Looking through my local free paper last week I noticed three quarter page ads for venues selling meals. Counting the words in the ads I found that Ad One had 40 words, Ad Two 56 while Ad Three had 132. This included phone numbers, any pricing and telephone numbers.

Free newspapers sell advertising space

Free newspapers live and die on their ability to sell advertising space. As a rule they are crowded with ads. Small ads are easily lost on the page. Crowded ads too. So why pay around $5-600+ to put 40 words on an ad. Why not 132?

Standing out on a crowded page

Free local newspapers are crowded with ads screaming for attention. Forty words on a quarter page ad is easier to look at due to the white space – that is, space without words. It had pictures instead. Ad two was more effective again with 56 words. With a better design and more real white space without text or images it had one third taken up with an attractive food picture. Attractive enough to draw your eye to it.

What’s makes a good Ad?

On a busy page the first rule is make it easy to be found. One way is through plenty of white space – not by cluttering up the ad with lots of words because you are trying to get value for money. Relevant, attractive images help. Also a headline appealing to your target group – Hungry? Need Money Now? Save Money Now? What’s On? Looking for delicious food and beautiful views? Cheap Meals?

The ad with 40 words was branding a restaurant in general. The 56 word ad was advertising a Valentines Day dinner at a large resort hotel. The ad with 132 words was a club trying to advertise a mixture of themes (club offerings) using seven headlines. It was mixed up and all over the place with different parts of the club competing for attention. Even if this club took out a whole page with the same amount of words the ad still would look crowded.

Club Advertising

When advertising your club it is important to keep the ad simple and focused. Think about what you are trying to advertise. Focus on one theme only and keep the ad simple with plenty of white space and a relevant headline. If you have several themes to advertise consider separate ads or alternate the ads every week. Use relevant and attractive images. Get professional marketing or advertising help to work with you on your advertising – it should more than pay for itself. Don’t leave it to your advertising rep or you’ll continue to waste money like the club described above.