Publishing ads work best when you’re buying audience + context, not just “a page” or “a banner”.
The biggest traps are vague audiences, bundled add-ons, and reporting that doesn’t tell you what to do next.
If you can’t explain the placement in one sentence (“we’re here because…”), don’t buy it.
Publishing can be a great channel for small business — when you treat it like a plan, not a sponsorship.
Publishing ads usually fall into two buckets:
You bought a placement without a clear audience reason
The offer wasn’t strong enough to prompt action
The creative looked like every other ad on the page
You couldn’t measure anything beyond “impressions”
The package was full of extras you didn’t need
Print vs digital publisher ads: what to choose
Print can be great when:
Your customers are genuinely local
The publication is trusted and read
Your offer is simple and timely
Digital publisher ads can be great when:
You want more flexibility and targeting
You want to test multiple messages
You want clearer reporting
In practice, many small businesses do best with a blend — but only if the plan is clear.
1. Who exactly reads this — and how do you know?
Ask for: readership/audience profile, geography breakdown, examples of similar advertisers (if available)
2. What’s the role of this placement in our plan?
You’re looking for a simple answer:
3. What are we actually buying?
Get clarity on: size/placement (print) or format (digital), dates and frequency, any exclusivity claims (often overstated)
4. What’s included vs what’s extra?
Publishing packages often bundle: advertorial, social posts, EDMs, website takeovers.
These can be useful — or pure fluff.
If it’s not tied to a clear outcome, don’t pay for it.
Creative that works in publishing (simple rules)
For print
Lead with the offer or the outcome
Use a strong headline (not your logo)
Include proof (reviews, accreditation, years in business)
Make the next step obvious
For digital publishers
Keep the message consistent with your landing page
Test 2–3 headlines (not 10)
Use one clear CTA
Don’t rely on tiny text
Publishing measurement is often about signals, not perfect attribution.
Track: direct traffic trend during the run, branded search trend, enquiry volume and quality, offer-specific landing page conversions, market-by-market differences (if local).
If you’re running print, use: a dedicated landing page URL, a dedicated phone number (if calls matter), a clear offer code (optional).
A simple starting plan for small business
Choose one publication with a clear audience fit
Run a short series of placements (not a one-off)
Use one landing page and one offer
Review results monthly and decide: keep, change, or stop
What to ask your agency (or the publisher) before you sign
Why this publication for our audience and trading area?
What’s the minimum viable schedule to create a signal?
What’s the plan for creative testing?
What will we measure monthly (5–8 KPIs)?
What is media spend vs agency services (and is buying management fee free / no additional management fee where applicable)?
Are newspaper ads still worth it for small business?
They can be — especially for local businesses with a clear trading area and a strong offer. The key is buying the right audience and running with enough consistency to learn.
What’s the difference between advertorial and display ads?
Display ads are standard ad placements. Advertorial (native) is paid content designed to read like an article. It can work when it’s transparent, useful, and targeted — but it’s not automatically better.
Should I do print or digital publisher ads?
Choose based on where your customers actually pay attention and how you want to measure results. Many small businesses use both, but only when the plan is clear.
If you’re considering publishing ads and want a plan that’s simple, transparent and built for small business, we can help you:
Next step
If you want a plan that’s commercially clear, built for small business, and easy to measure, get in touch and we’ll map the right channels, markets and minimum viable weight — without the jargon.
If you want publishing placements that are commercially clear, targeted, and measured realistically — get in touch.