For the longest time, print advertising was the undisputed choice for reaching target markets and getting results. Then along came the internet.

However, even with the popularity of digital marketing, print advertising managed to stick around as a preferred strategy for many marketers. In fact, marketers who once left the world of traditional print marketing are making their way back. And for good reason!

So, let's take a look at why print advertising effectiveness is so positive, that more and more marketers are taking advantage of it.

The Effectiveness of Print Advertising & Why It Still Works

Print Advertising is Favored by Consumers

There’s plenty of research to prove that many consumers still prefer and enjoy receiving printed advertisements they can hold in their hands.

In fact, one study showed that 73% of consumers say they prefer receiving print advertisements because they can read them when they want. While another research study showed that 75% of people said receiving a printed advertisement made them feel special.

Furthermore, the internet is bombarded with scams and fake advertising making consumers feel unsure of if they should trust a digital ad or not. This was even proven when 82% of people said they trusted printed advertisements while 39% of people from the same study said they trust online banner and mobile ads and only 25% said they trusted online pop-up ads.

So, print advertising is preferred by consumers, it makes them feel special, and consumers trust printed advertisements more than online ads. If you’re still not convinced print advertising is still effective, don’t worry we have more to share with you!

Print Advertising Is Trackable

Being able to track how your marketing campaign is doing is so important. And one of the most beneficial components of digital advertising is the ability to monitor click through rates, engagement, and the ability to track other important analytics so you can see how your marketing campaign is doing.

While you can’t click on a catalog, brochure, or postcard, you can absolutely and easily track your print advertisements. 

For example, by adding a unique URL or PURL, using a promo code, a call tracking number, or a QR code, you can easily track and trace who is responding to what, how well your print advertising campaign is doing, and plan better for your future campaigns.

Print Advertising Generates Higher Response Rates

If you still don’t believe print advertising still works, then this reason may change your mind.

Based on a recent study, print advertising receives an average response rate of 9% which is higher than email, paid search, social media, and online display ads combined.

Also, regarding response rates, print advertising offers a 112% return on investment which is higher than SMS, email, social media, paid search, and digital display ads, proving that print advertising is still very much effective.

Print Advertising Has Strong Targeting Capabilities

Another reason why print advertising still works and is so effective, is that it can be highly targeted!

With print advertising you can target individuals based on:

• Certain demographics (including age, income, home value, etc.)
• Buying activity (did they just buy a new car, are they in the market for a new home, etc.)
• Interests (do they eat out frequently, show interest in boats, lawn care, wine, health and wellness, etc.)
• Driving distance (target individuals based on how far away they live from your business)
• Proximity (target individuals who live around your ideal customers)

Being able to target the right audience for your business is important for any channel of marketing, but when you combine targeting abilities with the power of print advertising, you’re sure to generate amazing results.

Print Advertising is Guaranteed to Be Seen

Did you know that 57% of email addresses are abandoned because users receive too many marketing emails?

On top of that, social media, pop up, and display ads have become increasingly overwhelming, and we have all learned how to ignore them.

With so much competition in the digital marketing world, it’s no surprise marketers are finding better results with print advertising. Consumers’ mailboxes aren’t jammed with hundreds of other print advertisements giving marketers who take advantage of print and direct mail marketing the opportunity to stand out and be seen in a physical, tangible way that isn’t ignored.

Print Advertising Combined with Digital Marketing Is Even More Effective

While print advertising can function effectively on its own, it can also be combined with any digital marketing campaign which can increase the effectiveness of both advertisements on each channel.

For example, a study showed a 49% increase in sales and a 125% increase in inquiries from customers who received both emails and printed catalogs.

The more people see your advertisement the more they become aware of it, and when you deliver your message on multiple channels you increase the chances of reaching an individual at exactly the right time for them to take action.

There are even solutions like Direct Mail CRM Integration that allow you to easily integrate your print advertisements with your CRM or marketing automation platform so you can simultaneously and automatically send out your online and offline advertisements.

What are Some Key Factors to Effective Print Advertising?

While printing advertising does still work, you do need to invest some time in developing and creating an effective message. 

For example, your print advertisement needs to grab your recipient's attention and it needs to elicit a response.

You can, of course, ask for print advertising design help but if you decide to create your own advertisements, we have a blog that walks through the details of how to make your print marketing stand out, plus, these tips below will help you get started!

Keep it Simple - One of the more common causes of ineffective print advertising is length and clutter.

When writing your message, aim for it to be clear and concise. Only include the necessary information. This goes for your design elements as well. Don’t include too many images or graphics. Keep it simple and easy to read.

Make it Eye Catching - Make sure your print advertisements have high contrast (this means light text on dark backgrounds and dark text on light backgrounds,) make sure that your text is large and bold and use design elements that attract the viewer to your message.

Include an Intriguing Call to Action - Your audience won’t know how to take you up on your offer if you don’t tell them how to.

Make sure to include an irresistible call-to-action. This could be a discount code with a link to your website or text that reads “Call Now” while making sure your phone number is most prominent.

Choose Effective Imagery - The importance of good graphics and images to accompany print advertising is often overlooked.

However, your readers will begin to interpret the message of your mailer from the graphic alone. So, pull your audience in with an image that connects to the overall message and relates to your specific audience.

Make Your Print Advertising Trackable - Print advertising effectiveness can’t be measured or optimized unless your advertisements are trackable.

Check out our blog “4 Easy Direct Mail Tracking Methods” which includes details on how you can use unique phone numbers, unique URLs, coupon codes, and QR codes to easily track how well your campaigns are doing thus being able to optimize all future campaigns.

Conclusion: Print Advertising Still Works!

When executed correctly, print advertising is still a very effective form of marketing for many businesses. And it can be even more effective than any other form of advertising.

As companies flock to digital, new opportunities in a once-crowded print marketing space are opening back up, advancing every day, and becoming more effective than ever before.

If you’re interested in the effectiveness of print advertising, then click the button below to discover some of our most popular print advertising solutions today!