How to Advertise in Magazines

Magazine advertising, which tends to focus on niche audiences, is trustworthy and less invasive than other advertising forms. The reader flicks through pages leisurely, looking at content, photos and ads. Knowing how to advertise in magazines is important to the promotion of your product. Read on to learn how.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Start small and stick to your budget. Find local and niche magazines and advertise with a 1/4 or 1/3 page. Or, choose to run the ad every other month instead of monthly. Starting small allows you to find what works best before committing to a large, expensive campaign.
2. Be simple. Make sure your ad is readable and draws in your target audience. If the reader needs lots of information to understand the full scope of your product, draw attention to a website link instead of printing extra or excessive content on the ad.
3. Decide whether or not to hire an advertising agency. Agencies cost more but have a great knowledge of the market and a team of business-minded and creative staff to work on your project. If your budget doesn't allow this, you can do it yourself with a little more work.
4. Choose whether to hire a graphic designer. If you go with an agency you probably won't need an outside artist, but if you choose to do it yourself, a graphic designer is worth the price for quality work. Ask to see the designer's work and discuss copyright options before committing to the project.
5. Be creative. Add humor or cleverness to your advertisements if possible but remember to keep your ad simple and professional. Magazines allow for full color and glossy ads, so make the most of it and bring innovation to your promotion.
6. Talk to the magazine's advertising sales staff. Ask about circulation, lead time and competing advertisers, and get a rate card--a sort of price schedule. The sales staff should work with you to decide the best frequency and placement for your ad.
7. Be aware that effectiveness is difficult to measure. Some customers may tell you they saw your ad; but don't pull your ads just because you don't get immediate feedback. Be willing to change your promotion as necessary and add to competing niche magazines as your business grows.