With consumer behaviour switching more rapidly than ever from offline to online activities, are there still benefits to advertising in a local magazine?
It’s clear that times have changed. You can now reach a large audience cheaply, or even for free, through online advertising. However, print magazines are still widely read and local publications reach out directly to the community and the people that advertisers want to use their services or buy their products. Consequently, these niche magazines still hold plenty of advertising power.
How Advertising in a Local Magazine Can Help Your Business
Let’s take a look at Pioneer Magazines to examine the benefits more closely. Comprising of three local publications – the Walsall Pioneer, Villages Pioneer and Great Barr Gazette – these free magazines are delivered every two months to 48,000 homes in Walsall, Great Barr and the surrounding areas and boast a readership of 120,000.
The content consists of feel-good local stories and news that serves to uplift and benefit the community. The editor’s philosophy from the outset was always to focus on the positives of the local area and it’s a mindset that has paid off with the magazines going from strength-to-strength over 16 years since it launched. Pioneer Magazines has also actively championed local businesses with initiatives such as the Shop Local Campaign.
Readers care about community
The readers of these local magazines care about the area where they live. They feel pride in their community and feedback from readers reveals that they look forward to receiving these free magazines.
Pioneer Magazines has built up trust with the local communities over many years as a source of dependable local information. It’s a familiar and comforting sight to see a copy of the magazine pop through the letterbox each month, knowing that the news and stories within those pages have the community’s best interests at heart.
Magazine readers trust local content
The knock-on effect of gaining reader’s trust is that advertisements in the magazines are seen as recommendations rather than ads. This is a true reflection of Pioneer Magazines advertisers, as each advertiser is vetted to ensure they are reputable.
When readers trust the content, they trust the advertisers within the pages and are more likely to use their services.
Your adverts are seen repeatedly
The online advertising space is cramped. Internet users are served hundreds of ads per day. Though many of them are targeted directly at the individual behaviour of a user, adverts are in front of your eyes one second and gone the next.
Pioneer Magazines sit on coffee tables, sideboards and office desks for weeks where they are picked up again and again. Advertisements are seen over and over by local readers so the adverts have real staying power.
Within these magazines are advertisements from many local businesses, many of which have advertised for years because they build up recognition, familiarity and trust among the community with long-term campaigns.
The readers have been accustomed to picking up the magazine when looking for local services, knowing that they can jump straight to the index of advertisers and immediately find they type of business they’re looking for.
One-to-one help and understanding
Magazine staff offer a personal touch. They work with you to create an advert that will have the most impact and will often run editorial for free alongside advertisements to help boost your profile. They really do want you to return and advertise again, so go above and beyond to ensure you’re happy with your placement.
In a local magazine, the staff really do want your business to do well. They are local people with local interests at heart.
Readers are engaged
The distractions of the internet and social media means that the attention of people is easily diverted with so much going on, but readers pick up a local magazine during a quiet time when they are ready to relax. As a result, they absorb information.
When readers are engaged, they remember. Next time they’re looking for a plumber, a gardener or any other service, product or local event, they are more likely to remember your name, or know exactly where to find what they need by picking up the magazine.
Magazine Advertising + Online Advertising
Local magazine advertising should not be a replacement for online advertising, but should complement your marketing strategy so you can advertise effectively. You should still take advantage of local business listings and directories, get yourself a Google Business profile, put yourself on LinkedIn and set up a Facebook business page and experiment with localised online advertising.
However, when marketing your business within a magazine and in the online space, you’ll be heading more quickly on the right track to success.
Find out how to advertise with Pioneer Magazines.