Local newspapers are trusted by consumers more than any other local resource, according to a new study by comScore for the Newspaper Association of America (NAA). Of the 3,050 respondents, 57 percent identified local newspaper websites as the top online source for local information, more than any other media. That's good news for the struggling newspaper industry but there is even better news for online advertisers.
Not only did these sites rank first among all sources for trustworthiness and credibility but also the leading source for local content of all types, including classified advertising. Also according to consumers, local newspaper sites are seen as "...the most trusted source of online advertising, with ads that are perceived to be more current, credible and relevant to them," according to the survey. More than one-third (36 percent) selected local newspaper websites for trustworthy advertising compared to less than one-fourth (23 percent) for local television websites and less than one-in-eight (12 percent) for online portals.
"This survey reinforces the notion that consumers value and trust the premium-quality content found at newspaper Web sites as well as the advertising on those sites," said Randy Bennett, NAA's senior vice president of Business Development.
Another interesting finding from the survey is that four in ten adults "...agreed that their opinion of online advertising is influenced by the type of website on which the ad appears." That's something for advertisers to keep in mind when placing ads on any website. It's not just the creative or specific offer that validates an online ad, but where that ad is located -- a good argument for highly-taregted advertising buys.