How to Effectively Use Print Ads in Newspapers to Maximize Sales

Advertising print ads on newspapers can help you reach a large and diverse, yet targeted audience, because everyone needs insurance.

With newspapers you have somewhat more control over what demographic you want to target, because newspapers have various sections, targeted towards different age groups. Another reason you will get targeted consumers is that many people read the newspapers just for the advertisements, since newspapers have been known for decades to frequently contain advertisements for insurance, used cars and real estate ads.

You also have more control over your budget – and you can choose what kind and size of an advertisement you want. The general rule of print ads is that the more visible the ad (larger sizes, or more colors) the more expensive it’ll cost to run it.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Newspaper Advertising

The main disadvantage of print ads is the vast number of competing ads also trying to grab the attention of your target audience. Dozens of print ads compete in newspapers, with larger ads taking most of the readers’ attention. Smaller ads usually get almost no attention and visibility, because larger ads can contain more colors and more images to capture the eyes of the reader. Another problem is that newspapers are thrown away very quickly. Most people jump through the pages and don’t even look at the advertisements.

You should work with an ad agency to design your print ad or have them create your ad professionally. The advertising departments of newspaper companies will usually offer print ad templates for you to use, which you should avoid because other companies will be using them along your template print ad, decreasing the visibility of your print ad. Letting the ad agency to produce a customized ad for you will allow you to have a much more visible and unique print ad that will stand out among plain template ads that generally look all the same.

How Much Will a Newspaper Ad Cost?

The amount you pay to run your print advertisement will depend on how larger you want your ad to be. Newspaper companies use an “inch rate” system, which measures the value of advertising space based on the length and the width of the ad space. For example, a newspaper ad with the measurements of 2 columns wide and 3 inches down will be a 6-inch ad. You can then multiply your ad size by the inch rate, to determine the final cost of running the print advertisement.

Be sure to remember that more people read more newspapers on Sundays, because newspapers circulate at the highest rate on Sundays. Your print ad will cost more if you choose to run it on a Sunday, due to this reason.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Newspaper Ads

Let your ad agency determine what size your advertisement should be, what section your advertisement will run on and what kind of ad will deliver maximum exposure and results. When they’re done with their part of the work, give a final approval before the ad starts running to increase brand awareness and generate more prospects for you.

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