I don’t know about you, but a lot of us writers are sick and tired of hearing people say ‘print is dead’ because that could not be further from the truth. There are so many ways in which print can aid marketers and advertisers with their campaigns. 

Here are five reasons print needs to be included in your marketing strategy:

1. Print offers unbeatable ROI

Return on investment (ROI) is a performance measure used to evaluate the performance of an investment. It is a ratio between net profit and cost net profit and cost of investment. 

Print is consistently underestimated by marketers who prefer other alternatives — usually those of a digital nature. But for those that are willing to cut through the fake news about the ‘death of print’, there is no question that print boosts ROI and commands attention.

The ‘Planning for Profit’ study by Benchmarketing said that advertisers have the opportunity to optimise their spend on newsbrands and that increasing newspapers’ share of spending could more than double current campaigns profit ROI.

Newspaper ads increase the ROI of a campaign by as much as 570%. More than one in five direct-mail marketing campaigns prompt commercial action. And, magazine ads generate over double the amount of what is invested into the campaign.

2. Integration

Marketing campaigns are most effective when print is used as one element of an integrated approach. Adding print to the mix increases campaign ROI and creates greater trust among your customers or clients. 

A report called ‘Marketing Effectiveness in the Digital Era’ by the IPA concluded that adding print to the marketing mix boosts effectiveness by 15%, while adding direct mail boosts the effectiveness of marketing strategies by 10%. 

3. Trust

Edelman’s 2018 Trust Barometer recorded that consumer trust in advertising was at an all time low. The 2019 Trust Barometer, however, showed that the level of trust of consumers has risen slightly. But only one in five people feel the media and advertising systems in place are working for them, with almost half of the population feeling that the system is failing them. 

One thing is clear: there is an urgent desire for change. 

As customers have been increasing suspicious of media and marketing messages, especially those online, over the past decade. It is time for marketers to find a more trustworthy alternative, like print. 

Although everyone seems to be on social media, print media is seen as the most trustworthy environment for advertisers and marketers.  

Levels of trust in traditional news overall remains at a stronger position with a percentage of 58% and magazines top the list with a trust level of 72%. Overall, newspapers are seen to be more trustworthy than their website or app counterparts. 

4. Targeting 

Unlike banner ads, newspaper and magazine advertising reaches customers in a time they have set aside to read.

Newspaper ads are viewed for 2.5 times longer than the average digital ad. This suggests that readers are more receptive when engaging with print and therefore it would be a wasted opportunity to not have print marketing as part of your strategy.

As long as journalists in the print industry continue to produce high quality content, print should remain trusted.

5. Measurement 

Digital does have an edge when it comes to measuring the short-term effects of ads. Some experts believe that the focus on quick returns is negatively affecting overall marketing effectiveness — particularly when measuring long-term return on investment, brand equity and readership satisfaction.

A study by Equibity called ‘Re-Evaluating Media’ looked at the difference between the reality and the perception of the print media. It found that print ranked in third place behind TV and radio in terms of impact. 

These findings made the researchers ask the question ‘should we re-evaluate the way print’s key performance indicators (KPIs) are calculated?’. They asked whether print’s KPIs should be measured in attention and impact rather than in reach. If the way print’s KPIs is measured changes, we could see more marketers and advertisers shifting their focus to print.

Nathalie Taboch from Equibity said that people don’t perceive ‘tangible ads (TV, print or poster campaigns) the same way as digital ones’. Digital campaigns are instant, snackable content that create an impulse. But tangible ads call on the imagination and people’s aspirations. They create a deeper imprint in a person’s memory, which then creates a long-lasting brand image.

What other ways do you think print should be included into marketing strategies? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. 

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Print is a powerful medium when it comes to communicating with customers. Check out these Three reasons why advertisers still believe in the power of print.