How to Choose the Right Magazine Publisher for Your Print Media Advertising

• Sean Press
• 140

• magazine publisher
• print media advertising

When it comes to magazine advertising most people see magazines as one marketing platform which would be correct, however, not all magazines are created equally nor do they have the same targeting objectives. Mainstream or mass magazines and custom magazines for people in the know are seen as very different products with very unique USPs.

As custom magazine and media specialists, Contact Media produces content and magazines built from the ground up where the reader or community is considered deeply prior to launching a publication into the market.

That said, there are numerous products or platforms available for brands to consider when deciding which magazine publisher or publication is best for your print media advertising needs as there are many factors that can determine the success or failure of your communication efforts.

Who Are You Targeting?

When first delving in print media advertising, an important aspect to get down to right from the start is your target market. Ensuring the groups of people you’d most like to target are accurately represented in the selection of magazines you may choose is imperative. Otherwise, a perfectly good campaign could be rendered ineffective by showing it to the wrong audience.

What's Your Objective ?

What’s the objective of the campaign that you’ll be running? It’s very important to be as clear and precise as possible as this is ultimately what the campaign’s success or failure is going to be measured against; and, can or does the print publication you are considering deliver against that objective?

Personally, I feel that this is also the time to identify if the objective is realistic? I say this as unrealistic objectives are often the death of great campaigns.

What’s Your Budget?

At this point in your decision-making process, you should have an idea of what you’d like to spend in terms of your advertising budget with your magazine publisher of choice. Knowing how much you have available to spend will help you refine your print media advertising decision while also determining if it’s a fair investment in order to achieve your objectives.

What Does The Editorial Plan Look Like?

Another key point to consider when choosing the right magazine is to understand the editorial pillars or make-up of that publication as well as the quality of the content that will be published.
This is especially important in custom publishing, where publications are created with highly specified audiences in mind and the readers therefore expect a high quality of content relevant to them.

Do They Have Experience and Credibility?

Choosing a magazine publisher with a great team on board can also be a tough, but all the while rewarding, decision in the long run. This experience and credibility in the industry is the most telling piece of information to look out for when on the hunt for that perfect partner to accelerate your print media advertising.

The Contact Media team is a fine-tuned collective based upon 90 years of combined experience in custom publishing across various market segments and sectors. Our experience in diverse markets is an asset that we are constantly working on to develop.

Can They Grow With You?

A magazine publisher should be able to grow and adapt to the needs of their clients and readers as they themselves grow and adapt to their ever-changing industries. Aligning your business with a publisher or magazine that not only meets the needs of the present, but those of your future, is a smart move in ensuring the consistent quality of flow of your communications. By working with the right publisher you have the benefit of working with a growing platform that enjoys feedback and engagement from a loyal community of consumers.

The Devil Is in the Detail

In any effective campaign or project there’s always a central theme or concept running through it and tying it together to a bigger, more meaningful picture or objective. We like to call this the Golden Thread and it’s critical that you choose a magazine partner that understands how to implement your strategy within its platform.

This is something that Contact Media excels in, we thrive when it comes to working with the little details that win battles. The little added extras can add layers of depth to your project or campaign. This helps to tell a story and through storytelling we are able to market effectively to your existing and prospective clients.

Conclusion

Magazines, specifically in the custom media space, can potentially offer clients a great return on investment as well as the opportunity to build longstanding relationships with that magazine’s community and consumers.

By utilising custom published magazines for print media advertising, brands can deliver focused messages at relevant times with engaged consumers while also enjoying the benefit of custom titles traditionally having a longer shelf life, especially those in the high-end market due to the quality of paper used and the longevity of well-written content.

Download the only checklist you’ll ever need and make sure you choose the right publisher for your next marketing campaign.