Why Print Advertising is Dying

The Perils of Print Advertising: Why Digital Marketing is Becoming the Choice for Companies

In our increasingly digital age, it’s no surprise that print advertising is on the decline. More and more consumers choose to read news and explore special interest articles on their digital devices rather than read a print publication. The result is a staggering decrease in print advertising revenue, raising concerns across the industry and signalling a shift towards a focus on digital advertising.

For the last 15 years, the circulation of print newspapers has been dropping steadily. This is not breaking news, but rather a shift in the way that society now chooses to connect with information, prompted by the rise of digital media. Between 2000 and 2015, print newspaper advertising revenue fell from about $60 billion to about $20 billion, wiping out the gains of the previous 50 years. In November of 2016, the New York Times announced that print ad revenue fell 19% for the quarter. Nine hours later, Facebook announced that its digital advertising revenue rose 59%. This stark comparison marks an important evolution in the way that consumers engage with content, and to ignore these facts hinders a business’s ability to reach its target market.

While the oil and gas industry still uses some print publications for marketing, the effectiveness of these is dropping rapidly. Just check out any print magazine and count the number of ads in it. Most of the ads are self serving to the publication itself. Even the size of most print publications is substantially smaller than they used to be, both in content and in ads. Digital-only news sites, magazines and special interest news distribution sites focused on the energy industry attract audiences far larger than any print publication, making digital media the ideal avenue for marketing. The mobile ad market provides businesses with streamlined tools to create effective advertising campaigns to a focused target market. Digital ads also allow companies to make adjustments to their ads “on the fly” whereas prints ads cannot be changed or more importantly, be measured.

It should be noted that while research all indicates that print advertising is becoming obsolete, consider your target audience. Depending on demographics some psychographics and geographic locations have limited access to the Internet. Similarly, some may not be familiar with how to access or conduct themselves properly in the digital sphere, making it a risky decision to transition completely from print to digital. Also, think about the importance of specific print advertising that you deal with on an almost every day basis. Business cards, for example. Would you get rid of all business cards just because trends suggest that print is outdated, and because people can now contact you through a variety of digital methods? While trends suggest print is becoming less utilized by advertisers (and it is), smart advertisers recognize the role it may yet still have to play, and have not completely given up.

With that being said, the value of actively advertising in the digital domain cannot be overstated. When determining how to break into the world of digital advertising, a great place to start is by boosting your business’s online posts so they appear in front of a larger audience, targeting specific population demographics using metrics that apply to your target audience. Crafting a strong, strategic marketing plan that includes digital advertising is one of the most effective ways to raise brand awareness, generate leads and gain new customers. In a crowded digital marketplace, the more noise you make to disrupt the clutter, the better.

About WJ – William Joseph Communications

A recognized leader in the marketing industry, William Joseph is a full-service agency that empowers businesses of all sizes to change the world and achieve bold performance targets. Our commitment to founding all of our solutions on strategy ensures clients connect with their ideal target audience and compels them to act. With years of direct experience empowering organizations in the energy sector, William Joseph knows that marketing in the oil and gas industry is not optional, but necessary.

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