It’s no secret that the newspaper industry is struggling. In fact, it’s been in a downward spiral for quite some time now.
More and more people are now getting their news exclusively online. This has caused traditional printed newspapers to lose subscribers and revenue with money moving to online news subscriptions.
But there are still people who love printed newspapers, and those people make up the target market for newspapers.
So, who are these people? And why do they love printed newspapers? Let’s take a look!
Who is the Target Market for Newspapers?
To best understand the target market for newspapers, we need to first understand the reasons why someone decides to buy a newspaper instead of reading the news online on their computers or on their phones.
By understanding people’s motivations for needing a newspaper, we can divide this market into customer segments and study each segment on its own.
With such needs-based segmentation, print news companies can publish their newspapers with content that appeals to each segment, which in turn will attract advertising from companies targeting those same segments.
This target market analysis can help print news companies focus on a smaller target market and better understand their needs so that they can stay afloat in the ever-changing landscape of the news industry.
Such an analysis gives us the following key customer segments of the target market for newspapers:
- People who like the touch of a newspaper
- People who want to limit their screen-time
- People who want to support local businesses
- People who prefer in-depth news stories
- People who like to sit in a cafe and flip through a newspaper
- Older people who have always read newspapers
- People who prefer physical to digital products
Let’s look closely at each of these newspaper market segments.
1. People who like the touch of a newspaper
A newspaper is a physical product that we can hold in our hands. For some people, this is a key reason why they prefer newspapers to digital news.
They like the feeling of flipping through the pages and touching the paper. The tactile experience is something that they enjoy and appreciate.
The more our lives become digital, the more some people crave physical products. We long to hold something in our hands that we can touch and feel.
That’s why even in the age of kindle, physical books are still popular. And why in the age of Amazon, some bookstores are still profitable.
2. People who want to limit their screen-time
In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with screens. We have screens at work, screens at home, and screens in our pockets. We have screens at airports, on large buildings, in Ubers, and even in some public restrooms.
For some people, all of this screen time is too much. They want to limit their exposure to screens as much as possible.
Printed newspapers are one way to do that. When we read a newspaper, we’re not looking at a screen. Our eyes are focused on the printed page in front of us without the backlight of a screen.
This can be a refreshing change of pace and substance for many.
3. People who want to support local businesses
Not all newspapers are the New York Times or the Washington Post. Many newspapers are local, and they serve the communities in which they’re published.
When people subscribe to or buy these newspapers, they’re supporting their local businesses. This is something that some people feel good about doing.
They want to see their local community thrive, and one way they can do that is by supporting the businesses that make up that community.
Also, sometimes local newspapers are the only way to get certain information about what’s going on in the community.
4. People who prefer in-depth news stories
Some people find that they get more out of a longer, more in-depth news story in a newspaper than they do from the shorter stories on most news websites.
In a newspaper, there’s more room for nuance and detail. The stories can be better researched and reported. And they often include different perspectives on the same event.
For instance, opinion pieces in newspapers are not based on a deadline. That is why they are not hurried but rather are well-researched and well-thought-out.
5. People who like to sit in a cafe and flip through a newspaper
A classic tradition for many newspaper readers is to buy a cup of coffee and sit in a cafe to read the paper. This can be a relaxing and enjoyable way to start the day.
It’s also a great way to people-watch and see what’s going on in the world around us.
And when people do this without burying their noses in a computer screen, it can feel like a more connected and social way to consume the news.
6. Older people who have always read newspapers
For many older people, reading the newspaper is a habit that they’ve had for most of their lives. They grew up with newspapers, and it’s something that they’re used to.
Even as other news sources have become more popular, these older people have stuck with newspapers. They’re comfortable with them, and they trust them.
For this segment of the target market for newspapers, there is almost a tactile relationship with the newspaper. The newspaper is often a part of their daily ritual, whether it involves picking up the newspaper from the front porch or driving to the newspaper stall in town to pick up the day’s papers.
7. People who prefer physical to digital products
Some people just prefer physical products to digital ones. This could be for a variety of reasons. Maybe they like the feeling of holding a physical product in their hands.
Maybe they don’t like how digital products can be so easily deleted or lost. Whatever the reason, these people are more likely to buy a newspaper than to read news online.
They are more likely to grab a pen and finish the crossword puzzle in the newspaper rather than doing the online.
These people are also equally likely to buy physical books rather than digital books or physically go to the bank rather than to the bank’s website.
Conclusion
The target market for newspapers includes people who enjoy newspapers for a variety of reasons.
Some people like the touch of a newspaper. It gives them a nice tactile sensation that they completely miss on a laptop, tablet or mobile.
Other people switch to newspapers as a way to limit their screen time. Some people continue their subscription of newspapers, especially local newspapers, as a way of supporting the local community.