The Eastern

Shore of

Virginia's 

monthly 

advertising 

and marketing

solution. 

Eastern Shore First is a free monthly publication with a press run of 15,000 focusing on Accomack and Northampton counties on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

Because of its unique approach to advertising, Eastern Shore First provides value for those who want to reach consumers on the Eastern Shore.

It is committed to providing bargain advertising rates. Monthly rates are $200 for a quarter page, $300 for a half page and $500 for a full page for each edition. Annual advertising commitments and nonprofits get 10 percent off.

All advertisements are posted weekly on the Eastern Shore First Facebook page (5,000+ likes) and Eastern Shore First Twitter page (7,300+ likes). That weekly posting is provided at no additional cost.

Roughly half of the 15,000 copies is distributed on the Eastern Shore at the beginning of the month. The other half is distributed before the month’s second weekend. This ensures supplies are as ample as possible.

People can get an annual subscription (paying only for an envelope, first-class postage and handling) by sending $40 to Eastern Shore First, P.O. Box 47, Exmore, VA 23350.

All editions of Eastern Shore First also are uploaded to the website www.easternshorefirst.com.

The content of Eastern Shore First focuses on the attributes, people and unique character of the area. The goal is to have great story topics that make people want to read and enjoy Eastern Shore First — and that readership draws attention to the great advertising within its pages.

Those stories and a robust calendar of events give Eastern Shore First a month-long shelf life. The publication is not intended to be a “flip through and throw away” product. With plenty of live music, theatrical performances, community events, benefit dinners and more in the calendar, Eastern Shore First serves as a monthly guide to local life, businesses and people.

Eastern Shore First is part of Eastern Shore First LLC, owned by Ted Shockley. Ted worked as a reporter and editor on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Delmarva Peninsula. 

Eastern Shore First is a free monthly news magazine about the culture, arts, people, history and businesses of the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

We are dedicated to providing inexpensive, full-color advertisements and keepsake-worthy stories and photos about a truly special place. 

Our press run is 15,000 and we deliver in Northampton and Accomack counties, in several Virginia Beach locations and in Pocomoke City, Md. 

For story ideas or advertising inquiries, email ted@easternshorefirst or call 757-999-9919.

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FOR THE NOVEMBER 2017 EDITION, CLICK HERE

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Ted Shockley, publisher

Ted Shockley has worked in media on the Eastern Shore of Virginia since he was in high school. He is the former executive editor of a small city daily newspaper and its weekly publications in three states. 

This Is an Article.

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Print advertising shouldn't be difficult. We keep it simple.

So we don't charge extra for color — it's always free.

YOUR AD IN 30,000 MONTHLY COPIES FOR AS LOW AS $280!

Print publications that are correctly managed and focused get great results for advertisers. 

It's the big secret Big Media doesn't want you to know. Why? Publishing on the Internet is far less expensive than print publishing. Regional reporting is far less expensive than local reporting. But today, many media professionals know the complete shift away from print to online was a mistake.

SHORE DRIVE LIVING and EASTERN SHORE FIRST combine local coverage and local advertising to create popular, well-read publications that get results for advertisers. 

Big Media is all about it's own profit margin. Eastern Shore First and Shore Drive Living are all about ensuring your business meets its profit benchmarks.

Here's what happened to print:

THEIR PROBLEM: Print publications lost advertisers because they cut staff — which means they cut local inventory. Newspapers rely on reporters and advertisers to produce inventory: stories, photos, commentary. Fewer reporters mean less local news and more regional and national news, and local advertising only works when it is paired with local news. 

OUR SOLUTION: Shore Drive Living and Eastern Shore First, both free monthlies, dedicate themselves to hyperlocal, community-based stories and information you won't find anywhere else. A strong local inventory of stories creates an enthusiastic readership, which ensures advertisements are seen. 

THEIR PROBLEM: Successful print pubications serve a "community" — a geographic community or a community of interests. But the broader the community gets, the less applicable and relevant the information gets — people on the Eastern Shore of Virginia don't consider Maryland or Delaware news as local. People in northern Virginia Beach and northeastern Norfolk don't consider news from Chesapeake, Portsmouth or Suffolk as local. But as reporting staffs were cut, outside news took the place of local news.

OUR SOLUTION: Shore Drive Living and Eastern Shore First serve both geographic communities and communities of interest. The coverage areas are proud communities with people who have a profound interest in them. Stories are local and geared to serve these communities. That's a recipe for advertising results. 

THEIR PROBLEM: Online newspaper advertising has built-in barriers. Studies show online ads are a bother to readers. Online paywalls mean people must pay to look at your advertisement. 

Because online news is inherently urgent, readers want the breaking news on the Internet — and they will scroll past your advertisement is search of it. A 2016 survey showed 55 percent of viewers read a story for 15 seconds are fewer. Of that 15 seconds, how long do you think they focused on your advertisement, which accompanied the story?

Online advertising is also tone-deaf — do you really want your bank advertisement popping up on an online story about a bank robbery? Do you want an advertisment about your new bakery popping up on a story about a new diet craze? Do you want your bar and restaurant popping up on a story about a DUI crash?

OUR SOLUTION: In Shore Drive Living and Eastern Shore First, the advertisements last a month — they are monthly publicaitons. The advertisements are hand-placed in positions where they will get the most impact. The robust content and calendar of events ensures the publications will live on the coffee table or near the recliner for the entire month. Your advertisement will be seen repeatedly. Further, readers expect advertisements as part of a publication — they are part of the experience. Your advertisements are expected, not a nuisance.

THEIR PROBLEM: Just about every print and online publication puts stories on social media? Why? They want to boast about their "click rates," so they can sell more online advertising. If they were truly interested in your business, they would put YOUR ADS on their SOCIAL MEDIA pages. OUR SOLUTION: We're building our social media pages for Shore Drive Living and Eastern Shore First for one reason — to promote your ads. All print ads are posted for free several times each month on our social media pages. 

OUR SOLUTION: 

ASK ANY NEWSPAPER REPORTER, EDITOR, SALES REPRESENTATIVE OR PUBLISHER — CORPORATE INTERESTS AND STOCKHOLDERS KILLED PRINT COMMUNITY JOURNALISM, NOT THE INTERNET. THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, THE LOCAL COVERAGE AND THE COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE ENDED WHEN THEY CHOSE WEB NEWS OVER PRINT. THEIR WEBSITES ARE COLORFUL AND FANCY, BUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THEY TOLD A NICE STORY ON YOUR STREET OR IN YOUR TOWN?

ASK ANY NEWSPAPER REPORTER, EDITOR, SALES REPRESENTATIVE OR PUBLISHER — CORPORATE INTERESTS AND STOCKHOLDERS KILLED PRINT COMMUNITY JOURNALISM, NOT THE INTERNET. THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, THE LOCAL COVERAGE AND THE COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE ENDED WHEN THEY CHOSE WEB NEWS OVER PRINT. THEIR WEBSITES ARE COLORFUL AND FANCY, BUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THEY TOLD A NICE STORY ON YOUR STREET OR IN YOUR TOWN?

With Shore Drive Living and Eastern Shore First, we're showing them what they missed. 

FEBRUARY 2018: