(Last Updated On: January 9, 2022)

There used to be a saying that you start your day with a cup of tea and a newspaper. It won’t be wrong to call the newspaper an oldie smartphone. From book-store to paper bin, home-balcony to the waiting room, it’s the newspaper in common.

However, nowadays, it’s dramatic that a newspaper is not necessarily made of paper anymore. That’s already an old story to tell. People now seek to know everything instantly.

One of the only options they’ve got is the online news update. Now you don’t just start your day with a newspaper, but walk with it (online newspaper).

So what’s the difference between online and printed newspaper?

Difference between online and printed newspapers

It’s often amazing to discover the coexistence of renovation and fixity. Today, it’s the newspaper. So, it’s time to anchor at the polar straight and distinguish among online and printed newspapers.

Readers

Some business never stops, no matter how much technology grows. People still prefer paper over the screen, and their percentage is still massive. So, here, the readers create the boundary of preference between the 2 media.

Despite being the delivery of same news, comparatively older people will go for printed edition whereas young generation like to scroll in the web.

Portability

Both the online and printed version have pros and cons in carrying or fetching. The printed newspaper is light to carry yet sensitive to environs.

One needs to carry an electrical device, have a power source and internet connection for an online newspaper.

Space

The printed newspaper has limited space for the contents. Online editions have the flexibility to fit the sections with different designs and formats and make them more readers friendly.

Sourcing/ Referencing

Printed newspaper edition needs to follow strict rules regarding the news source. It’s not always easy for the readers to verify the information. On the other hand, the online newspaper has room for verifying the source material easily by just a hyperlink.

Interaction

The immediate response is not possible from the printed-version readers. And once they have any opinion or remarks, that is published at a later date. Online newspaper sites allow their visitors to participate in polls and leave fresh comments.

Update

There is a specific time after the printed copy of a daily newspaper copy is available. It will take at least an hour or more. The online newspaper provides an immediate update of news and can revise any false news published.

Time-spending

A reader spends an average of 2 minutes on an online newspaper site. So, the content requires some basic formats to attract them, make them read more. These are- short sentences, shorter segments, etc.

Printed newspapers have comparatively extensive sections in the same structure. Comparatively, people spend a longer time with printed additions.

Readers Attention

It’s tough for online newspapers to catch the readers’ attention. The reason is- people go through several contents every day and experience diversity and integration in graphics and ads.

So, it requires time and works to grab and sustain the readers’ interest. Printed editions don’t have this curb. One of the main reasons behind this is- the readers are normally loyal customers.

SEO (Search engine Optimization)

There is no need to work for search engines for the printed edition. People already have their newspapers in their choice and will get them soon anyway.

But, like other online content, the newspaper is supposed to reach the search list. So, SEO optimization is recommended for the printed version of a newspaper. 

Readability

People read in electronic media differently. It is easy for them to feel demotivated soon and stop reading. There is always the challenge of writing for online readers.

The authority may apply drastic changes, like adding sub-headings, bullet points, and other optimization to make it compatible. Regardless, the overall content remains the same.

There is more chance regarding online newspapers that readers can switch or read multiple newspapers. So, it’s not the same business as the printed one.

Last Words

Newspaper makes readers, and to some readers, the newspaper is the choice. There is nothing to argue over effectiveness or standard but the selection, ease of use and habit. All of them depend on the variation in nature of these 2 version. That’s what the difference between online and printed newspapers conveys.

Interestingly, the difference doesn’t divide the readers into separate communities. Rather, we often use both channels. It is simply understandable that time, place, and situation change people’s tastes and the way of choosing, both permanently and temporarily. There is no practice or trend visible yet to choose between these 2. It’s all the same for an individual newspaper. Thus, here’s a similarity we‘ve found in the end.