Advertising is essential for growing your business—but digital channels aren’t your only option. Whether you’re an early-stage start-up nurturing your target audience or a legacy brand connecting with a new generation, print advertisements offer something digital can’t: physical presence that builds credibility and reaches audiences where they live, work, and commute.
Print ads appear in magazines and newspapers, on billboards, in direct mail, and on posters—each format with unique strengths for reaching specific audiences. Social media and search advertising may seem like an obvious place to start, but expanding into print can help you reach new customers and establish brand trust in ways digital advertising can’t replicate. Learn more about different types of print ads and how to design compelling print ad content.
What are print advertisements?
Print advertisements are pieces of promotional content displayed in a physical format. While digital advertisements appear on social media and websites, print ads appear in traditional print media, such as magazines and newspapers, as well as on posters, direct mailers, billboards, and in-store displays.
Compared to digital advertising, print advertising has limited tracking and attribution. With analytics platforms and UTM codes, businesses can discover the exact number of users who saw and engaged with digital ad content—but there’s no equivalent for measuring precise billboard or newspaper ad views.
Strategic placement, however, gives you targeting power. While digital marketers use audience segmentation and user demographics to target specific consumers, print advertisers use strategic ad placements to reach niche or local audiences. Advertising in special-interest magazines, for example, offers an opportunity to target niche markets based on subscriber interests. Local newspapers and strategically located billboards can connect with consumers in a specific geographic area.
Types of print advertisements
Just like in digital advertising, different print ad placements have unique strengths and design requirements. Choosing the right type of print ad depends on your audience, budget, and message complexity:
Newspaper advertisements
Businesses can place print ads in national or local newspapers—the best choice depends on your target audience. Newspapers typically offer single daily placements and recurring options. Advertisers can also select ad size and choose between black and white or color—all of these choices affect the price.
Understanding ad size is essential for effective newspaper ad design, and you’ll need to confirm dimensions with each paper you work with. Newspaper columns aren’t standardized—submitting to multiple publications means resizing your creative for each one.
Magazine advertisements
Magazine advertising offers businesses slightly more control over display context. Advertisers work with ad reps to determine the final layout and can choose magazines with a tone and focus that complements their message. If a business places an ad in Wood Magazine, for example, they can work with ad reps to ensure that nearby content will be relevant to woodworkers and craftsmen.
Magazine advertisements have a glossy, high-quality finish. These publications typically offer full-page, half-page, and quarter-page ad placements. Some magazines may also offer insert or leaflet options.
Posters
Poster advertisements are often displayed in public spaces, such as transportation centers and sports stadiums. These designs often use bright colors and large fonts to capture attention in a busy setting. This approach creates a unique opportunity—businesses know exactly where consumers will be when they view the advertisement. Adjusting ad creative to complement the surroundings can help brands align ad content with consumer interests. A boxed water company, for example, might use photographs of athletes drinking their product for advertisements at a sports center.
Direct mail
Direct mail advertising involves reaching out to customers via snail mail. This approach encourages engagement by providing customers with a physical copy of promotional content. Popular direct mail content includes postcards, flyers, letters, and catalogs. They often feature coupons and use QR codes or unique discount codes to track performance.
Billboards
Billboards are an example of both print advertising and outdoor advertising. These massive ads can be displayed on roadsides or rooftops and offer a high degree of visibility. Billboards are often read in passing as consumers walk or drive by. Using concise copy and bold imagery can increase retention in this setting.
Best practices for print advertisements
Print advertising design covers everything from giant billboards to itty-bitty classified ads. The best design depends on where your ad appears and who sees it. These are some of the best practices to guide your print advertising creation efforts:
Consider the context
Think about where your print ad will be displayed and who will see it. Display format and context can both help inform design. Look for ways to design for your specific print medium to create eye-catching ads. A full-page magazine advertisement, for example, could choose to place an illustrated figure close to the edge of the design, so that it appears to be turning the page.
Designing for context involves thinking about viewer interests and how to connect with them. Consider what your chosen print location reveals about your audience. A poster at a train station, for example, might be seen by travellers or commuters. Brainstorm ways to tailor your message to connect with these consumers.
Use visual hierarchy
Visual hierarchy is a graphic design principle—the practice of using text size, prominence, and arrangement to convey importance and guide the reading experience. In advertising design, this often means a large, bold headline captures attention while smaller text supplies details. Your viewer’s eye follows the path you create through size, color, and placement.
Keep it short
Concise copy can pack a punch. Focus on short taglines and phrases instead of complete sentences or paragraphs. This will help make ad content skimmable—essential for printed pieces like billboards or posters that may be viewed only for a few seconds. Communicate one clear message. Leave your audience with a single takeaway they’ll remember.
Print advertisements FAQ
What is a print advertisement?
A print advertisement is a piece of promotional material displayed in a printed media format. Newspapers and magazines both publish print advertisements. Posters, direct mail campaigns, and billboards also qualify as print advertisements.
Does print advertising still work?
Yes. Print advertising can reach a wide audience and help create lasting impressions. For some audiences, printed advertisements may stand out more and feel more trustworthy than digital alternatives.
What are the pros and cons of print advertising?
Printed advertising has several advantages, including increased control over display context and baked-in credibility. Drawbacks include high distribution cost, limited tracking and attribution, and slow turnaround times.
