Earlier this year, Media24, South Africa’s leading media company, announced it would be closing several of its magazines and newspapers, while continuing the publication of two newspaper titles online only. While the demise of traditional print advertising has been predicted for years, the death of these long-running publications in the current economic climate begs the question; is print media finally a thing of the past?

While it’s true that print media advertising such as magazine ads and business flyers aren’t as popular as it was in the 1980s and 1990s, ad printing is holding steadfast with modern iterations like online banner ads and video marketing. This is because tangibility, credibility, and engagement are still relevant, and print media can offer all that and more. 

Consider the following statistics on All Business that show print marketing will stay around for years to come: 

• Consumers trust print marketing 56% more than any other advertising medium.
• Seven out of ten consumers say that they find direct mail advertising more personal than online ads.
• More than three out of four small businesses combine print and online advertising for the best return on investment and response rates.

Here are some of the key reasons why print solutions are still relevant in 2020 and why your business should still invest in a commercial printer for print marketing materials.

Print can help you build your company’s brand

Print pieces should not only generate awareness about your products and services but should also promote your brand identity. It is important to consistently use your company logo, a tagline and a colour pallet, and using a high quality colour production printer can enforce the look and feel of your brand while letting you visually and emotionally connect with clients.

Print is more credible than digital advertising

In an era of frustrating pop ups and banner ads, not to mention the risk of downloading malware when clicking on an ad, it’s no surprise that people see print ads as more trustworthy. Research shows not many people are willing to purchase online in fear of their personal details getting stolen by hackers. Because print has been around for decades, it’s still the most legitimate type of ad as it is something tangible that can be easily traced back to a company.

• READ MORE: The Benefits Of In-house Print Production Vs Outsourcing

Print lasts longer than digital ads

Digital content is usually taken down when a campaign is over. Publications, flyers, and catalogues, on the other hand, can last for months or even years after they’ve been produced. Think about the stack of magazines that may currently be sitting on the table in your reception area. All those ads can engage and attract consumers over and over again until they are recycled or moved somewhere else. This way, it offers long lasting value to your business.

Print is more engaging

With the web becoming more cluttered, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult for your ads to stand out among the noise. What’s more, people usually only scan web pages to look for content that’s meaningful to them. There’s less competition in print publications, giving your ads more space to truly break through and capture readers’ attention. There are also less distractions for readers, who tend to read printed content slower and more deliberately.  

Print can be combined with digital marketing

Of course, we’re not insinuating that you should abandon your digital marketing efforts but rather complement them with print advertising to make your campaigns more effective. One way to achieve this is to include QR codes on printed materials. Readers scan these codes with their smartphones and are then taken to your landing page or promotions page on your site. 

While digital marketing may seem like a better option at first because it reaches a wider audience and is easy to measure, print marketing is still a viable option because it is more reputable and durable with excellent visual quality. If you are considering buying a digital printing machine to produce your own marketing materials, remember these benefits of print advertising before making a decision.