If you are looking to advertise in any newspaper here are the main things to watch out for:
#1. PUBLICATION CONSISTENCY
Make sure the newspaper has published every publication that they say they do in your contract or what they advertise.
BACKGROUND – Newspapers are monthly, bi-weekly, weekly or daily. If they say they publish every week for example, ask for proof of all their weekly publications which they should have online. But even though they have it online, it doesn’t mean that they actually printed, it only means they did the layout work. We know of some newspapers that skip publications from a few times up to most of the year and don’t give any money back to their advertisers.
At METROVAN INDEPENDENT – We show every publication online with dates to insure you get what you paid for. Plus if we miss any issue, we have it in the contract we will make it up to you.
#2. PRINTING CERTIFICATION
Make sure the newspaper will allow you to contact their printer to certify how many issues they have actually printed for at least the last 12 months or more. If they won’t let you, then you better cancel quickly and find someone else to advertise with.
BACKGROUND – Newspapers can adjust how many they print each week. They could say they print 10,000 copies and actually only print a few thousand when they are low of money. They may go spreading them around by dropping off small bunches hoping nobody will notice. But we noticed. We personally go to each and every location that our competitors put their papers and I can calculate how many these papers are actually printed. Some papers differentiate a lot from what they say they print. If you don’t do this step, you will be wasting a lot of money for nothing.
At METROVAN INDEPENDENT – We will allow you to confirm our printing with our printer.
#3. NEWSPAPER STANDS
Make sure whomever you want to advertise with has newspaper stands where they distribute their newspapers.
BACKGROUND – Some places don’t allow stands but have one for everyone to share. More than half of the newspapers in the Filipino community don’t own their own racks. This is an issue because they don’t have a proper place to put their paper. Usually, their paper will end up on the floor or get put in the garbage before it gets distributed. A waste of your money.
At METROVAN INDEPENDENT – We have a rack in every place that they are allowed with more in stock for the future.
#4. NEWSPAPER CONTENT
We suggest you pick up each newspaper or view them online to see how you feel about the content of the newspaper. You want to look at how attractive the layout is for the readers. Read through each paper. You will start to notice one paper that keeps your attention more than others. This is what you want: a newspaper that has relevant content that keeps readers coming back.
#5. ADVERTISING POSITIONING
You want your ad to stand out and be among good newspaper content.
#6. ETHICAL JOURNALISM
Ask around the community and make sure that the newspaper you are considering adapts the Canadian Journalistic Standards. Are they a birthday, sunshine newspaper or do they do hard investigative journalism that helps protect the community? Ask around to a lot of people and see what they say.
