Though it seems that nearly every business has crossed over to digital advertising forever in our very digital world, it may not be time to throw out the idea of print ads just yet. For starters, however surprising it may be, there are still quite a few people in this world who don't browse the internet daily. Possibly more shocking, there are individuals in your demographic that don't make purchase decisions online.
If you're anything like us and browse the internet several times a day, then you know the refined art of ignoring all digital ads and focusing in on the content you really want. This exactly is an argument for why print advertising has a more lasting impression on consumers. We rarely give digital content our full attention in general, always multitasking while mindlessly scrolling. Print, on the other hand, takes much more active reading and thinking. While digital ads are scanned quickly, print-reading is slower and more deliberate, leading to greater rates of comprehension and recall.
Though print circulations are down, print-readers are now culled to the most engaged, arguably making print advertising more effective than ever before. Additionally, print advertising has been around for a LONG time. It is trusted and well-respected (after all, there are no pop-ups in print). It has a longer shelf life, which gives time for many impressions on a single ad.
What the Studies Show
Considering how humans process information (and how we browse the internet), it is no argument that people process print content with greater engagement and focus with a deeper emotional response. A Penn State study confirmed that 79% of consumers act on print advertising compared to only 45% that act on digital advertising.
A USPS study found that subjects spent longer viewing print media, which led to a desire for the product advertised. In fact, subjects attached high subconscious values to products. Additionally, subjects were better able to recall and remember print ads more effectively than digital ads a week later.
Integrate Your Marketing
Now don't go off deleting all of your business social media pages or stop boosting ads on Facebook. They're definitely effective and have their own list of pros over print advertisements. However, it is important to consider integrating your marketing. Together, print and digital ads are far more effective. It's been found that print ads referring to online content make online ads up to four times more effective.
At the end of the day, your customers are everywhere and effective marketing reaches them everywhere. Falling short? Don't worry. Usable Creative is here like marketing super heroes, ready to fill in those gaps for you. Give us call or a start a conversation today.