Definition

Noun: A split run is a specific printing of a newspaper or magazine where different editorial content or advertisements are intentionally included in different portions of the print run, creating distinct editions. This is typically done for market testing, regional targeting, or A/B testing of content.

Usage

A "split run" is a technical term used primarily in publishing, printing, and marketing. It refers to the practice of producing multiple versions of a publication within a single print order. - It is used as a compound noun. - Common contexts include discussions of advertising strategies, circulation, and editorial experiments.

Examples

• The magazine conducted a split run to test which cover design sold better on newsstands.
• Advertisers often request a split run to target different customer demographics in separate regional editions.
• The results from the split run showed that the new headline significantly increased reader engagement.

Advanced Usage

• To buy/place an ad in a split run: This phrase describes the action of purchasing advertising space specifically within a split-run publication.
  • The company decided to buy an ad in a split run to compare response rates between two different ad copies.
• Split-run testing: A compound term referring to the methodology of using split runs for experimentation.
  • Split-run testing is a common practice in direct mail marketing.

Variants and Related Words

• Regional edition (n): A version of a publication customized for a specific geographic area, often produced via a split run.
• A/B test (n): A general method for comparing two versions of something, which in publishing can be executed through a split run.
• Split (v): To divide something into parts. The verb "split" is the root of this compound noun.

Synonyms

• Dual printing
• Multiple-edition run
• Test run (in a publishing context)

Related Phrases

• Split circulation: The distribution of the different editions produced by a split run.
  • The split circulation allowed them to gather precise data for the East and West Coast markets.

Noun

1. a print run of a newspaper during which some articles or advertisements are changed to produce a different edition