If you're thinking about advertising your local business in a regional magazine, one of the first questions you'll face is: which ad size is right for me? It's a fair question — and the answer depends on your goals, your budget, and what you're trying to say.
Here's a plain-English guide to help you decide.
Start with your goal
Before you think about size, think about what you want the ad to do. Are you building brand awareness so local people recognise your name? Or do you need to communicate a specific offer, service list, or contact details? The more you need to say, the more space you'll need.
The five ad sizes explained
Full Page — Maximum impact. Ideal if you want to dominate a page and make a strong impression. Works well for businesses launching in a new area or running a major promotion.
Half Page — A great balance of visibility and cost. Enough space for a strong image, a headline, and your key details. Popular with established local businesses.
Quarter Page — A solid choice for most small businesses. Enough room to get your message across clearly without a large outlay.
Eighth Page — Perfect for a simple, consistent presence. Great for tradespeople, service businesses, or anyone who just needs their name, number, and what they do in front of local readers every month.
Strip Ad — The most affordable option. A small but regular presence that keeps your name visible. Works best as part of a longer-term booking.
Think about frequency, not just size
A smaller ad that runs every month will often outperform a large ad that only runs once. Readers need to see your name repeatedly before they act — so consistency matters. If budget is tight, choose a smaller size and commit to a longer run rather than going big for one issue.
The maths of monthly advertising
With a 12-month booking, you can advertise in The Market Magazine for as little as £5 per month. That's less than a daily coffee — and your ad reaches over 100,000 local readers every month across our regional editions.
You can also pay monthly by selecting the Single Issue option at checkout and choosing a subscription plan — so there's no need to pay everything upfront.
Not sure? Start small and scale up
Many of our longest-running advertisers started with a small ad to test the response, then increased their size once they saw results. There's no obligation to stay at the same size — you can review your booking each month.
Ready to see the full pricing? View our advertising rate card or choose your region and book online.
If you'd like to talk through which size suits your business, call us on 07752 631401 or email info@martinsellpublishing.co.uk — we're happy to help.
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