Print isn’t dead. In fact, it’s making a comeback.

As a medium, print is seen as more trustworthy than digital media, and as a content marketing approach, it lends its credibility to the brand that sponsors it. Here are some measurable benefits that make custom publishing one of the most effective tools in a hospital marketer’s arsenal.

1. Brand differentiation

Print stands out. Because fewer brands publish print magazines than did in the past, the ones that do get noticed. An eye-catching magazine can enhance your hospital’s community profile more than the regular hospital newsletter and show prospective patients what’s unique about your hospital and its stories.

2. Message longevity

In the digital world, most content has a short shelf life. If your Facebook fans don’t see your posts within a day, it’s doubtful they’ll see them at all. With Twitter, that span shortens to minutes or even seconds during high-volume periods.

Compare that to a print magazine, which continues to accumulate readers long after publication, and the benefit is obvious. According to the MPA, magazines reach 80 percent of their audience ten weeks after they’re available, putting your message in front of new patients months

3. Market penetration

Social media gained popularity with marketers in part because it didn’t cost anything to put your message in front of your intended audience, but with algorithm changes that favor people over pages, that’s not the case anymore. Paid ads on social networks can help you reach more people but the costs can add up quickly.

Custom print media costs more than advertising on social media, but it offers exposure to your entire distribution list, something no digital ad platform can match. Count readers who share magazines with their families and friends and the ability of print to penetrate a market is unparalleled.

4. Digital growth

Need more traffic to your website? Run a magazine ad. It may sound counterintuitive, but magazines excel at driving digital traffic. Magazine ads inspire healthcare consumers to take action more than any other medium, and a custom magazine is the perfect vehicle for your hospital’s ads, repeatedly exposing readers to them and reinforcing them with relevant content.

5. Audience engagement

When Americans read magazines, they spend an average of 53 minutes reading each issue—much more time than they spend reading any online content. Compared to the 60–90 second micro-moments in which people interact with your brand on their phones, those 53 minutes are a huge opportunity to put your hospital’s message front and center for your ideal patients.

6. Consumer influence

Not every target consumer is the same. The best ones to reach are those whose knowledge and experience make their recommendations especially trusted by friends and family members. In the healthcare space, magazines reach those influential consumers more effectively than any other medium, exceeding the internet by 20 percentage points and close to doubling the reach of TV. When it comes to helping people live healthy lifestyles, magazines again exceed the internet by 20 percent and nearly triple the reach of TV ads.