How to Advertise in U.K. Magazines

• Step 1

  Obtain media kits from prospective publications in the U.K. by emailing or calling a variety that interest you and are geared toward the clientele you're interested in attracting (see Resources for a link to a list of magazines). Be sensitive to time differences, and keep in mind calling rates. If a magazine is willing to mail a media kit to you, make sure that they are aware that you are based overseas. However, most of the kits and rates are available online, and these will give you an idea of the magazine's readership and how much is charged for ads and impressions, before you decide if you want to advertise with them. Consider different options, such as advertising with a magazine's online outlet, since magazine readership in the U.K. is in decline just like in the United States.

• Step 2

  Learn more about the culture and lifestyle in the U.K. For your ad to be effective, you need to speak to your target British audience. This means having the copy written in the British English style, or using words that are characteristically British. Familiarize yourself with U.K. publications to know where your ad will fit best. Also, keep in mind certain factors such as climate if you're advertising in a fashion magazine--you don't want to advertise for skimpy clothes in the middle of the cold season in the U.K.

• Step 3

  Decide what space size you're going to buy. Magazines have set boxes that they sell, and you fit your ad in these boxes. They do this to streamline ad sizes, and make it easier for them to accommodate multiple ads. Having irregular sizes will take up a lot of space and can create gaps on the paper that can instead be used for another ad. American magazines usually have their requirements in picas, but U.K. magazines take measurements in millimeters. You need to convert millimeters to pica if you have a pica ruler, or to inches if you have a regular ruler.

• Step 4

  Contact the publication itself if they only have a U.K. office, or the publication's branch office that's closest to you and tell them that you are looking to advertise with the U.K. magazine. Speaking with the ad representative at the branch closest to you may help connect you with someone in the magazine directly. Larger magazines may have a backlog of ads to place.

• Step 5

  Advertise in affiliate publications or smaller publications in the U.K. if the cost or wait is too great at larger magazines. Many magazines have smaller publications, such as supplements or classifieds. It's easier to get placement in these smaller publications because they have lower costs and there is less demand. Establishing a relationship with an ad representative in the U.K. advertising circuit will help you get placed in more high-profile magazines.

• 3
• Publication media kits U.K. newspapers and magazines list Information for your ad Regular ruler or pica ruler List of small U.K. publications
• Publication media kits
• U.K. newspapers and magazines list
• Information for your ad
• Regular ruler or pica ruler
• List of small U.K. publications

References & Resources

• Guide to U.K. Magazine Publishers
• Media Week U.K.: Seven Ages of Magazine Readers
• Fashion United: Magazine Readership
• Media U.K.: Magazine Directory
• Time Out Magazine U.K.: Sample Rates
• Telegraph U.K.: Sample Media Kit