Print Ad Buying and Placement Key Terms

Learn the lingo for print advertising success

An effective print advertising campaign can be both a significant investment and an effective tool in bringing in new business and solidifying your brand in the marketplace. For a small business, print advertising may seem like a daunting task. Careful planning is required for a higher likelihood of success in meeting your key goals.

Before you run to the local newspaper office or regional magazine ad rep, gain knowledge about the lingo of print advertising. Consider these key terms.

Exposure

Every time your ad has the opportunity to be seen is counted as one exposure. In theory, high exposure yields higher results but also usually higher ad rates.

Cost per thousand

Cost per thousand refers to the calculation used in evaluating the cost efficiency of the ads. In general, you divide the cost of advertising by circulation numbers.

Market share

When considering which print advertising venue to use, you'll want to consider its market share. This refers to the newspaper or magazine's sales divided by the total number of sales generated as an industry. The larger the market share, the higher the number of people with the potential to see your ads.

Market segmentation

It's important to pinpoint your target audience, and market segmentation is a key related objective. Market segmentation refers to narrowing your advertising and marketing focus to hit a niche group of consumers that are likely to be interested in your products or services. Market segmentation can help you match your print ad buys to your best audience.

Readership

Readership refers to the estimated number of people who actually read the newspaper or magazine. This number is usually higher than a circulation number because of pass-along readership such as when more than one person in a family reads the newspaper or when an office shares a subscription.

Return on investment

Many businesses think of spending money on advertising as a business investment. Therefore, many want to see a return on that investment or ROI. By tracking ad response, including the number of inquiries and the extra sales generated, you can come up with a percentage.

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