Top 10 Newspaper Advertising Tips

As much as the internet rules the world these days, it’s important to remember that a massive segment of the population still reads the newspaper every morning. Ignoring the continued relevance of newspapers is a fatal mistake for any business, as you could be missing out on a potentially lucrative demographic of people who don’t spend as much time online. We all know that older people tend to be better off financially than younger ones; many of them continue to read the newspaper. Don’t you want to send them your message?

If you’ve decided to venture into the world of newspaper advertising, it’s important to get the most possible return on your investment. One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when placing ads in newspapers is that they don’t get the most out of the experience. Since you’re paying to spread your message, you need to maximize its potential as much as possible. That may sound daunting, but there are several very simple and easy-to-follow tips you can use to get the most out of your newspaper advertising dollars. To help you get started, we’ve highlighted ten of the best tips below.

1. Hire a professional to write your ad for you

Most newspapers will offer to create an ad for you; do not accept them in the offer. Designed newspaper ads are generally bland and tend to blend in with all other ads. You want yours to stand out, so have a professional ad writer create one for you. In the long run, it will be worth the extra money needed.

2. Try regional or larger newspapers

Starting with local newspapers is never a bad idea, but you may find that you don’t get the kind of responses you want when you go down that route. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not terribly expensive to advertise in some of the larger national newspapers, especially if you place a relatively small ad. Give it a try and see for yourself – the response you get may surprise you.

3. Choose the correct day of the week

Certain days of the week are better for placing certain ads in a newspaper. For example, Mondays are good days to place ads in newspapers if your audience is primarily male; men tend to check the newspaper a lot on Mondays, thanks to sports highlights and other features. Saturdays are also a cost-effective option, since fewer people advertise on those days and rates tend to be lower.

4. Get a good spot

Whatever you do, don’t simply submit a request for your ad without making sure it will appear prominently. While you certainly don’t need to place a full page or even a half page ad, you should check that your ad is displayed near a popular feature or in another part of the newspaper that tends to get a decent amount of attention.

5.Use color

The added cost may put you off, but using color in your newspaper ad is a great idea. In a black and white newspaper, any point of color is sure to stand out. In turn, your ad is more likely to grab the attention of more people, and it’s much more likely to generate some decent leads. Never underestimate the power of color in newspaper advertising.

6. Try several different newspapers

Determining the readership of a given newspaper can be a complicated task; it’s even harder to figure out which paper will work best with your particular product or service. Be prepared to test your ad in several different newspapers to increase your chances of success. Don’t limit yourself to just one or two articles, but spread your efforts out a bit; it’s worth it.

7. Be patient!

Newspaper ads don’t tend to generate hits right away. Throwing in the towel after only a week or two is not a smart move. Keep in mind that some people need to see an ad multiple times before acting on it; place your ads and then give them plenty of time before moving on to bigger and better things. Don’t try to rush the process if you want to get something out of it.

8. Use tracking devices

How can you gauge whether or not your ad is getting you somewhere? Placing a tracking device on it. It usually takes the form of a coupon, though you may ask the reader to “mention this ad” when ordering. Either way, you need to find some way to track and see if your ad is producing noticeable results for you or not.

9. Think of a catchy headline

Many readers simply scan the ads in a newspaper and only take a closer look at the ones with catchy headlines. You should put as much effort as possible into the wording you use for your ad headline. Try several different settings until you come up with one that is hard for just about anyone to resist. Test it out with friends and colleagues to get their feedback too.

10. Use the space you pay for!

There’s something to be said for decent amounts of white space, but it has no place in a well-designed newspaper ad. While you don’t want to cram your copy into an inappropriately small amount of space, you also don’t want to waste the space you’re paying for. Make good use of the space you have purchased by filling it with informative and interesting information.