What is a matrimonial newspaper advertisement?
A matrimonial ad in the newspaper typically includes age, educational qualifications, profession, income, religion/caste along with email or phone number of a person looking to get married.
While matrimonial advertisements in newspapers are popular in India, marriage classifieds did not originate in India!
Some of the earliest ads for brides were seen in England and the US.
In the 19th century, matrimonials ads in newspapers were widely published. These ads were usually from men looking for a bride. This is was considered to be a great alternative to find a match especially if the man was new to a place and did not have any social network. Women also used newspaper ads to find a husband.
Mimi Mathews, the author of books such as The Pug Who Bit Napoleon: Animal Tales of the 18th and 19th Centuries and A Victorian Lady's Guide to Fashion and Beauty, has published matrimonial ads from the 19th century in her blog post.
Even then, matchmakers were busy hunting for customers!
Here is an ad published in Omaha World Herald, on January 1900. This ad is from a matchmaker looking to sell his database of brides and grooms.
The ad claimed "Marry lovely women and honourable men. Many rich: Spend 2 cents for big list, descriptions, residence, mutual exchanges, Kansas City, MO."
Ever since they have remained a popular option for families to advertise their children's details for matchmaking.
Almost all major newspapers in India publish a matrimonial classified section and some of the newspapers even have their own matchmaking sites.
Let's look at how to create an attractive matrimonial ad and how to publish the ad in leading newspapers across India.
Step by step guide to writing a matrimonial advertisement in newspaper
Follow this guide to create your own matrimonial ad for newspapers.
You will learn about the information that you should include along with mistakes that you should avoid to get the most out of your matrimonial ad.
What is the ideal Matrimonial advertisement format?
There are two formats for matrimonial advertisements in newspapers:
Here is how they look in a newspaper.
Irrespective of the format you choose, matrimonial ads for newspapers should include the following details:
Display ad formats are visually appealing and allow you to stand out from the crowd. However, the cost of a display ad is more than the text ad.
Most serious readers will scan through all the ads irrespective of the format of the ad.
Templates for creating a matrimonial advertisement for newspapers
We created three separate templates for creating a matrimonial advertisement for newspaper.
Matrimonial Advertisement in Newspaper - Traditional Template
Traditional matrimonial ads have very specific details pertaining to partner expectations.
Religion/Caste/Gotra, age/height in centimetres, highest degree, job position at company/industry/private or public sector, location, salary per annum Seeks caste girl/bride, specific expectations pertaining to age, height, caste, employment status, family background, food habit and marital status.
Here are some examples.
Sample brides wanted newspaper ad - traditional templateIyer Atreya, 27/162 cm, BE, Software Engineer at Oracle, Chennai, 30 Lakhs/annum. Seeks Iyer girl, 25-27 years, above 150 cms, Chennai employed. Share biodata and horoscope sk1876@gmail.com,9005498498
Sample bridegroom wanted newspaper ad - traditional templateAgarwal-Bisa, 30/6ft, BBA, Businessman, High Net Worth, Delhi seeks Bania girl, 25-29 years, graduate, business family background, Send bio with pic WhatsApp 8240079500.
Matrimonial Advertisement in Newspaper - Cosmopolitan Template
The word 'cosmopolitan' means "familiar and at ease with different countries and cultures'. It also means cultured, refined, and mature.
Cosmopolitan matrimonial ads are typically advertisements that only ask for a broad match without specifying expectations around height, caste/religion, skin colour or any other detail (such as horoscope match)
Well-educated/Well-established/Broad-minded/family invite alliance for their <son/daughter>, age, education/profession, location, looking for a suitable match from <specific quality> groom/bride.Here are a couple of examples:
Matrimonial newspaper ad - Cosmopolitan bridegroom wantedWell educated Bengali family in Calcutta invite alliance for their 32-year-old, 5'6″ daughter. Sr. Manager at an MNC in Mumbai, IIM-A graduate seeking suitable, professionally successful grooms. rakta7@gmail.com
Matrimonial newspaper ad - Cosmopolitan bride wantedWell-established, Delhi-based, Rajput, 35 years, 6 ft, CEO of IT company seeking a well-educated bride with a broad-minded, pleasant personality. Caste no bar. Email profile to matriproj18@gmail.com
Template of a newspaper matrimonial ad for second marriage
Matrimonial ads are for second marriages are similar to 'cosmopolitan' ads as they often mention fewer 'demands' from either side. That doesn't mean they are fair. Some of the ads have one-sided demands, especially those from the grooms!
Here is a template that you can use.
Age/height, religion/caste, divorced education, profession, location, children, looking for a divorced/widowed groom/bride above/below age.
Here are a couple of examples based on the above templates.
Matrimonial ad for the second marriage of a divorced bride36/150 Hindu, Nadar, divorced, MBA, Chennai entrepreneur, 5-year-old daughter (full custody), seeking suitable match from divorced/widowed 36-40 years groom. Children OK. WhatsApp 9840179000.
