While mass media publications have widespread readership, the targeted nature of trade publications makes them even more important to marketers. In a traditional marketing approach, ad placements in trade magazines help establish brand awareness, announce new products and services, and generate sales leads. But in today’s content-is-king marketplace, a bylined article that reaches your target market can deliver a marketing value of 300 percent or more.The value of trade magazines
Trade publications target specific industries, professions or businesses. At their core is their ability to effectively deliver valuable information to a highly targeted audience. In addition to paid subscriptions, some publishers provide issues free of charge to qualified individuals within an industry and to members of industry associations or organizations. While trade publications have lower circulation rates than consumer magazines, they go directly into the hands of the people businesses most want to reach. By nature, trade publications are a certified and trusted source of information. Their content is written by credible and respected thought leaders. Additionally, contributing authors provide fresh insights and diverse perspectives. Issues and articles are regularly shared within organizations, further expanding readership and impact.
Advertising vs. articles
To demonstrate the financial advantage of an article in a trade publication, consider the example of a company that landed a three-page article in bi-monthly manufacturing magazine. The cost of one full-page, four-color print ad in that publication is $9,000. The article was also featured on the front page of the magazine’s website for two months. The value of a leaderboard ad on a company’s website is approximately $1,500 per month.
($9,000 x 3) + ($1,500 x 2) = $30,000
Another example comes from a consultant whose five-page article was featured in a leadership development publication. In addition to the spread, the article was highlighted on the cover of the issue. The cost of one full-page, four-color print ad in that publication is $8,000. A web banner for the magazine’s website is $100 CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions). With approximately 175,000 site visitors per month, that would equate to $1,750 for one month of web advertising.
($8,000 x 5) + $1,750 = $41,750
Conservative estimates
Advertising costs vary greatly among publications. So, while these estimates may be lower (or higher), there are additional benefits to consider:
- Trade articles reach a targeted audience. Arranging for an article to be published is very cost effective, while ads in trade publications are expensive for a reason. You pay more to reach a highly targeted audience.
- Editorial content is more credible than advertising. Readers seek information from their trade magazines. Consequently, they believe that if an article appears in a well-respected publication, the information is not only true, but also endorsed by the magazine’s editors.
- Published articles fuel content marketing. A bylined article represents multiple marketing opportunities. Post it on your website. Send it out to clients and prospects in an email. Share it on social media. Create a series of blogs based on the topic. Distribute hard copies at tradeshows and events.
- Articles boost SEO. Most magazines maintain digital archives of their back issues. This increases the likelihood that potential customers will find your thought leadership through an internet search. Also, keywords and links from the publication site to yours help improve search engine rankings.
- Reporters and editors read the trades. Like most businesses, publications keep an eye on the competition. This means reviewing other publications for topics, featured experts and contributors. One published article can lead to a string of articles or mentions in other outlets.
Assigning value to trade magazine articles by using advertising rates can be challenging because it is not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison. A three-page feature and three pages of ads are very different. However, the evaluation does provide some important insight to the proven ROI of bylined articles. To learn more about how to get your thought leaders featured in trade publications, contact Trade Press Services today.
