Reasons to advertise in a magazine

We see advertisements everywhere – on television, radio, social media, search engines, hoardings, busses, newspapers and magazines. 

 

Figures vary, but on average each of us could see between 4,000 and 10,000 advertisements every day. It’s not surprising that use of ad blockers has increased and that we are becoming very good at filtering material that doesn’t interest us. 

 

With so much competition, how do you create an effective, engaging advertisement that stands out? 

 

Almost 50 years ago the Advertising Association said an advertisement is ‘any communication intended to inform and/or influence’. However, advertisements come in all shapes and sizes and can be delivered in all sorts of ways that will affect how we respond to them. 

 

Before deciding where and how to advertise you will need to know what you want to achieve. 

 

Are you letting people know about a new product or starting a new business? How can advertising help? Here are some of the reasons you might choose to advertise in a printed magazine: 

 

Awareness – advertising can deliver information and increase awareness directly with a specific audience. This might include informing people about a new product, a change to your services, or to highlight new or improved features. 

 

Conversions – often people think the aim of advertising is to sell something. While this is a common objective, it isn’t the only one. Advertisements can be used to change behaviour, support charity fundraising, or start a movement to protect the environment. Some might use advertising to apologise for a mistake or to change people’s opinions about their brand. For example, when KFC ran out of chicken their print advertising showed an empty bucket with the letters mixed up – it certainly got people’s attention. 

 

Recall – timing is important for advertising. If someone isn’t interested in your product or service then they probably won’t take too much notice. However, when the time is right to make a purchase they will probably think of the most recent mention they have seen or the brand that they know most about. That’s why a lot of businesses invest in brand building as well as product advertising. 

 

When it’s done well, advertising can give potential customers confidence in your brand, even if they don’t buy from you for months or even years. 

 

For your customers, well-targeted advertisements can help them feel they are making informed choices. 

 

As an advertiser you can build brand awareness and improve your reputation, tell people about the benefits of your products, and increase the likelihood that they will buy from you when they are ready. 

 

Advertisements can be traced back to 2000BC when Egyptians carved public notices in steel. However, according to the Bodleian library, the first print advertisement was in 1476 for a priests’ manual. There’s no doubt that it has stood the test of time.