If you’re in the newspaper business, this isn’t a pretty chart.
If you’re in the business of promoting your brand through local retailers, this is a very informative chart.
The lesson to learn is that newspapers just aren’t what they used to be, they are still significant but you can’t ignore a close to 50% drop in revenue in five years.
The reason for the drop is that consumers have left the printed editions of newspapers in favor of getting their news online. And, local retailers have curtailed their print spending in favor of the new media.
The good news is that the new media can be less expensive and more effective than the old ways of doing business. In fact, getting your brand information on a dealer’s Facebook page doesn’t even have a publication cost associated with it. And, local search has ROI’s never even dreamed of for newspapers.
One word of caution, printed newspapers aren’t going away. The newspaper industry experts think they have weathered the worst of it.
So, help your retailers be online and in the paper. Your brand will be better for it.