Summary: Online ads are seen as being more intrusive than TV and radio adverts, according to new research from instantprint.

The marketing industry is constantly evolving, so deciding where to spend your budget can be tricky, but research from UK online printer instantprint suggests that offline marketing can still be a winner.

In a survey carried out by Atomik Research, instantprint discovered four out of ten (43%) people believe online ads are the most intrusive form of marketing, which should be something that marketers consider before they invest heavily in pop-ups and other ads.

Respondents said online ads invade privacy even more than TV adverts (28%) and radio adverts (8%), indicating that opinions of pop-ups, banners Google ads have perhaps been affected by the Cambridge Analytica scandal and other recent privacy violations.

In contrast, flyers were seen as being the least intrusive (7%), highlighting that effective offline marketing is still viewed favourably by consumers.

Adam Carnell, co-founder of instantprint, discusses how privacy concerns have affected consumer behaviour: “Small businesses need to be aware that consumers value their personal data and are becoming warier of how companies handle their information.

“To gain customer data, businesses need to earn people’s trust through great products and reliable customer service.”

What are the best ads to earn consumer trust?

Although online advertising is continuing to grow, offline flyers carry significant appeal for consumers, with 21% describing flyers as trustworthy, above both online ads (17%) and posters (11%).

instantprint’s findings come after the Advertising Association found that print display ad avenue for national newsbrands rose for the first time in seven years in the first quarter of 2018.

Therefore, while search advertising continues to be a strong force in the UK advertising industry, other advertising methods are continuing to prove effective.

The printer’s research also found that personalised leaflets with discounts (32%) were more attention-grabbing than TV adverts (24%), targeted online ads (12%) and posters (5%).

Flyers (30%) were also perceived to be more informative than online ads (24%), highlighting that small businesses can continue to use offline marketing to their advantage in 2018.

When deciding on your advertising budget, consider your audience. While the internet is a fantastic tool, it may not be the perfect match for your business’ objectives.