Printing-From the Development of Handwriting to Online Internet Advertising

Classified advertising has a 2,500 year history from the beginnings, when humanity was learning not only how to write it’s language but also how to read it, to the present day of the Internet marketplace.

In spite of what we have all been taught, printing did not start with Johannes Gutenberg in Germany about 1440-1450 although he was known for the invention of movable type. What made his work remarkable with such a social impact was that he developed a complete system of movable metal type, ink, paper, and the printing press.

No one would even suspect, or guess, it was the Chinese who first invented and utilized block printing in roughly 600 BC. They even progressed to printing with movable type, similar to Gutenberg, but abandoned it because it did not fit with their language and script. Later in 105 AD they also invented paper as a relatively cheap improvement over the common material, papyrus and velum (animal skins), which had been in use for quite some time.

In spite of their contributions it would be quite some time before any of these developments would progress to their utilization by businesses or the general populace.

Two evolutionary traits were necessary for printing to become a viable means of communication. The first was a society’s, or a race’s development of a written language. Strictly verbal communication was fine, however, it did not lend itself to mass communication. The second trait concerns literacy. It was just fine if the educated elite could write and also read their pronouncements, however, it was of not much use if the general populace could neither write but, more importantly, could not read what someone else had written.

Beginning in the 300-400 centuries AD many of the citizens were becoming familiar with reading and writing, particularly in the countries of China, Egypt, Rome, Greece, Japan and Arabia. And very few areas, even within this group, utilized mechanical printing at this time. Most communications were still hand written and, even though paper had been invented, most of the written word was still on papyrus and scribed on rolls or scrolls with one that originated in Egypt purported to be roughly 23 inches wide and 35 feet long.

Most all of the communications were in the form of books with all of the copies being hand written. It was suggested that the Imperial library of China contained 13,000 volumes.

Hand written and copied books were the main, if not the only means of creating books up until Gutenberg, even though the Chinese had invented a rudimentary method of mechanical printing. In fact the Arabs, who captured some Chinese familiar with paper making, passed this invention on to Europe and other countries but not any information on the printing process. This omission may have been due to their insistence that the Qur’an be hand copied, as it was up until 1825.

The books were primarily concerned with theology, religion, hymns, prayers, myths, legends, magic and medicine. As one could imagine none were widely disseminated and none became best sellers.

Again, as previously remarked, as the populous became familiar with writing and reading other venues of communication began to surface. The town crier was replaced with pamphlets and flyers. And, as government officials realized that the public could be considerably influenced by the written word they initiated news letters, news flyers and, after a time, these evolved into what we now call newspapers.

The earliest ones appeared in Rome and in, where else, China. The Rome one-100 A.D.- hand written, was issued daily and posted in prominent public places. The Chinese one came a bit later, 600 A.D., and again was either hand written or printed from wood blocks which they invented.

These early editions were primarily government issues, so to speak, and it would not be until the mid and late 1500’s that an independent newspaper became some what of a regular daily appearance in Europe.

An interesting sidelight. During the Venetian war with Turkey Venice issued regular news sheets to be read aloud with the cost of admission being one gazetta (about ¾ of a penny). Hence the derivation of the name Gazette in may newspaper titles today.

As somewhat scanty records would indicate, the first newspaper to contain “plenty” of advertising , the Daily Advertiser, was started in London in 1730.

On this side of the Atlantic, Pres. Andrew Jackson had 60 full time journalists on the government payroll. This purely disgusted James Bennett who in 1835 founded the New York Herald which was the first to proclaim complete independence from any political party. To indicate the demand for a totally unbiased reporting of the news, in a little over a year the Herald circulation was running near 40,000.

And, it did not take a genius to figure out, with such a large audience, that advertising became a mainstay of the newspaper industry. Both display and classified adverting grew enormously. The market was ripe for everything from houses, cars, boats and bicycles to dogs, cats, furniture, clothing and
restaurants and lodging-even paid announcements of marriages, anniversaries, births and birthdays and obituaries. Just because of the numbers and diversity of the markets almost nothing was exempt from appearing in newspaper advertising.

Newspapers very quickly realized paid subscriptions didn’t even cover the cost of the paper not to mention the other overhead costs of running a successful paper. In today’s papers, advertising, including inserts, comprises anywhere from 35 to 50 percent of the pages for their week day editions. Sunday editions most often will contain an even higher percentage of advertising.

With the advent of the Internet it was inevitable that this medium would become the new jackpot for classified advertising. Currently, there are literally 100’s of sites for an individual to advertise through. Not to sell your used car or your dining room set but to make bundles of money marketing digital products. Products like PLR, private label rights material which one can obtain free and then market through classified ads.

In the case of PLR’s, you receive all of the monies. In other cases, you simply refer a client to a provider of digital products, who handles the shipping and payments and you receive a percentage of the sale. In either case you are not out a dime and the only duty you have is to place free classified ads on the Internet.

Succinctly, with classified advertising an individual can enter their own business world with little or no financial outlay. The products are redily available and the customer base number in the thousands.

The program below provides you with literally thousands of free classified ad sites as well as tips and procedures for making your ads sell. You also have access to digital products which you can market as well as being able to develop you own free web site.

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