Is Newspaper Advertising Still Relevant for My Business?

As a small business owner, you must give great consideration to the best ways to promote your business and newspaper advertising needs to be a key element in your media mix.

Newspapers are one of the oldest forms of mass media and they continue to be one of the largest sources of communication between the advertiser and the consumer. Over 50% of adults read a daily paper with readership in the Sunday paper nearly 65%. Importantly, they spend valuable time reading and processing the content, illustrating the importance the reader gives to the material.

Yes, newspapers play an important role in our daily lives but how does this translate to building your business and making your advertising budget work harder?

 Newspapers allow you to easily reach a large number of your target audience within a specified geographic area thereby reducing media waste and increasing your advertising plans efficiency.

 Newspapers offer immediacy. You can judge results quickly, and since you are working with short deadlines, you can adjust the advertising quickly depending on market conditions.

 Consumers can take their time examining your advertising unlike other media where they are limited by the length of the commercial.

 Newspaper advertising is relatively inexpensive to produce compared to other media. They are also easy to switch if you need to promote a new service, special offer, or a seasonal event.

 Newspapers give you the opportunity to better pinpoint your ad depending on your target audience or business profile. If you’re promoting an accounting firm, you would use the business section or, if your target is only men, you might place your ad in the sports section.

The bottom line is that you have many advertising options to choose from and limited funds to work with. To reach and persuade your target market, newspaper advertising remains one of oldest, affordable, and reliable ways to advertise your product.


Richard Strug
Greater Princeton Area SCORE (Chapter 631)
Serving Mercer and Middlesex Counties