The local newspaper ad is an age old method of getting a point across, or promoting a product or service, and has many benefits that are often overlooked. For businesses whose market is primarily in a particular area, the local newspaper ad is invaluable; the local businessman who carries out local jobs is getting across to the right audience.

However, it can also be of great benefit to businesses who cover a wider area, as it is often possible to insert adverts in a number of local newspapers local, that is, to many different areas. This is because many are under the umbrella of common publishers, giving greater scope for the advertising industry to utilise the interest that people have in their local areas.

It may be considered that the local newspaper ad is not a cost effective method of advertising, but when one looks at the possibilities it becomes clearer. Local newspapers are cheaper to advertise in than many other areas of the advertising sphere, and this is because, in general, they make their money specifically by operating as advertising portals.

Often, however, the local newspaper ad will have a circulation that is far in excess of many specialist magazines. This allows not just for the advert to be aimed at a more direct audience, but for a greater blanket coverage than may have been previously thought. Given that a product may need to be broken into new areas, the local paper could be the answer.

The question that needs to be asked, as with all advertising, is who do you want to read the advert? If you are targeting an exclusive clientele with a high level product that needs a specialist buyer then it is quite clear the local newspaper is not the place to go. If, however, it is a broad service or product that will appeal to many different types of people, then it could well be a very cost effective method of pushing your brand into the market place.

Local newspapers have been the mainstay of the printed publication world for many a year, and will undoubtedly continue to be so for many years to come. The appeal is in getting news that is directly relevant across to the people of that area, and this is what makes it a very lucrative advertising medium.

Looking at the rates available at local newspaper advertising it seems odd that this method is not used to a greater degree; many local papers are free and routinely delivered to all homes in the area they serve, meaning the local newspaper ads are the first place people look when searching for a specific service or product. This is what endures the local newspaper ad to many a user, and why the medium should be considered, particularly by those promoting services, by all who need to target a well defined demographic group.