Media advertising

The basics you need to know about raising your business profile through advertising, and how to make sure your campaigns are successful.

Newspapers, magazines and directories reach a targeted audience, and advertising could reap rewards. Our introduction to what you need to know.

Our guide to the basics of writing a successful advert, from grabbing attention to getting your message across and encouraging a response.

Outdoor advertising puts your message in front of a big audience in a non-intrusive way. Start here and find out how it could help you.

Radio ads are a tried and tested way to reach a local audience, but you might not have even considered cinema or TV. Our overview of the benefits.

Corporate sponsorship can position your business as an expert in your field, or one with strong community links. How sponsorship could work for you.

How to make sure your advertising is planned well for the best return on investment - from understanding your audience to measuring responses.

Don't blow your advertising budget on an expensive radio advert which goes out at 3am. Save money by investing in low-cost advertising options.

How to write a compelling advertisement that stands out and persuades your target market to buy, including ads for publications and online advertising

Use this checklist to help you write an effective advertisement, from deciding on the message to design options, and getting a good response.

Read our FAQs on advertising strategy, including whether it's right for your business, where to advertise, costs, and campaign planning.

Thanks to the number of TV channels, it is now cheaper than ever to advertise on TV and worth considering if you've got a regional customer base.

Great slogans are remembered for years, but there are hundreds of bland and downright dishonest ones. Drayton Bird provides his thoughts on slogans.

Augmented reality is opening up possibilities in OOH advertising - even for small businesses. Daniel Siden of Lightvert explains one new development.

Make sure you know exactly what you want the reader to do as a result of seeing your advertisement - these FAQs will help you get it right.

Online directories can be a low-cost way of driving potential customers to your website. But how do you know which you should be advertising in?

A professional copywriter can deliver highly persuasive, effective copy that sells your products and services. But how do you choose the right one?

Commissioning a professional graphic designer can ensure that your stationery and marketing collateral impress, but how do you find the right one?

Online platforms are increasingly saturated so why not try a different approach? Stickers are cheap, flexible and can be used in a multitude of ways.

The AdCracker website has some useful sample briefs to help you if you've never briefed a creative team before. Or even if you have.

Your creative people can be your strongest business asset, because they can give you something that is valuable — ideas. So how do you motivate them?

Sponsorship can bring two brands together and give both of them wider exposure. But the only way to really judge its success is to measure it.

Marketing guru Drayton Bird explains how to write copy that has the power to persuade.

Want to reach a new audience? Sponsoring a successful email newsletter can help you deliver your message effectively to your target market.