Online advertising can be quick to set up, easy to change and relatively inexpensive to test. That makes it an understandable first choice for many local businesses.
But cost and speed are not the only things that matter.
Most people see many marketing messages every day, especially online. Social media feeds, search results, websites, emails and videos all compete for attention. By contrast, printed local advertising appears far less frequently. It can almost feel as though it has gone out of fashion. Even so, it can still be a very effective way to market your business.
That's not to say that print is better than online ads. However, it does mean businesses should consider not only where they can advertise, but where they are most likely to be noticed and remembered.
The useful question is not simply, “Should I use print or online advertising?” It is: where is my business most likely to be noticed, understood and remembered by the people I want to reach?
Why online advertising is an obvious choice
Online advertising has genuine advantages. A business can update a website, post on social media, improve its Google Business Profile or run a paid campaign without waiting for a printed publication.
It also gives potential customers somewhere to go when they are actively looking. Someone with a leaking pipe or broken boiler may search online for a local plumber, check which services are offered and look for a quick way to make contact.
For businesses, that speed is useful. Online information can be changed when opening hours, services, availability or contact details change. It can also help a customer move from an advert or recommendation to a website, phone call or enquiry.
However, being easy to publish does not guarantee that an advert will be noticed. A low-cost online campaign may put a business in front of many people, but the business is still competing with every other post, advert, message and distraction on the screen.
What role can print play?
A printed local advert offers something different. It gives a business a fixed space where people can see its name, service and contact details without a feed refreshing around it.
A printed local advert can also be encountered differently from online advertising. Rather than appearing between dozens of other messages on a screen, it exists as part of a physical publication that people can browse at their own pace and return to later.
For a business that works locally, that familiarity matters. A customer may not need a plumber, decorator, gardener, cleaner or locksmith today. Seeing a business name before the need arises gives it a valuable head start when that need does arrive.
Are your competitors all in the same places?
It is worth looking at your own trade and local area.
How many of your competitors do you regularly see building their name through a printed local publication? And how many appear mainly through Google, social media, paid search, online directories or sponsored posts?
The answer will vary by trade and location. What matters is understanding where your competitors are already placing their attention—and whether another local route could help your business become more visible.
Printed local advertising can be an advantage hidden in plain sight. It may not be the first channel many businesses think of today, but that does not make it any less capable of helping a local business build recognition in the area it serves.
Advertising channels should be chosen because they suit the customer, service area and business objectives, not simply because they are fashionable or inexpensive.
A plumber and the broken-boiler moment
Imagine a homeowner who sees a local plumber’s advert in a printed guide. They do not need plumbing work at that point, so they do not call straight away.
A few weeks later, their boiler stops working. They may remember the plumber’s name, find the guide again, search for the business online to check its services, or call the number shown in the advert.
The printed advert introduces the business earlier in the customer’s decision-making process. The business’s website or Google Business Profile can then help the customer check details and take the next step when they are ready.
Neither channel has to do everything on its own.
The same principle applies to services people plan in advance, such as home improvements, landscaping, accountancy or mortgage advice. Being familiar before a customer starts comparing options can still be valuable.
When is print worth considering?
Print advertising is particularly well suited to businesses that:
- Serve a clearly defined local area.
- Benefit from building local familiarity over time.
- Want a clear local presence alongside their website, Google Business Profile and other online activity.
- Can present a simple, useful advert with a clear service, contact method and reason to get in touch.
- Want to complement existing digital marketing with additional local visibility.
Choosing local print distribution
For businesses using local print advertising, the next consideration is distribution. Reaching households within the actual service area is often more important than reaching the largest possible audience.
The PhoneFile has been publishing local business advertising guides since 2001. It publishes separate local editions for Letchworth, Hitchin, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City and Knebworth, so businesses know where their advert will be distributed.
A paid one-edition booking gives businesses a straightforward way to try advertising in a local edition before making a longer commitment. Businesses aiming to establish a lasting local presence may find that a consistent approach is more suitable.
Print, Online, or Both?
There is no universal answer.
If your priority is reaching people already searching for a service, online information and search visibility matter. If your priority is becoming better known across your local area, print can play an important role.
For many businesses, the strongest approach is not choosing one channel and ignoring the other. It is making sure each one has a clear job.
A printed advert gives a business a recognisable local presence. An accurate website, Google Business Profile or social profile can help a customer find further information when they decide to look.
Before deciding where to invest your next advertising budget, think about how your customers actually discover, recognise and remember local businesses. The best advertising channel is rarely the newest or cheapest. It is the one that helps the right people notice you when it matters.