By Darren Johnson
Campus News
As you probably know, Campus News is an independent newspaper that hits over three dozen colleges in the Northeast. In its ninth year, it’s actually growing, debunking myths that “print is dead” and “millennials don’t read print.”
I’ve recently taken on a project where I am analyzing the advertising rate cards of other student newspapers in an effort to create an “ad network” and also offer them some of our innovations to better sell their shrinking print products and perhaps turn the tide for student print journalism.
Looking at various school newspaper operations, I see room for improvement. Here are some things we at Campus News are doing, and perhaps you should try this too with your print edition:
Lower Your Rates
One thing that sticks out when I look at other college rate sheets — the prices are too high in this day and age. The ad rates haven’t been changed in years, a throwback to when college newspapers were the only way to reach a student population. Remember, advertisers today have other options. For example, they can boost a Facebook/Instagram post for a few hundred dollars that reaches a good percent of your student body. You have to compete with that.
Sell the month/not the issue
Many of the college papers still in existence publish multiple times per week; however their circulations are down to just a few thousand per day, if not less. Let’s face it, one ad in one paper just isn’t going to get a lot of reach nor make much of an impression. The advertiser may perhaps try an ad, get no response and then never come back. Why not sell a whole month’s worth of ads at one low price? That way, everyone wins — the advertiser is more likely to get response and come back next month, creating a more reliable revenue stream for your efforts.
Stop selling B&W
Black and white ads don’t look good, advertisers don’t want them and they just don’t work. Take these off of your rate card. If your printer only allows for four or eight pages of color, use that space for ads first, not stories. Putting a color “upcharge” on your rate card will scare away potential advertisers. Advertisers today are very wary of being scammed (because Internet advertising is often shady, they have been conditioned to question everything), so keep your rate card simple: Just have full-, half- and quarter-page spots, color included, with simple pricing.
You’re paying for color — use it!
Another thing I notice is that college newspapers aren’t using their color effectively, especially on their covers. Really, your cover should be as colorful as a smart phone’s home screen — because that’s what your readers are used to seeing. For example, the Campus News cover kind of resembles a video game — graphic designers hold up their snooty noses at it — but we have a tremendous pickup rate over 90%!
Be print-first, create intimacy
You can’t be print-first with breaking news, but do try to give your print readers a unique experience. Perhaps place long-form features in the print edition first, to build a relationship and create an intimacy with the reader — they know they can count on your paper for a one-on-one, satisfying experience.
Write more evergreen stories
“Evergreen” is a term that refers to stories with no hard time element. They won’t make the paper seem out-of-date. We find evergreen stories ensure better pickup well after our initial drops. With papers that have stories with a hard time element on the cover — perhaps coverage of a big event — pickup halts once that event no longer seems topical. But a more general feature story may have a longer life to it, even if it doesn’t seem as sexy at first drop.
Stop chasing the online money leprechaun
Listen, I know student newspapers are training young journalists for an uncertain market. Will print really die? Will online news ever really be profitable? These are big questions that have no easy answers. However, your student publication does need money. Money is what will keep your lights on. It will pay for better equipment and trips to journalism conferences to better train your writers. It will protect you from student boards that may pull your funding. Converting your rate card to digital-first won’t help you — advertisers can buy their own ads online; they don’t need you for that — and digital ads pay pennies on the dollar. But your print efforts are something Facebook and Google can’t compete with you on — celebrate your print ads in your media kit. Make advertisers know that your print ads are unique and leave a lasting impression. You can give away the digital for free to any print advertiser who signs a longterm contract — the digital doesn’t cost you anything anyway. If you value your own print product, your advertisers will get the message and value print, too.
Get readers excited
Did you know that your print paper is an “influencer?” And what do influencers get? Free stuff! We at Campus News get free stuff to review all the time, and you can, too. So, what do you do with the free stuff? Give it away to readers of your print edition. For example, we have a local Six Flags amusement park near us. We worked a deal where they are running an ad for their park for three months with us and they are giving us 37 tickets. We have a football contest in the paper where we give away some tickets as prizes. We also have a photo contest, where if people take a picture of themselves reading the print edition of Campus News, we will put them in a lottery for free tickets. The contest is popular, and it shows we care about the readers. Call your local tourist attractions and work your own deal!
Talk to your printer, or hire a new one
Most newspapers haven’t really thought about their relationship with their printer in many years. You may be going by the same specs you’ve had for a decade or more. Go tour your local printing plant. Talk to the folks there about your paper. What can you both be doing differently? Maybe with a minor change in paper size you can add more pages of color at a cheaper price. A lot has changed with newspaper printing in the past decade. Modernize your print job. If your current printer can’t give you the look you want and the price you want, shop around. A lot of printers are eager for new business in these changing times and will help you put together a better product. Ask!
Readdress circulation
Many newspapers have ancient racks and students delivering just toss papers sloppily on top of them. Make sure your racks are spiffy and inviting. Clear them of trash. Only drop enough papers to meet demand (keep a spreadsheet of your drops vs. pickups for each rack). Also, look for new markets — such as local stores and restaurants. Perhaps get city permits to put news boxes with your branding on the streets.
Take pride in your printed campus paper. Make the cover loud and proud. Get new racks. Run exciting promotions. Promote the print edition with photos of happy students holding it, posted online. That pride will translate into advertisers believing in you again.
Darren Johnson is a longtime writer, journalist and educator who also owns Campus News. Want to join our burgeoning ad network? Write to ads@cccn.us.
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