Set your objective
Advertising is great, but you need to know why you're doing it. Are you aiming to increase traffic or promote a fundraising campaign? These goals don't require the same budget or the same targeting. If your prospect has never heard of your media outlet, chances are your first interaction won't result in a sale. Tip for tight budgets: for immediate sales, focus on your existing customers.
Target your audience
Age, location, hobbies… It's better to target the right audience. On Mediapart, a story about the sexism that Rihanna faces will primarily reach 25-34 year-olds while an interview about pension reform will reach more 55-64 year-olds. Sometimes, even, these criteria can apply to physical advertising, as here, with these billboards in Saint-Étienne to promote an investigation into the city's mayor.
Bet on content
Often, media acquisition campaigns consist of proposing unbeatable deals, as journalist Jean Abbiateci highlighted in this Twitter thread. Rather than discounting your content, focus on campaigns that showcase your writers and your editorial promise. The recipe? A short text that allows readers to identify its author, and that sparks curiosity. Much like what media outlet Vert did with its special COP26 newsletter.
