Blog

Pros and cons with advertising on small local newspapers

Every company, regardless of their size, has an advertising budget that needs to be strictly adhered to. One of the toughest tasks that a business owner will face is making sure that the budget is well spent, which generally means not placing all the eggs in one basket. Besides going with online advertising, businesses should also be looking at more traditional forms of marketing. One of these would be advertising in the local newspaper, as you might get quite the bang for your buck. There are some definite pros and cons with local newspaper advertising, so let’s take a closer look at this medium.

Best for local businesses

A business that runs a global operation is probably not going to see a lot of benefits when advertising in local newspapers. That is not something that can be said for local businesses, as the newspaper is considered a go-to form of advertising for those trying to reach an audience in a very specific area. People love to know what their local options when they go to shop, eat, or have fun, so local businesses can really benefit from getting their message out via the local newspaper.

Local and highly targeted audience

When you are trying to get the word out about your business, it’s important that you try to reach the right people. Doing so will ensure that you get the maximum return on your advertising investment. Advertising in the local newspaper allows you to create laser-focused ad targeting that will get your message in front of your desired audience.

Limited audience

If there is one downside to advertising in the local newspaper, it’s that you may not have much of an audience out there. It pays to look at the circulation numbers of the paper to see if placing an ad there is really worth your while. If you are only looking at a few thousand people, it may not be worth your while, although it may be a good way to test out your marketing messages on a small group.

Affordable pricing

If you are looking to test the waters of print advertising, then a small local newspaper is a great way to start. It costs a whole lot less to place an ad in a local paper than it does to run one in a national or international publication. Sure, you reach a much smaller audience, but you also don’t lose a lot of money if the ad doesn’t pan out as hoped.

Better customer service

The reality in today’s digital world is that a lot of local newspapers rely heavily on advertising to stay afloat. As such, local publishers are always very willing to work with advertisers to ensure that advertisers are happy and get exactly what they need for their ad campaigns. This might include giving you a price break on your first ad, offering free ad serving on their online publication, assisting you personally with setup or perhaps ensuring that your ad gets a suitable and prime placement.

Related

• Pros and cons with advertising on a niche magazine and publication

  "While there are businesses who make products aimed at a wide audience, there are many more who fall into what is best described as a niche category. Those businesses tend to have a very devoted customer base. " More
• Where to advertise your product or service?

  "Every business needs to market their products and services in order to be found and be competitive in the marketplace. There are now more advertising options than ever before, and while that is a good thing, it can also be a little overwhelming. " More
• Advertising at public events

  "There are a lot of different places where you can go to get the word out about your business. Many companies are now using ad servers to display their ads online, as well as using tried and tested forms of advertising, such as print, TV, and radio. " More