Opinions
Newspaper advertising spurs reader action
As your local community newspaper, we’ve long known what a vital part we play in the lives of our readers. The Americus Times-Recorder is as much a part of your daily ritual as having that first cup of coffee, opening the mail, watering the garden or walking the dog.
And now, studies done by the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) back us up on that premise, or should we say “promise”? Because our pledge to our readers is to give you an informative, attractive, entertaining newspaper five times each week, filled with news about you, your family and friends, your community, and the world of goods and services.
But there’s more: the NAA’s studies prove that reading newspapers actually prompts reader action.
Here are a few tidbits from the studies.
Three-fourths of all U.S. adults read a newspaper in print or online in the past week. Those 170 million adults do more than read, they are actively engaged with advertising in it.
Involvement: 41 percent of U.S. adults in 2009 say newspapers are the medium used most to check out ads, more than radio TV, Internet, magazines and catalogs combined.
Choice: 82 percent of U.S. adults in 2009 took some action as a result of a print newspaper ad in the past 30 days; 61 percent clipped a coupon; 50 percent bought something advertised; 52 percent visited a store.
Attention: 82 percent of U.S. adults used a preprinted insert in the past 30 days in 2009. On average, adults keep inserts 3.8 days. Uses include 59 percent used to compare prices; 55 percent used to compare one circular to another; 52 percent saved until visiting the store; 43 percent showed it to a spouse, friend or family member; 43 percent used to make an unplanned purchase; 42 percent took it to the store with them.
But guess what? The studies show that even non-readers are affected by newspaper advertising. The studies found that of those adults who did not read a newspaper in the past week, 36 percent USED a newspaper during that same week. Usage included: 19 percent checked sales in local stores; 15 percent clipped a coupon; 14 percent checked the weather; 10 percent checked movie listings.
Some 80 percent of U.S. adults report looking at advertising when reading the paper. We have loyal readers who’ve embraced the Times-Recorder since they first learned to read as children. Some of them tell us that they read every story and ad in the newspaper, from cover to cover, every day.
The studies also show that readers followed up a newspaper ad online in some way, by visiting a site after seeing a print newspaper ad or conducting an online search after seeing a newspaper ad.
And advertising in newspapers has another edge. The studies show that 60 percent of U.S. adults prefer to receive inserts in the newspaper vs. 29 percent who prefer mail.
And the bottom line is that newspaper advertising is “a destination not a distraction.”
But that’s not news to you, our readers. You already know that or you wouldn’t be reading this, and then checking out the ads on the other pages of this newspaper.
