for many online searches. A Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) study done in March, 2007 found that magazine ads prompt nearly 50% of consumers to seek product information online, and over 40% of newspaper ads and print articles do the same.

Add to that study the results of another conducted in early 2007 by Park Associates in Dallas: nearly one-third of U.S. households do not have the Internet and do not plan to get it anytime soon. Clearly, with this large number of potentia

When discussing the impending demise of print advertising, it is the big players - newspapers, magazines and Yellow Pages – that first come to mind. And the reality is that all three have taken some hits as the Internet has grown in popularity:

Newspapers have fared the worst.

They have witnessed steady declines in readership, leading to diminished ad revenue. Large newspapers have beefed up their online advertising efforts, but the gains there do not come close to outweighing the losses in print ad revenue. Magazines have also seen decreased revenue. Year over year increases in ad revenue dropped from 11.1% in 2004, to 7.2% in 2005, and then to 3.8% in 2006.

Although online Yellow Pages directories are seeing more growth than their printed counterparts, the paper Yellow Pages directory is still in use – nearly three-quarters of consumers consult one of those big yellow books every month.

Why is Print Advertising Falling Behind?
There are two main reasons – cost and reporting options. Traditional print advertising tends to be more expensive than online advertising. And print advertising cannot be tracked as effectively as online. An advertiser has no way of knowing how many people really saw an ad in a newspaper, magazine or Yellow Pages directory. With online, advertisers can analyze click through rates and Web site traffic, getting a clearer picture of what is and is not working.

So, Print is Dead?

No. Print advertising still has value. In fact, most marketers would tell you that print and online complement each other and can work very effectively together. An interesting study shows exactly how this can happen.

We've probably all read statistics that show how many people research products and services online before buying – 92% of consumers, according to the latest reports. But what gets them interested in searching for a product to begin with? Surprisingly, ads in magazines and newspapers are the launching point for many online searches. A Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) study done in March, 2007 found that magazine ads prompt nearly 50% of consumers to seek product information online, and over 40% of newspaper ads and print articles do the same.

Add to that study the results of another conducted in early 2007 by Park Associates in Dallas: nearly one-third of U.S. households do not have the Internet and do not plan to get it anytime soon. Clearly, with this large number of potential

the losses in print ad revenue. Magazines have also seen decreased revenue. Year over year increases in ad revenue dropped from 11.1% in 2004, to 7.2% in 2005, and then to 3.8% in 2006.

Although online Yellow Pages directories are seeing more growth than their printed counterparts, the paper Yellow Pages directory is still in use – nearly three-quarters of consumers consult one of those big yellow books every month.

Why is Print Advertising Falling Behind?
There are two main reasons – cost and reporting options. Traditional print advertising tends to be more expensive than online advertising. And print advertising cannot be tracked as effectively as online. An advertiser has no way of knowing how many people really saw an ad in a newspaper, magazine or Yellow Pages directory. With online, advertisers can analyze click through rates and Web site traffic, getting a clearer picture of what is and is not working.

So, Print is Dead?

No. Print advertising still has value. In fact, most marketers would tell you that print and online complement each other and can work very effectively together. An interesting study shows exactly how this can happen.

We've probably all read statistics that show how many people research products and services online before buying – 92% of consumers, according to the latest reports. But what gets them interested in searching for a product to begin with? Surprisingly, ads in magazines and newspapers are the launching point for many online searches. A Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) study done in March, 2007 found that magazine ads prompt nearly 50% of consumers to seek product information online, and over 40% of newspaper ads and print articles do the same.

Add to that study the results of another conducted in early 2007 by Park Associates in Dallas: nearly one-third of U.S. households do not have the Internet and do not plan to get it anytime soon. Clearly, with this large number of potentia

ns – cost and reporting options. Traditional print advertising tends to be more expensive than online advertising. And print advertising cannot be tracked as effectively as online. An advertiser has no way of knowing how many people really saw an ad in a newspaper, magazine or Yellow Pages directory. With online, advertisers can analyze click through rates and Web site traffic, getting a clearer picture of what is and is not working.

So, Print is Dead?

No. Print advertising still has value. In fact, most marketers would tell you that print and online complement each other and can work very effectively together. An interesting study shows exactly how this can happen.

We've probably all read statistics that show how many people research products and services online before buying – 92% of consumers, according to the latest reports. But what gets them interested in searching for a product to begin with? Surprisingly, ads in magazines and newspapers are the launching point for many online searches. A Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) study done in March, 2007 found that magazine ads prompt nearly 50% of consumers to seek product information online, and over 40% of newspaper ads and print articles do the same.

Add to that study the results of another conducted in early 2007 by Park Associates in Dallas: nearly one-third of U.S. households do not have the Internet and do not plan to get it anytime soon. Clearly, with this large number of potentia

has value. In fact, most marketers would tell you that print and online complement each other and can work very effectively together. An interesting study shows exactly how this can happen.

We've probably all read statistics that show how many people research products and services online before buying – 92% of consumers, according to the latest reports. But what gets them interested in searching for a product to begin with? Surprisingly, ads in magazines and newspapers are the launching point for many online searches. A Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) study done in March, 2007 found that magazine ads prompt nearly 50% of consumers to seek product information online, and over 40% of newspaper ads and print articles do the same.

Add to that study the results of another conducted in early 2007 by Park Associates in Dallas: nearly one-third of U.S. households do not have the Internet and do not plan to get it anytime soon. Clearly, with this large number of potentia

for many online searches. A Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) study done in March, 2007 found that magazine ads prompt nearly 50% of consumers to seek product information online, and over 40% of newspaper ads and print articles do the same.

Add to that study the results of another conducted in early 2007 by Park Associates in Dallas: nearly one-third of U.S. households do not have the Internet and do not plan to get it anytime soon. Clearly, with this large number of potential customers offline, print advertising still has value.

The Bottom Line

The print yellow pages product still works. The return on investment is no longer as high as it once was but it still has its place in advertising. You need to be in the print yellow pages to make sure your current clients can find you or else they will call your competitor.

Diversity is good. To reach all of your prospective customers, you should plan an advertising campaign that takes advantage of both online and print media. The industry you operate in will dictate what portion of your advertising budget goes where. Consider retail, where print advertising can bring really strong ROI, versus IT services, which might be better off with a stronger online component.

As the studies cited here show, no matter what your business sells, you must consider all of your advertising options, in all media, to extend your reach as far as you can.