What you see is not always what you get!
Print is only the beginning of a beautiful, multi-media relationship. New technologies such as audio, video, news updates, and action alerts are allowing newspapers to engage and interact with audiences like never before.
Let’s not forget, traditional print products that also deliver information via web (with the ability to engage in audio & video…and then share with others), and mobile devices are the only true multi-media options available today.
“By utilizing new technology, newspapers will be able to extend the reach of their print content to a larger and more diverse audience, offering greater engagement to readers and more opportunity for advertisers.” Read more here
Prepare for Garage Sale Season Webinar
“It’s not too early to prepare for a successful Garage Sale Season” Webinar from Classified Concepts
We noticed that you are not yet registered for the “It’s not too early to prepare for a successful Garage Sale Season” 
Webinar from Classified Concepts, scheduled for Tuesday, January 24 at 10:00 PM PDT.
2012 is going to be a big year all around! And although, it’s not quite Garage Sale season yet, we thought we would kick-off the New Year with a webinar to help you plan for the upcoming Garage Sale Season. This 20 minute webinar will provide you with helpful tips, and you will walk away with a strategy to help you grow your business and help you generate the most revenue possible for 2012.
Want to learn more? Join us on: Tuesday, January 24 at 10:00 PM PDT for a 20 minute webinar to find out more about how to start preparing for success this Garage Sale Season.
Or register for Thursday, January 26 @ 2:00PM PST.
I know what you’re thinking…’is it Garage Sale Season yet?’
2012 is going to be a big year all around! And although, it’s not quite Garage Sale season yet, we thought we would kick-off the New Year with a few tips to help you plan for the upcoming Garage Sale Season. We hope these tips provide you with a strategy to help you grow your business and help you generate the most revenue possible for 2012.
- LINE ‘EM UP: Line up your sponsor before their advertising dollars are accounted for! There is so much value for a sponsor to want to participate – from print, to online and mobile application presence, with premium advertising opportunities on each platform.
- BUILD IT: Start developing your ad packages now. Evaluate the success of your program in 2011 – what worked? What could be improved? Remember, you want to be THE destination for Garage Sales in your market. Do it by gaining critical mass. Ask yourself, are your ad packages inviting and a no-brainer for advertisers?
- ADD SOME FUN: Garage Sale-ing is a lot of work. We all love to have fun when we work. Create contests. Pick two “hot” Garage Sale months to get your readers involved. This is a good way to remind folks in your market to think of YOU when they want to hold or shop for Garage Sales.
- GET SOCIAL: Reach out to readers via social media one month prior to launch with an “It’s Back!” or “Coming Soon!” campaign. Build the excitement…they will gravitate to you.
- UPDATE YOUR MAP: Communicate any map/program changes you would like to make with your partners at Classified Concepts. General map updates are free to you and can make a world of a difference to your readers’ experience.
- BRING IN THE BIG GUNS: Schedule your complimentary one-on-one consultation with Client Services Manager, April Dauzat, for January. She will review your program then help refocus it with a list of fresh ideas and best practices that suit your goals. Contact: april@maps.com, 805-699-7505.
“Our partnership with Classified Concepts is really a no-brainer. We achieve the ROI necessary to truly call this program a success. The mapping technology Classified Concepts offers is very diverse; available in print, online and mobile. Nobody else can provide an interactive experience for readers and advertisers like Classified Concepts can.”
-Michelle Ackerman, Director of Advertising. The Gazette, Colorado Springs, CO
“From concept to launch Classified Concepts helped the Billings Gazette create a powerful tool that the market now, cannot live without. Whether you search your Garage Sales in print, online or now on our Garage Sale mobile app we have the audience and the tools for them to continue to make Garage Sale-ing fun and profitable for all.”
-Ryan Brosseau, Classified Advertising Manager. Billings Gazette, Billings, MT
NEW! Holiday Lights & Entertainment App custom branded to your paper
Does your holiday advertising package include a mobile offering for your Entertainment category?
With the Holiday Lights & Entertainment App from Classified Concepts users can:
- Find everything from local community sites and events to special entertainment offers from restaurants, bars, and theatres.
- Share listings via email, search by keyword, save to favorites.
- Map locations and receive multi-stop driving directions.
- Set up alerts and be notified of updated listings and offers.
