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What Are the Advantages of Magazine Advertising?

Jeremy Laukkonen
Jeremy Laukkonen

The advantages of magazine advertising can be broken down into categories such as audience targeting and longevity of the ad. Since magazines tend to have very specific audiences that read them, it is much easier to concentrate on a particular market segment with these publications than with newspapers or other print media. It is possible to find magazines that cater to specific age and income demographics in addition to various niche interests. These advertisements tend to last longer than newspaper ads as well, since people often keep magazines for weeks or months instead of days. Other advantages of magazine advertising include the fact that the physical quality of the ads also tends to be higher than can be found in other print media.

Audience targeting is one of the main advantages of magazine advertising because certain groups of people are often more likely than others to be interested in a particular good or service. If this target audience is known, magazine advertising can provide the best way to reach them. Each magazine has a particular demographic and interest that it serves, so it is often possible to find a publication that has a readership which closely matches the potential customers of any given business. This type of targeted marketing can result in a much higher return on investment than other forms of advertising.

Since magazines are aimed at specific audiences, businesses that advertise in them can target a particular customer base.
Since magazines are aimed at specific audiences, businesses that advertise in them can target a particular customer base.

Due to the fact that many magazines are read by niche enthusiasts, there is often a high level of reader involvement. Readers may be inclined to support the magazine by patronizing sponsors, especially if the advertisements are relevant to the subject matter. Since the reader is likely to be highly engaged with the subject matter, relevant ads are also much more likely to be of interest.

Magazine advertisements tend to have a much longer shelf live than other print ads.
Magazine advertisements tend to have a much longer shelf live than other print ads.

Magazine advertisements also tend to have a much longer shelf live than other print ads. Newspapers are often recycled on a daily basis, while people often hold on to magazines for weeks or months. The chances of any given ad being seen and remembered can rise because a person spends more time reading through a magazine. It is also possible for magazines to be shared between friends or colleagues if they contain interesting articles, which can further increase the viability of an ad.

Advertisements found in magazines can often be bolder and flashy than in other publications.
Advertisements found in magazines can often be bolder and flashy than in other publications.

Another one of the advantages of magazine advertising is the physical quality of the ads. The paper and ink quality found in magazines is typically very high when compared to other print media, such as newspapers. Magazine ads are often full color, which can improve the aesthetic qualities of an advertisement and even place a product or service in a better light.

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Discussion Comments

OeKc05

My mother and I both subscribe to several magazines, and we sometimes keep them for years. We will read back through old ones, so we view the ads more than once before getting rid of the magazines.

Instead of throwing them away, we take them to our library. The library then sells them for a dime each, so other people get to see the same ads. It is likely that they will bring them back to the library when they are done reading them, so an ad in one magazine could be viewed by dozens of people in its lifetime.

The ads I notice most are ones for makeup. Since makeup brands and products tend to be sold for several years before being discontinued, I might see an old ad and decide to go buy the product. So, magazine ads that are not time sensitive can generate long-term revenue for a company.

lighth0se33

Having a very attractive ad is a huge benefit of magazine advertising. I have worked as a designer at a newspaper for years, and I can tell you that the print quality of our ads is very poor compared to that of magazine ads.

With newspapers, you never know how your ad will look from one day to the next. If the registration gets off just a hair, you could have a blurry ad or the colors could be way off. This wouldn't happen with a magazine.

I often find myself thumbing through the ads in magazines, wishing that I worked there. It would be nice to see my work look as good in print as it does on screen, and it would make for a much more impressive portfolio piece.

shell4life

@seag47 – Even though I'm not wealthy, I do enjoy reading magazines about life on the coast. A subscription to such a magazine costs a bundle, and as you would imagine, the ads contained within it are generally for expensive items or vacations that most regular folks could not afford.

The advertisers are smart to run their ads here. They know that putting them anywhere else could be a waste of money, because only a select few can afford the items they are marketing, and these are very likely to be readers of the magazine.

Just out of curiosity, I did call one of the numbers in an ad featuring a luxurious vacation package. It cost more than I make in three months, so these readers are definitely a good target market.

seag47

I read a lot of cooking and home improvement magazines, and I have noticed that the advertisements are geared toward homemakers. I always see several recognizable brands of soup bases, cake mixes, and other items that could be used as ingredients in the recipes featured in that very issue.

I also see ads for paint companies mixed in with the articles on choosing the perfect color for your room. It is very smart ad placement, and I'm sure that it gets results.

Some magazines even include coupons within ads. I am so used to getting coupons from the newspaper instead that I was surprised to learn that magazines often contain them, too.

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    • Since magazines are aimed at specific audiences, businesses that advertise in them can target a particular customer base.
      By: svort
      Since magazines are aimed at specific audiences, businesses that advertise in them can target a particular customer base.
    • Magazine advertisements tend to have a much longer shelf live than other print ads.
      By: aeroking
      Magazine advertisements tend to have a much longer shelf live than other print ads.
    • Advertisements found in magazines can often be bolder and flashy than in other publications.
      By: maska82
      Advertisements found in magazines can often be bolder and flashy than in other publications.
    • Magazine advertisements can focus on specific target demographics.
      By: David Davis
      Magazine advertisements can focus on specific target demographics.
    • Magazine advertising may be more effective than newspaper advertising.
      By: Kurhan
      Magazine advertising may be more effective than newspaper advertising.
    • There is often a high level of reader involvement for magazines.
      By: Rido
      There is often a high level of reader involvement for magazines.