Last updated on April 18, 2023

While digital advertising has been on the rise for the past decade, print advertising still remains relevant and effective in the marketing world. In fact, print advertising has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, with businesses realizing the power of targeted and high-quality print ads.

I dug into the latest print advertising statistics and grouped them into 4 digestible categories to provide a comprehensive overview for businesses on the state of print advertising.

Here are 26 print advertising statistics that every business should be aware about.

Print Advertising and Consumer Behavior

These print marketing statistics show that print advertising has a significant impact on consumer behavior. Additionally, print media remains popular among consumers, especially those who are concerned about the impact of electronic devices on their health and the overwhelming amount of information available online.

1. For nonprofits, print ads generate about 78% of donations.
2. 70% of households earning more than $100,000 read newspapers.
3. When making a purchase decision, 8 out of 10 consumers trust print ads the most.
4. About 80% of consumers take action on direct mail advertisements, compared to just 45% for digital ads.
5. 81% of monthly newspaper readers still read the print edition and 51% do not read any other news source.
6. Almost all people (95%) under age 25 read magazines.
7. One in ten people surveyed believe they spend too much time on electronic devices.
8. One-third of people feel that the amount of information available online today is overwhelming.
9. 46% of adults are worried about the impact their cell phone use may have on health.
10. Over half of the consumers say they like to read print media more than digital.
11. More than 60% of adults aged 35 or older read a newspaper.
12. Print ads generate a 27% increase in visits to advertisers’ websites, up from 12% in 2009.
13. Newspapers and magazines still have the highest popularity rating among consumers, at 63%, while digital media trails far behind with only 25% of readership.

Print Advertising & Email Marketing Work Well Together

These print advertising statistics highlight the importance of integrating print advertising with email marketing.

1. When print advertisements are used together with email marketing, businesses average a 49% increase in sales and a 125% increase in inquiries.
2. 90% of print ads are opened while only 20-30% of emails get opened.
3. Print advertising offers a staggering 112% return on investment in terms of response rates from consumers.
4. When businesses use personalization to tailor their print advertising messages for each recipient, they see a 135% increase in the response rates.

Print Advertising vs Digital Advertising

These statistics highlight the advantages of print advertising over digital.

1. Print advertisements require 21% less mental effort to understand vs digital ads.
2. More than three-quarters of people aged 25–40 use ad blockers as they are sick of being bombarded with ads on digital sites.
3. Print ads are 20% more effective than digital ads at motivating people to take action, even more so if it appeals to more senses beyond touch.

Print Advertising is Still Relevant (Though Declining)

These statistics show that print advertising is still relevant and effective. Despite the decline in newspaper ad spending, print readers still engage with print ads and find them valuable. Print advertisements have a longer lifespan and offer a more personalized experience for consumers.

1. Print readers usually spend 20 minutes or more with their publication in hand, while a typical visitor to a digital news site sticks around for 1/4th that time (less than 5 minutes).
2. Three quarters of consumers said they feel special when receiving print advertisements.
3. Almost 9 out of 10 people spend time looking through the print ads they receive.
4. Sales of printed magazines are less than half what they were 7 years ago.
5. Since 2007, newspaper ad spending has declined worldwide—from 113 billion dollars down to 26.6 billion by 2024.
6. About 40 percent of people throw away print advertisements.

The Future Is Print + Digital Advertising

Despite the decline in market share over the past decade, print advertising is becoming a viable option again. The shift in consumer behavior towards print media, the preference for printed material over digital, and the feeling of being overwhelmed with information online have all contributed to this resurgence.

It’s also worth noting that print advertising can be integrated with email marketing to create a powerful marketing strategy. The synergy between print and digital marketing can yield impressive results, including increased sales and inquiries.

By leveraging the advantages of print advertising and integrating it with digital marketing, businesses have the opportunity to reach their target audience in a meaningful way and drive consumer behavior.

Sources

1. Statista
2. USPS Delivers
3. NerdWallet
4. Marketing Charts
5. Harvard Business Review
6. Forbes