The Holiday Lights & Entertainment App is custom branded to your paper and includes premium ad space on every page. Available in iOS and Android platforms. See App Package
Getting started is easy! Contact the Elves at Classified Concepts for more information and special pricing: info@classifiedconcepts.com or 866.955.6277 (toll free)
Check out the demo by text EVENTS to 52732.
Take your mobile offering to the next level.
Take your mobile offering to the next level
Free 20 minute webinar – TODAY – Thursday, November 10th @ 2:00 PM PST.
Classified Concepts’ Mobile programs allow you and your advertisers to reach the growing mobile audience with new recurring revenue opportunities. Our menu of services includes:
• Mobile Marketing Platform – Create text marketing campaigns for your paper and advertisers. Opt-in subscription based service allows you to build your mobile audience and provide timely, relevant mobile offers.
• Mobile Website – It’s like a mobile index of your classified and/or retail ads, all in one place. Users can easily search through all of your current ads from their mobile device.
• Mobile Apps – You’ve got print and online for your Real Estate and Garage Sale categories – why not a Smartphone App? View all listings on a map, or from a list. Setup alerts to be notified when a new listing meets search preferences. Photos, multi-stop driving directions, plus premium advertising opportunities.
• CCTEXT™ – Turn traditional classified and retail print ads into an interactive mobile experience with text codes that give your readers access to your advertisers on-the-fly.
Want to learn more? Join us today: Thursday, November 10 at 2:00 PM PST
If this time does not meet your needs please email April Dauzat directly at april@maps.com to set up a personal demo at your convenience.
- Application to Person SMS (e.g. automated alerts from banks, offers from retailers, etc.) is expected to overtake person to person SMS in 2016.
– 90% of Americans are sending and receiving SMS messages EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Napa Valley Register Talks about their Open House Program
Randy Principe, Director of Sales from the Napa Valley Register talks about his Open House program with Classified Concepts. Principe discussing how the Open House Program has not only secured their leadership position in the local market, but has added to their revenues! Principe reports that they were able to turn a -2% trend YOY to +3% at fiscal year end with the help of their open house program from Classified Concepts. Principe goes into detail on the ease of set up and execution of the program.
Check it out for yourself! Click here to view.
Open House is a local category, and local realtors and house hunters still look to your paper to keep current with the newest marketing trends. Because your readers consume information in different ways, you must remain relevant in print, online, AND mobile. Our products help you to do just that.
Interested in learning more about getting your Open House Program up and running? Please contact us at 866.955.6277 (toll free) or email us: info@classifiedconcepts.com
The web. Oh, that old thing?
Mobile app analytics company, Flurry, reports that for the first time ever, consumers in the US are spending more time engrossed in mobile apps than they are browsing the web on their mobile phones and desktop PCs.
This stat is even more remarkable if you consider that it took less than three years for native mobile apps to achieve this level of usage, driven primarily by the popularity of Apple and Android platforms.
Does your mobile app strategy support this change in behavior?
Newspapers are engaging readers in their mobile apps in various ways. Some papers rely on the fact that “maps” are among the top 3 most popular types of mobile applications; using this fun technology to assist Open House seekers to map their way to finding the home of their dreams. The market continues to be a challenge for New Home builders, so newspapers need to provide them with the value of print, web and mobile; in the form of apps as well as a text component. Many newspapers are realizing that as the New Home and Resale markets are in challenging times, the Rental category is experiencing growth. The opportunity here is to supply Property Managment companies with a mobile application to allow rental seekers the ability to shop for a community directly from their mobile device. Other newspapers go the route of engaging their readers on a totally different level. Creating a mobile application to allow users to plan an exciting day out in their community; mapping out farmers markets, wineries, festivals, and especially, Garage Sales!
In June 2011, Americans spent an average of 74 minutes per day browsing the web and 81 minutes per day using mobile apps. App use has almost doubled in the last year, growing from just 43 minutes per day in June 2010, to 66 minutes per day in December 2010 to 81 minutes per day in June 2011.
On the contrary, internet use experienced comparatively conservative growth in the last 12 months from 64 minutes per day in June 2010, to 70 minutes in December to 74 minutes in June 2011.
