, including your business.
Advertising has never been so accessible, with simple self-serve systems that let any company create its own ads and have them displayed across the internet.
The question is, should your business still invest in print advertising in the Internet age?
Let's look at the pros and cons before you decide.
Why Online Advertising Rules
There are several reasons online advertising has grown so popular. Before you evaluate print advertising for your business, here's a quick reminder of the main online advertising benefits:
* It's cheap--sometimes even free;
* It's fast--you can get an ad up and running the same day;
* It's clickable--bringing interested visitors to your website;
* It's measurable--so you can make decisions based on ad performance.
Now, with those key points in mind, let's look at the original question: is print advertising worth it these days?
The Benefits of Print Advertising
Print is not dead yet. Just like CDs and video haven't killed off radio, the internet won't get rid of newsstand publications and print advertising! Here's why:
* Print is good for reaching offline readers, whether they're on the move or simply don't have an internet connection at all;
* You can use it to stand out from the crowd of companies that only advertise on the Internet;
* It reinforces your brand's image of professionalism and authority;
* A magazine or newspaper may be kept for weeks and your ad will still be inside when the next reader picks it up.
Of course, print advertising isn't perfect. But on the whole, the drawbacks are minimal...
The Downsides of Print Advertising
As you know, print publications have been going out of business at an alarming rate over the past decade. A lack of advertising revenue is one of the reasons for this rash of closures.
So what is it about print advertising that puts companies off?
* It's expensive compared to advertising online;
* Readership may be limited by the print run;
* Printed images look low-quality to the jaded eyes of a high-definition internet junkie;
* It has to be booked and paid for in advance;
* Any reputation-damaging errors like, say, an embarrassing typo can't be corrected once they're printed.
If online reputation is a concern for your company, take a moment to look into the reputation management services offered by various companies. By pushing unfavorable online comments further down the popular search engine results pages, these services help you to maintain your company's good public image.
Online or offline, the important thing is that you choose a solution that makes sense for your business. If you don't need print, then stick with online advertising. If you're targeting a print-reading audience, then print advertising is an obvious choice.
The best bet for most businesses is likely to be a hybrid campaign that encompasses print, online and even street advertising to get your message in front of the right eyes.