Print media
Here are the different types of print media along with the corresponding advantages and disadvantages of using them to communicate with customers:
Newspapers
News and other organizations create national, regional (local) or special interest newspapers and often distribute them daily. They disseminate an extensive amount of information at a low price to readers. Newspapers can include several ad types, such as classified ads, display ads and inserts.
Advantages of newspapers
Large volume of readers: According to surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center, the data from 2018 indicates that 16% of adults got their news from a daily newspaper.
High frequency: Most national and local newspaper organizations deliver daily.
Inexpensive: Newspapers are usually $3 or less, and you can receive a discount if you pay for a yearly subscription.
High level of reader engagement: Readers must decide to purchase a newspaper and when they read it, increasing their level of engagement with the content.
Geographic specificity: Ads can target a local or national audience.
Disadvantages of newspapers
Possibility of becoming ruined: Printers use inexpensive, low-quality paper that becomes discolored and brittle.
Inability to target specific demographics or lifestyles: Newspaper readers are a diverse population. Ads in newspapers cannot target specific genders, ages, hobbies or economic class.
Short period of relevance: Most newspapers contain daily events and news that lose relevance within a day or two.
Audience must be able to read: Newspapers are only available for those who can read and those who have access to shops or delivery.
Magazines
Magazines can be consumer-related or business-related. Consumer magazines include those focused on glamour, lifestyles, entertainment and special interests. Consumer magazines are often printed monthly. Business magazines share news, information, reviews and research related to a specific industry and can include trade journals and professional publications. Business magazines are typically printed on a monthly or quarterly basis.
Advantages of magazines
Higher quality physical product: Magazine printers use glossy, higher quality paper than newsprint.
Targeted lifestyles and demographics: Because magazine readership is segmented by gender, interest or industry, advertisers can choose the most relevant publications.
Long period of relevance and usefulness: Magazines contain information and articles that can be useful for months or years, such as recipes, research and informational pieces.
High level of reader engagement: Readers are engaged in reading magazine articles, rather than being passive observers.
Disadvantages of magazines
Low frequency: Magazine subscriptions often reach readers monthly. Other readers may purchase magazines inconsistently.
Expensive: Advertising in magazines can be more expensive than advertising in newspapers.
Competition: Many magazines have similar audiences, which leads to increased competition for reader attention and ad space.
Direct mail
Direct mail includes informational flyers or postcard promotions delivered via USPS to the home or business address of a specified list of customers.
Advantages of direct mail
Highly specific audiences: Companies can pay for mailing lists filtered by zip code, income level, family size and more to reach individuals and families most likely to purchase products or services.
Convenient and free for consumers: Customers do not have to make any extra effort to see your content.
Opportunity for creativity: Direct mail provides an opportunity for advertisers to invoke creativity to gain readers’ attention.
Personalization: Advertisers can personalize mail with recipients’ names.
Disadvantages of direct mail
High cost of creation and demographic research: Direct mail can incur high costs if advertisers purchase extensive lists, send a large quantity or use nontraditional sizes or shapes.
Time requirement: Direct mail requires advanced planning for creation, printing, mailing and delivery.
Low response rate: Most direct mail recipients do not respond to mailers.