The big takeaway here…imagine how many apps will be available in just 1 year from now. There’s no doubt that usage will continue to shift to apps. You want to leverage your readers and their usage so that they are relying on YOUR apps NOW… before your competitor does.
Classified Concepts has partnered with many newspapers to create a mobile offering that is truly second to none. View our Open House and Garage Sale mobile app demos! For Open Houses, text “OHapp” to 52732. For Garage Sales text “GSapp” to 52732.
“All Things Real Estate” Webinar
When it comes to Real Estate, our products help you do it all. Whether your readers
are looking for a rental, a new build, or resale, they all have one thing in common…they’re looking for the perfect place to call “home!” They turn to the most trusted source around for current marketing trends…you. Your readers consume information in different ways, therefore you must remain relevant in print, online, AND mobile (text and apps). The Real Estate category is going through a tough time – give us 15 minutes to learn how we can help.
Join us, Tuesday, September 20 at 2:00 PM PDT to find out more about “All Things Real Estate.”
Can’t make it? We have another webinar time scheduled for Thursday, September 22 at 10:00 AM PDT – Register here.
Multi-Media and Interactive Advertising are key
The rapid growth of digital revenues and usage is undeniable, but print continues to provide the majority of revenues to newspaper companies. Even where digital advertising revenues are approaching and surpassing those of print, the traditional print newspaper continues to produce large profits. And some forget that only newspaper and magazine companies can offer print as part of a multimedia advertising package – a unique advantage offering advertising effectiveness, audience loyalty and an attractive environment for advertisers.
Take Sweden’s biggest daily newspaper, Aftonbladet, for example. They are perhaps one of the most successful newspapers world-wide in terms of digital advertising – and now produce a nearly 50-50 split in digital and print advertising revenues. “Most of the revenues are still connected to print products – you can still make a lot of money from print,” said Anders Berglund, Sales Director at Aftonbladet. “It is important to have a focus on interesting new launches and new products, but also continue to develop the established products.” Like Berglund, many believe that a newspaper’s best bet is to build on the strengths they have.
Engaging (younger) audiences with multi-media and interactive advertising is key. When we hear the words “interactive advertising” we immediately think of the web. That’s why many people in our industry have to be reminded that print was the first interactive medium, and that’s why it’s still a powerful and effective part of any media mix. Print is also the most sensory medium. Only print can activate each of the five senses and usually more than one of them at a time: Think scented perfume ads, varied paper textures, and embedded devices. The Oregonian certainly understands this importance. On July 31st, they became the first US newspaper to add digital watermarks to their printed newspaper; allowing readers to access video, slideshows and other enhanced digital content related to a story.
One can’t help but wonder if this is the very reason that Magazine ad pages have grown four consecutive quarters, beginning in Q2 2010 through Q1 2011, when they were up almost three percent compared to Q1 2010, according to the latest data from the MPA—The Association of Magazine Media.
Additionally, the Publishers Information Bureau reports that magazine ad revenue and pages increased in seven of 12 major advertising categories during the first quarter of 2011: Toiletries and cosmetics; OTC drug remedies; apparel and accessories; media and advertising; automotive, financial, insurance, real estate and technology.
Print is an integral component of any web-based campaign. It is a strong driver of online behavior by whetting the reader’s appetite for a complementary web experience. Have you noticed that over the past several years, almost all print ads carry some URL or digital code? A lot of the new web-based mobile technologies, such as QR codes, have forced media planners (and consumers) to give print a closer look.
Print ads become even more engaging if they are also tied to a text-messaging campaign; allowing the user access to expanded information that they don’t see in print. The process of consumer engagement almost never starts on the mobile device; but rather, from a print ad. Integration between print and digital is key.
So the next time you find yourself asking if media salespeople and buyers should continue to include print in their media-mix, remember my retort: Absolutely!
Multimedia for Open Houses
Multimedia for Garage Sales
Webinar to introduce the new Open House App.
Reserve your place at our webinar as we unveil our new multi platform, custom branded open house app.
Open House is a local category, and local realtors and house hunters still look to your paper to keep current with the newest marketing trends. Because your readers consume information in different ways, you must remain relevant in print, online, AND mobile. Our products help you to do just that.
Register for our 15 minute webinar to find out more about the new Open House App and join in the recovery of your local real estate market!
