Print advertising has long been a standard practice for businesses looking to get more exposure and find new customers, but with the advent of the Internet as well as radio and television advertising, print advertising sales have fluctuated greatly. Businesses still often advertise in print outlets such as newspapers, magazines, brochures, pamphlets, and posters, but print advertising sales can be affected not only by other available media, but also by current trends in society and the specific readership of a particular print media outlet.
Newspaper ads tend to be fairly simple and straightforward, which means they are often one of the least expensive ways to advertise. A business looking to save money may choose to advertise with a newspaper, thereby boosting print advertising sales for that paper. The downside to such advertising, however, is the quality of newsprint and the lack of color in many ads. Newsprint tends to be fairly low quality in terms of presentation, and other print outlets tend to have higher-quality options, so print advertising sales in newspapers can be affected by potential customers advertising in magazines with glossy color pages.
Of course, both types of print advertising sales can be affected by flashier advertising, such as Internet, radio, or television advertising. Internet advertising has opened up new possibilities for businesses to create attractive and sometimes interactive ads to reach new customers, and the price of Internet advertising is very competitive with other types of ads. Such advertising can be unfocused, however, and unless the business has a website, the advertising may not be beneficial. Businesses without websites or Internet appeal may choose to stick with print advertising over other types of media advertising, particularly Internet advertising.
Sometimes the most appropriate advertising outlet is print media, especially at the local level. Local newspapers and magazines may have an easier time boosting print advertising sales, since these publications are likely to cater to the target audience the business is trying to reach. The business can therefore advertise at a low rate while reaching the target market; the owner will spend less while boosting sales more since the print advertising is more focused and targeted. National publications may not have this advantage; larger companies may choose to advertise with national publications, though better options for advertising may exist for larger companies. Television advertising, for example, will reach more of the target audience at more regular intervals.