The pandemic has had an impact on every other corner of our lives but as marketing professionals, we must ask ourselves, did it completely kill print media? As digital marketing is taking the world by storm, some would assume that print media has gone extinct. We are here to tell you, that it has not.
Why Print Media Is Still Relevant?
There are many businesses that question the viability of print media when many newspapers and magazines are transitioning online and social media is taking over. But, print media is not dying, it is merely evolving.
Print media is still making its way into our lives whether we want to believe it or not. If you have ever seen a billboard or poster driving to the grocery store, or accepted an informational brochure about your dream vacation, then you have exposed yourself to print media. It is still everywhere.
The Effects of the Pandemic
It is well known that print media has been on the decline for years now. The industry itself is changing and COVID-19 exemplified that change. Even though change is not a bad thing, we are finding that there are many consumers out there that prefer to consume information through physical print.
Consumers to this day find print ads to be more trustworthy. According to a consumer survey, 42% percent said that print advertising was either somewhat or very trustworthy. In comparison, only 29% answered the same for search engine advertising and a meager 18% trusted internet websites. This showcases how consumers’ trust still leans towards the print media. They tend to become wary of online advertising (especially if they are not familiar with the brand) and this is made obvious by how many people utilize ad-blocking software.
Especially with the rise of the pandemic, we can see how consumers began relying on print media. Believe it or not, during quarantine more people began reading again. Reading regained traction and this can be seen by the dramatic increase in print and digital subscriptions.
As the media is evolving, we are seeing the print media industry evolve as well. Studies have shown that when print media is used heavily in omnichannel mixes. The collaboration of omnichannel mixes shows that print is actually boosting digital channels to help them score impressively high audience engagement and brand awareness. In all actuality, digital media needs print media to exist.
Even with the hit of COVID-19 and the decline of the print industry, print media is still a very lucrative business. In the United States, the total ad spend surpasses $60 billion in 2020.
Ending Note
When questioning if traditional print media is dead in the marketing industry, it would be a resounding NO. There are still plenty of ways to reach your target audience through traditional print. Overall, print is trustworthy, a brand booster, a breath of fresh air, and evolving with the times.
