Radio and the Internet Put the Smackdown on Newspapers

August 10th, 2009

Or at least why the assumptions behind the review are off-base

newspaper-association-america-survey-mori-primary-medium-checking-advertising-2009 According to the nifty pie-chart to the right and the related study, because print newspapers reach people who are actively looking for, or “checking,” ads, they are still a solid advertising medium. How these people can conclude one thing from the other is utterly beyond me.

While newspapers may be a medium that still draws people who are actively searching out ads, that hardly means newspapers are a solid advertising medium for most advertisers.

As Social Media Today rightly points out, the idea of “actively looking” basically implies the following scenario:

“To me it says, ‘I want a new job (or car etc), let’s check the ads.’ And sure, newspapers and online will come first when that’s the motivation.

I would simply add 3 things to that analysis:

1) Newspapers and Yellow Pages are inevitably being displaced by the internet. Local, lower-level job listings may remain a stronghold of local newspapers, but other than that, most prospects feel they’re better off starting with a Google search or a quick check of Craig’s List.

2) You might NOT want to attract the more eager scourers of the local paper. Especially when advertising a job position. Seriously, would you rather find an applicant who, while still holding down his present job, thought your position perfectly described his strengths, qualifications, personality, and so on, or would you rather get the guy who’s between jobs, is desperately seeking paid work, and who saw your position in the paper? Might I suggest that radio, blogging, or social networking sites might be a better option for attracting the first type of applicant over the second?

3) Old school, intrusive media muscle still puts the smack-down on newspapers - especially when the radio or TV campaign is followed up by a strong web presence. Ad-dollar-for-ad-dollar tests show radio providing a 14:1 increase in driving response over newspapers.

Why Radio + Internet kicks butt for regional and local businesses

Radio & Internet If you hear a compelling radio message on something for which you’re not yet in the market, but you continue to hear that same offer/UVP/message from the same brand or company, what do you think will happen when you DO come in the market for that product or service?

Do you think you’ll:

a) search Google using general category terms?

b) Type in the offer, campaign name, or brand name from those compelling and memorable radio ads?

I’d guess b, and my experience promoting website via radio strongly suggests the same. If you do a solid job advertise your offer and your company on radio, you will influence what they search on when they’re finally in the market.

So what happens to your competition when people search on your brand name instead of a category term?

With that scenario, your competitors are pretty much screwed right from the starting block! And that’s a traffic driving system most of us can get behind ; )

P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about this technique, the great Chris Maddock and I will be teaching Writing for Radio and the Internet in Austin on the 25th and 26th.

In Advertising, Branding, Improving Conversion, Marketing Rants, Media Optimization, Multichannel Marketing, Offline Persuasion

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Comments (12)

Tim
August 10th, 2009
3:27 pm

I wouldn’t be to hard on newspapers. You talk above only about newspapers and classifieds, particularly job ads. Considering how much different advertising there is in a newspaper, you are missing a vast majority of people that could is it effectively.

People trying to draw people into their stores for sales or promotional items will likely do very well in the paper, better than radio, I don’t know depends on what it is. Groceries definitely the local paper is likely your best bet to drive in store traffic.

I think the Internet is the perfect advertising media for most advertisers, but don’t just blast the newspaper as a poor way to find purchasers and then use jobs as your only example, even if you have a valid point about jobs.
Jeff
August 10th, 2009
3:51 pm

Tim,

Thanks for the comments – they got me thinking about, and wanting to clarify, a few of the points that you took issue with. First I’m not blasting newspapers so much as the idea that “people check the newspaper for ads” magically and always leads to “and therefore you should advertise in newspapers.”

As you mentioned, for event-specific ads (read sales and coupons), newspapers do OK, precisely because people who are actively in the market for what you sell will seek out and find your ad. I get that.

My points are that

1) Most good advertising ISN’T event specific. If you are looking to create a positive bias towards your product or service in the minds of the general populace for your trade area, you will have to reach people who are not currently in the market for what you sell, but who likely will enter into that market at some point in the near future. Event-based advertising won’t do that for you.

2) Newspapers are continuing to lose out to online sources for much of their event specific stuff and so are becoming less and less effective by the day, even for advertising events and sales.

3) Even when comparing the ability to promote a specific, one-off event, radio still wins out over newspaper on a dollar for dollar basis.

I don’t mean to be harsh on newspapers, but since my aim is to offer readers sound advice on what would likely constitute the wisest and best use of their advertising and marketing dollars, I feel inclined to lay out the facts as plainly as possible. And in most situations, the facts militate against running ads in the local paper.

- Jeff
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August 10th, 2009
7:53 pm

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Storbyferie Barcelona
August 11th, 2009
8:05 am

An interesting article, Jeff.

I am not sure it is the same in Denmark, where I am from.

But I guess it is because Danes use radio in another way than you guys.

In Denmark most people listen to the national radio (where advertising are not allowed).

Several advertising-based radio stations have opened – and closed again. There is no money in it for them.
Audio Bible
August 11th, 2009
8:25 am

Newspapers are about dead, now. One of the big issues with newspapers is they only give you the side of the story they want to tell or cover.

People today are to wise to this type of reporting.
Tim
August 11th, 2009
1:13 pm

Jeff,

Thanks for further clarification. I still think newspapers likely do some things well, but completely agree that overall there is better things to be had for your dollar than newspaper ads.
SEO Tips
August 15th, 2009
1:51 am

Yes definitely Internet has gained importance.People prefer G News instead of Times of India Newspaper.But Still it will take a lot of effort to displace newspapers.Neither the social media will want that because they are still a very healthy source of revenue.
seo solutions
August 23rd, 2009
10:25 am

i think in todays world, everyone has an internet at home or at least in the office where they work. newspapers is still used by older peoples, but someday or in the near future, people will look/search for products or services directly on the internet.
best travel money
September 4th, 2009
7:33 am

i would be agree with the media first one and then cheap and best is web as every age group are using internet
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September 23rd, 2009
5:43 am

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Henry
October 15th, 2009
2:09 am

I like this post.
It is insightful.
i think someday maybe near in the future the internet will replace the newspaper.
E-Recruitment
October 26th, 2009
1:18 pm

I remember when encyclopedia was so expensive and popular back then until technology pave way to computers and internet ~ This has the same effect to newspapers nowadays.

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