With the rise of social media, it’s easy to wonder if there is value to printed material anymore. Online media has small bites of information that are convenient, quick and shareable. Nearly everyone has access to the internet.
Despite the growth of social media, Ranch House Designs has discovered holding a printed publication gives a literal and figurative weight to the stories and advertisements inside.
Every year, Ranch House Designs uses its reach to survey more than 1000 cattle industry members. Here’s what we found for 2022.
Power in the Paper
In 2021, respondents showed their love for breed publications. More than half of people surveyed said breed publications were their favorite.
BEEF Magazine came in at number one with 35% of respondents flipping through its pages.
State-specific cattle magazines and Drovers were the next most-read, with Progressive Cattlemen and The Showtimes Magazine rounding out the top five.
Print publications have a timelessness that social media lacks.
Posts online can be deleted or lost in the shuffle, never to be seen again. Thumbing through the most recent cattle magazine has a certain tangible feel.
The captivating advertisement will be there for readers to mull over coffee tomorrow.
Align The Ads
According to the survey, advertising has seen a gradual shift in what readers are drawn towards.
Previously, 80% of respondents said the quality of your ad mattered.
In 2021, only 51% of respondents said the ad design affected their decision to do business with the advertiser.
CEO of Ranch House Designs Rachel Cutrer explained how so much of the design in today’s ads is hype.
“There’s a lot of claims in people’s ads that are BS,” Rachel said, “Seems every producer has the next “champion” or “herd improver”. The hype gets old; [we] need good honest business back, and free ourselves from the greed-driven business engine.”
Respondents are trending towards substance over style.
The survey shows the livestock photos are winning out over intense claims and flashy graphics.
“There’s a lot of false advertising….people saying they have the #1 carcass herd when they in fact are not,” Rachel explained. “It seems readers are pretty good at deciphering perception vs. reality in paid advertisements. Readers can spot fake news pretty easily these days.”
What Makes A Good Print Ad
The Ranch House formula for good livestock ads has been the industry standard for more than two decades. This formula includes:
- A headline
- Good livestock photos, preferably large enough for people to easily see the animals
- Ad copy that’s honest and accurate
- A logo
- Contact information
- A call to action (i.e. Visit our website to download a catalog)
This information is the tried and true advertising strategy that delivers results, no matter how flashy or simple the ad design may be.
Can Ranch House Help You?
For two decades Ranch House Designs has led the livestock industry in graphic design, marketing materials and website building.
Our strengths come from our extensive experience in this industry and we’re able to deliver results for our customers because we know this industry.
Currently we only offer print design services to clients that we also do their website, or those that book an annual contract of at least 12 ads in one year. If you would like to learn more about our services, start with our “Get Started” form.
If you would like to be included in next year’s livestock marketing survey group, join our mailing list.