Are newspaper ads still worth it for auctions and estate sales?

For some sales, yes. Printed ads in local papers still reach older buyers, rural communities, and people who do not follow auction listings online. A short classified or display ad can be especially useful for real estate auctions, farm equipment sales, and sales where legal notice or wide local publication is expected.

The tradeoff is cost and reach. Print ads can be expensive for the space, and readership has declined in many areas. Most companies now treat newspapers as one piece of a broader plan rather than the main channel, and many papers also offer an online listing alongside the printed ad.

Test it. Ask bidders and shoppers how they heard about your sale, and track the answers over several events. If the newspaper brings in serious buyers for certain types of sales, keep using it for those and shift the rest of your budget elsewhere.