What is a magazine advertisement?

Magazine advertising continues to be an effective form of communicating to targeted audiences. 

Even in the digital age, magazine advertising has not gone out of style.

Magazine advertisements refers to print ads that often run in local or national magazines. Think of all the pretty faces and new products you see in Vogue, Glamour, and Men’s Health.

While many argue that conventional methods of marketing are slowly becoming obsolete, print ads remain a mainstay in the advertising budgets of many companies. According to one survey, readers only glance through a website for about 15 seconds to two minutes. If your ad is placed at the end of a webpage, or in the corner, there is a good chance that readers will ignore it, which means very little return on digital ad investment. On the other hand, magazines are a great way to market services and products because not only do they have an effective ROI, they also have the following benefits:

5 Benefits of Magazine Advertising for Businesses

#1. Targeted Reach
Different magazines appeal to different audiences. For example, teenage girls may prefer to read Teen Vogue while teenage boys may read ESPN the Magazine. People who work from home may be more interested in magazines that cover topics such as entrepreneurship or work-life balance while working professionals may rely on business and economics magazines. Through magazine advertisements, you can find the right magazine for the right audience and place your ads strategically.

#2. Real Surpasses Virtual
Many people spend a lot of time online trying to chronicle their daily lives on Twitter or post the latest selfie to Instagram. However, since most readers only scan a website for 15 seconds before moving on, the real experience of actually reading a magazine surpasses the virtual one and can create a mind share – a share in the mind of the target customers.

#3. A Longer Shelf Life
Digital advertisements come and go. Companies sometimes must keep paying to ensure their ads are well-placed on websites and repeated every day. Magazines, on the other hand, are generally issued weekly or monthly. They have a longer “shelf life,” as they sit in doctors’ waiting rooms, magazine racks, boutiques, malls, and supermarkets. A magazine left in a doctor’s office will be read by countless patients for many months, and your ad can be seen by many of them.

#4. Brand Recognition and Credibility
Many magazines are well-respected among their target audience, so, when you advertise in such a reputable magazine, people can become familiar with your company and a level of trust is elevated. This recognition is then reinforced when they meet you in person, either at your place of business or at a local trade show or charity event. This not only builds brand recognition but, in time, brand loyalty. Advertisers can greatly benefit from this credibility when their ads are viewed not as ads but as recommendations from a trusted source.

#5. Pass-on Readership
Many people pass on magazines to their friends and family members. This most likely increases the reach of your advertisement to more potential customers.

While there are plenty of benefits, certain traps exist that marketers may fall into if they aren’t aware of effective magazine advertisement practices.

Magazine ads often need to be submitted weeks or even months before the issue is scheduled to be published. Therefore, it becomes important to have an effective marketing strategy in place. Testing ads is a crucial part of that process. Marketers must ensure that the advertisements are attractive enough to get the readers’ attention. Many companies spend a fortune on hiring the right designers and advertisers for this purpose.

One trap in this process is that your ad runs the risk of being shoveled into the graveyard of ads that get placed at the end of the magazine unless you pay more for premium positioning. Ads placed on the right-hand page are more expensive than those on the left-hand page. Sometimes, marketers must pay a premium for ads on the outside edge, as opposed to the center. This is because of the way readers’ eyes scan pages. The objective is to have a reader catch a glimpse of the ad while flipping through the pages.

Now that you know the major advantages and barriers to effective advertising, always remember to inquire about the following before you purchase ad space in any magazine:

• Magazine’s distribution channels
• Magazine’s demand and subscription numbers
• Magazine publication frequency

Understanding the distribution system and the demographics of readers as well as checking whether both coincide with the target market is always a wise decision and a key factor in selecting the right magazine for you.

In the 21st century, advertising in print or in digital magazines may seem pointless. Television reaches millions more consumers. Advertising on your website costs less than on TV. And aren't magazines folding left and right?

In reality, the magazine industry, even in hard copy, is doing well. New magazines are constantly appearing, and a number of them succeed and thrive. Buying ad space may not be cheap, but it can be effective.

Cable TV has some niche channels, but magazines take specializing to the next level. Advertising in a magazine that caters to a niche audience of enthusiasts or professionals targets that audience very precisely.

