WebProNews

Research shows that print ads that contain URLs  are up to three times as likely to drive readers to a website than those that don't include them.

Not that this information comes as much of a surprise, but it is probably a tactic that many businesses still are not using.

The Research Shows...

A study conducted by the Magazine Publishers of America shares this info along with statistics that show that readers of magazines in the Travel, Home and Women's categories tend to drive more readers from the magazine to the web.

Think About the Actual URL

For a print ad to inspire web traffic, the URL itself can play a tremendous role in whether or not it even gets visited.

Helen Leggatt at BizReport suggests using fresh, unique URLS "perhaps per campaign or even per publication" to generate interest. As an example, she mentions a recent Burger king campaign utilizing the haveityourway.com domain.

I would suggest at the very least using a memorable, easily spelled domain name like I talked about in this SmallBusinessNewz article.

Don't Overlook the Strategy

The concept of inclusion of a web address in offline marketing is also something I've stressed before for encouraging more customers to turn to the web, particularly for brick and mortar business looking to expand their online identities. It's a no-brainer for those businesses who exist strictly online that are already seeking print advertising.

Think about print ads that have inspired you to find a company's website. What was it about the ad that made you want to learn more by way of the Internet? Odds are it was probably the URL there pointing the way.