MNI Blog  /  4 minute read

Wondering How to Best Advertise Online?

When trying to describe the world of media in the past year, the concept of “fake news” inevitably comes up. What is true? What isn’t true? However, despite that, the

 
 

When trying to describe the world of media in the past year, the concept of “fake news” inevitably comes up. What is true? What isn’t true? However, despite that, the news remains an important part of public life—more than seven-in-ten U.S. adults follow national and local news somewhat or very closely.

In fact, the majority of longtime residents believe the quality of their city’s local news has gotten better in the past five years.

Consumers also believe that keeping up with their local news has gotten easier.

So what’s the takeaway here? The news has moved online. Nearly half of today’s consumers access their local news digitally, online. About four-in-ten Americans often get their news online, and 81% get at least some of their news through websites, apps, or social networking sites. Among those who obtain their news both on desktop computers and mobile devices, over half prefer mobile. Read more about how media is being consumed.

With this knowledge in mind, the latest local ad revenue forecast confirms that digital advertising in local markets, including mobile, will grow from $44.2 billion in 2016 to $50.2 billion in 2017—a whopping 13.5% increase! Advertisers big and small, in communities all across the country, are joining in on this digital transformation of local-focused ads.

Why, you ask?

Greater Attention is Paid to Online Local News

The first thing I do each morning is check my phone. On my way to work, I’m scrolling through Instagram while listening to Spotify. Then I get to work and I’m on a desktop computer all day long. On my way home, I’m back on my phone. There is so much digital media in our faces at all times, one would think that it all starts to blur. But in fact, the opposite is true.

One of the unique facets of online news consumption is that intentionality matters. There are consumers who prefer watching their local news, those who prefer listening to their local news, and those who prefer reading their local news. Most consumers who prefer reading the news now opt to get their news online, suggesting that consumers are more intentionally going on their local news sites to read and ingest information. The content does not become a blur—it is absorbed and remembered.

There are also consumers who seek out digital news outlets and those who come across the news while doing other activities online. Overall, more digital news consumers get their news online when accomplishing other tasks. The takeaway? Your target audiences are almost always ending up on a local news site, whether they intended to or not. Furthermore, local marketing can help your brand awareness.

About the Digital News Consumer

They're Open to Other Content

 
 
  • They believe that getting their news online gives them a wider range of news than they would otherwise receive.
  • They’re more likely to often click on links to news stories on social media.

They Spread the Word

  • They’re more likely to at least sometimes post their own news links.
  • They’re more likely to share news digitally or by word of mouth.

Reaching the Ever-Elusive Millennial Audience

Young adults are more likely than their elders to get local news online and on their mobile phones.

  • 50% of 18- to 29-year-olds and 49% of 30- to 49-year-olds often access the news online.
  • 70% of 18- to 29-year-olds and 53% of 30- to 49-year-olds prefer to or only use mobile to get their digital news.
  • 42% of Millennial media users access local newspapers’ sites, 28% access local TV sites, 21% access local magazines’ sites, and 18% access local radio sites.
 
 

Connect with Millennials where they live and work. Allow your ad to reach Millennials as they read their local news, search local businesses, check the weather, research community events, and more.

Adding Print to Your Local Ad Mix

Let’s not forget about where the news began: on paper. 36% of consumers often purchase products and services as a result of ads on magazine websites or social sites. Magazines are the perfect complement to both traditional and new media—campaigns that use both print and online improve persuasion metrics by over 10%. When thinking about localized ad campaigns, don’t underestimate the power of print.

The Difference is Local

By 2018, revenue from local-focused online ads will exceed that of traditional ads aimed at local audiences.
Here are seven reasons why this shift is happening:

  1. National sites deliver far less coverage than local sites. Advertisers on MSN.com, Yahoo! News, or Weatherbug.com, only reach about 35% of our local audience.
  2. Local news sites are the most trusted. 82% of U.S. adults trust the information they get from local news organizations.
  3. Local websites produce the most in-depth, vertically targeted online audiences. Two-in-five adult internet users have visited their local TV websites.
  4. Loyal news consumers believe local news organizations do a good job informing people. 76% of Americans usually turn to the same sources for news.
  5. Forty-five percent of adults consider TV websites to be most useful in terms of convenience, comprehensiveness, and timeliness.
  6. Consumers across all generational groups are almost twice as likely to frequent a local newspaper’s website or social destination than TV, radio, or magazine branded-websites or social sites.
  7. TV stations consistently drive their audience to their online sites, creating relevant, new local content 24/7.

Hyper-local campaigns target your precise audience on trusted and relevant websites. Our local roots and experience enables us to be the standout partner when it comes to reaching a local audience with a relevant message. In fact, we’re the #1 local ad focus network in the country, and 80% of our campaigns had geographic focus last year. Let our expert team plan, buy, and implement your local targeted ad campaign today!

SOURCES:

http://www.journalism.org/2016/07/07/the-modern-news-consumer; comScore, 2016; McKinsey, 2014; Media Audit, 2014; Pew Research Center, 2016-2017; AdAge, 2016; Bull Dog Reporter, 2016; AMG Parade, 2016.

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