Because neuroscience has shown that print advertising makes a better impression on us than digital advertising, that’s why!
A recent webinar for the WTWH Media website confirmed that numerous studies have concluded that at a brain-chemistry level people process print content with greater engagement and focus than they do content viewed on a screen.
There are several reasons for this:
• Performance – print advertising, especially in the form of magazine ads, is recognised as an excellent way of producing results. In most criteria, it does at least as well as television and internet advertising and outperforms both in maximising return for investment.
• Permanence – television and internet ads are there and gone in an instant. Print advertising, however, is there every time someone looks at the page it is on. Magazines typically get passed around family, friends and work colleagues meaning that each time a print advert will be seen by somebody new.
• Credibility – a print publication that appears regularly with quality content builds a reputation as a credible, reliable source. As such, any advertisements that appear in the publication automatically have this credibility attributed to them by the reader.
• Engagement – watching television or listening to the radio are passive activities. Advertising may attract attention but may provoke negative reactions. How often do people put the kettle on during the ad breaks! If someone decides to read a magazine, however, this is a positive choice on their part. They have made a conscious choice to look at and engage with the articles and adverts in the publication.
I am not saying that small businesses should devote their advertising budget exclusively to print media, but it should still form an extremely important part of your planning.