Cigar Aficionado caters exclusively to cigar-smoking readers. Writer's Digest readers are interested in anything that helps their writing careers. Crossties is the bible of the railroad crosstie industry. If a magazine serves your dream demographic, it could be a match made in heaven.

That said, magazines can't target customers the way a direct mail or telemarketing campaign can. You'll pay ad rates based on total readership, even if you're only interested in some of the subscribers – the very wealthy, the very young, singles or gays, for instance. For a major magazine, that may not be worth the ad price.

The big guns of the magazine world are national: Cosmopolitan, People, Time, Reader's Digest, Seventeen. Many other magazines cover a specific region, state or city. Durham Magazine. North Dakota Business. Nevada Magazine. If you're targeting customers in a specific locale, you can advertise more cheaply in an area magazine than a national one. People are often passionate about their local magazines, so you may gain credibility by hitching your wagon to their brand.

The days when people could click on Internet advertising and not worry about viruses, phishing or other hacking attacks are long gone. This isn't an issue with print ads. Just the fact you shelled out for an ad in an established publication gives you an aura of legitimacy. If your target market is a senior demographic, even better. They're the consumers least likely to spend time online and the most comfortable with traditional media.

An ad spot runs on TV, then it's over. The same is true for radio. The daily paper gets thrown out. Magazines may sit on a coffee table for months, or in a doctor's waiting room for months' longer.

After the buyer finishes reading the magazine, family members may read it, or they may give it to a friend or they may donate it to their local library. The ability to sell can continue long after you paid for the ad.

A magazine ad gets your message in front of a self-selected, highly engaged consumer. Unlike some other media, magazines are carefully chosen by their readers (especially subscribers), so the time they spend with their favorite publications tends to be focused and enjoyable. 

Brand building

Established magazines have earned a trusted reputation and authority, and they share some of that hard-earned prestige with the advertisers who appear on their pages. Readers often assign more credibility to the magazine ads they encounter in these environments.

Ads are part of the experience

In some media, ads can be perceived as obstacles to be avoided—consumers can skip commercials, toss their mail without reading it, or use ad-blocking software. Magazine readers, on the other hand, tend to regard the advertising they see alongside the articles as part of the content.

High-quality production

Magazine publishers spend a lot of effort making sure their magazines look beautiful when they are printed. Special attention is paid to assure consistently clear, crisp images and balanced colors throughout the issue—and that includes the pages with ads. 

Lots of impressions

A magazine delivered to a household (or doctor’s office, or hair salon) is typically viewed by several people. That’s why magazines report a “readership” number as well as a circulation one. And each one of those people is likely to see your ad more than once over weeks or even months as they pick the issue up to finish an article or reread a favorite.

Reaching a reader genuinely interested in a particular category or segment can never be more effective than a magazine that’s consumed by the audience when and where they choose. Effective engagement is paramount and magazines deliver this to your customer!

There has been many people in the media talking of the demise of magazine advertising and it has had a correction in the market, but the key fundamentals remain the same – and magazines readership is STRONG! In the right title that compliments your brand there is no medium like it and people still love reading magazines in a time that suits them without all the other media clutter!

We first assess the magazines deemed as suitable for your brand and then refine this list to a recommendation based on your specific objectives and budgetary requirements.

We’re able to deliver market leading magazine media buying discounts due to our longstanding relationships with publishers and extensive knowledge of the magazine market. Our focus is on ensuring that the right magazine opportunities are chosen to get you the best possible return on your advertising expenditure!​

Our creative team can assist with the design of your magazine advertisement and distribution to the publication. We understand the essential balance between aesthetics and copy that sells!

Bauer Managing Director reported that they sell 6 magazines a second 24/7 with 85% of those on the news stand!

Why Advertise In Magazines

• Magazines are a self-paced medium, meaning advertisers can provide detailed information about a product
• You can target particular traits and demographics that are relevant to your brand
• Readers are more receptive to your ads due to their desire to learn about or enjoy a particular topic the magazine focuses on
• High longevity and readership across multiple titles (particularly monthly titles)
• Cross platform offerings are available to maximise your exposure (e.g. apps, online sites and social media integration)
  
• Magazine advertisements are often viewed by readers as a source of information
  

To find out how our magazine media planning and buying services can help your business, please contact one of our account managers on 1300 800 811.

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