Why People Trust Print Ads More Than Online Ads

Buyers still perceive print advertisement as credible and trustworthy compared to online ads, even in the digital age. Reports show that 82 percent of Americans trust print ads, whereas only 25 percent think online ads are credible.

Why Print Ads are Trustworthy

Buyers see print ads as scarce, non-invasive, tangible, and buyer-friendly. Most print ads come from credible sources as well; established newspapers, magazines, and advertising networks. This form of advertising’s acceptance in the market is why you’ll still be able to acquire providers that do CASS-certified mailing services. A professional service like this can make your print ad requirements easier to manage.

And it will allow you to fulfill your customers’ expectations from print ads:

  • Scarcity – Print ads are scarce as compared to the abundance of online advertisements on every website. Buyers believe that due to print ads only showing up when needed, they contain more credibility. Online ads on the other hand, pop up anywhere; regardless of the quality of the content and its products and services.
  • Non-invasive – Privacy is a primary concern in online advertising. Awareness of just how much personal information data collectors harvest online, for the sake of advertising, raises an alarm among buyers. With aggressive, invasive data collection of online advertisers, buyers feel their privacy is threatened. They don’t experience this outright in print advertisement. Data collection is non-invasive, subtle, and may have been voluntarily given.
  • Tangible – Print ads are tangible and more memorable than online ads. Buyers are more likely to remember ads they’ve touched and held than something they saw in passing online. These ads also contain more information than most online ads because they offer more space for details on products and services, helping buyers to trust your business’s pitch.
  • Buyer-friendly – Print ads allow buyers an immediate sense of gratification through coupons, and gift checks attached to the product flyers, persuading them to act.
  • Credible sources – Print ads usually come from trusted sources. Established newspapers, magazines, and advertising networks have a reputation to protect, and they will have certain standards on advertising.

All these perceptions lead buyers to believe that print ads are ultimately more credible than their online counterparts.

The Negative Impact of Clickbait on Online Advertising

Fake news search results

Online ads, on the other hand, purposely employ misleading information on their advertisements to get buyers to click. Though this isn’t always the case, some online advertisers overuse this tactic to the point that they’ve lost most of their credibility.

Clickbait is a primary example of advertisements with misleading information. The spread of clickbait material has led people to believe that not all online advertisements are legitimate and credible. Buyers think twice, and check all possible resources before they believe advertisements they see online.

Advertising is critical to the success of your products or services. They allow you to reach out to more people and pitch to new customer segments. Although online advertising offers affordable opportunities for marketing, your business may get better results when you include print advertising in your campaign.