Matrimonial ad for the second marriage of a divorced groom40/175cm seeking professionally qualified match for divorced, issueless, Hindu, CA, Consultant, high net worth, Hyderabad. Caste no bar. Divorced/widow with children OK. Email biodata to alok77@gmail.com.
What are the common abbreviations used in newspaper matrimonial ads?
Here are some of the common abbreviations used in newspaper matrimonial ads. Because every character costs money, abbreviations allow advertisers to pack in more information at a lower cost.
In addition to the above, abbreviations are also used for cities (DEL - Delhi, LKW - Lucknow) and castes/sects (KBJ - Kanyakubja).
Times of India is a popular newspaper for placing matrimonial ads. Ads are published every Sunday.
A matrimonial ad in Times in India can be placed by visiting Ads2book.
Follow these steps to book your matrimonial ad in Times of India.
Step 1: Choose either a text ad or a display ada. Text ads come in two types. ROL ad is a plain text ad. This is how most matrimonial ads are published. ROD ads allow you to highlight certain words in bold font to draw attention.
b. Display ads allow you to add colour backgrounds, images and font formatting to draw attention to your matrimonial advertisement.
Step 2: Select the newspaper, location, and ad packageIrrespective of which ad format you choose, you will be shown a screen where you have the option to select a newspaper.
Times of India belongs to the Times Group and you can choose to place an ad in any of the group's publications.
Now choose the locations you want to definitely include.
Finally, select the ad package. Package prices will differ based on the number of lines of text you can write as well as the cost of additional lines of text.
Now click on the red "Compose Ad" button.
Step 3: Compose the adFirst, select the basic category. Whether you are creating an ad for a groom or for a bride. Then select the secondary classification that's based on the profession, marital status, residence status (NRI), disability, religion, and caste.
Directly type the ad in the "Compose Ad" text area so that you avoid the chances of adding special characters that may not be printed correctly.
You can choose "Standard" or "High" under "Ad Visbility". Choosing "High" will underline your ad and make it stand out from the other ads.
Now you can select the date when you want your ad to show up and then proceed to payment. The total approximate cost of your ad is shown before you make the payment.
Step 4: Preview and paymentBefore making the payment, you can preview your ad as you will see it in print.
Here is how the preview will be shown.
If all of these steps seem difficult, you can also call them and place the ad via phone.
The numbers to call are 98107 64650 and 98109 86140.
Click here to download the latest rate card for placing a matrimonial ad in Times of India and it's associated regional newspapers/publications.
The above rate card also has detailed add-on costs for additional ad options.
In addition to printed paper, Times of India Matrimonial ePaper is also available online for everyone to access free of cost.
The Hindu Sunday Classifieds is popular among the well-educated, English-speaking audience. The matrimonial classifieds section is also published on Sundays and you can book an ad using their online ad booking application.
You can access the online ad booking application here.
Step 1: Select "Matrimonial" classifieds adThere is no rate card and the pricing is based on the number of characters and number of lines.
First, select the "Matrimonial" option from the list of classified ad types and select either a text ad or a display ad format.
Hindu has three options to choose from:
1. The Hindu -English
2. The Hindu - Tamil
3. BusinessLine
Now select the relevant categories - "Week-End" and "Matrimonial" if you have selected the Hindu. For BusinessLine alone, you will see "Week Day" as the option to select.
Now select the sub-categories and groups where you want your ad to be placed.
The subcategories are first to identify whether your ad will show up in Brides Wanted or Bridegrooms Wanted sections.
Additionally, you can select a category that is based on region (language/location/State), profession, marital status, cosmopolitan, physical disability.
Now compose the ad in the text area and choose to bold certain words or change the background colour of the ad.
You can now preview the ad as it appears in the newspaper as shown below.
If you have selected display ads, you can upload your own ad in a PDF format. The guidelines for creating your own display ad is as below.
Step 4: Schedule your adsThere is no option to compose a display ad in the Hindu matrimonial classifieds.
Now select the dates when you want your ad to be published. You can publish your ad any number of times!
Finally, you get to see your payment summary before you move to the payment gateway.
You can get in touch with the Hindu ad booking team by calling their toll free number 1800 3070 0404 or submit the online form that opens up when you click on "Get in touch" on the right side of the screen.
The Hindu doesn't publish a rate card. Third-party advertisement booking companies publish them.
To publish your matrimonial ad in Hindustan Times matrimonial page you can send them an email (htseal@hindustantimes.com with your ad content.
Their ad sales team will email you the prices for the various ad packages.
These packages include a different combination of publications (locations) with the option to get your ad published in four consecutive Sunday prints for an additional cost.
Payment can be made via bank transfer or through credit or debit card. They will be happy to collect payment from your home.
Hindustan Times matrimonial epaper is available free of cost and that's always beneficial for advertisers.
First published in 1923, Mathrubhumi is a popular Malayalam language newspaper. The newspaper also publishes in major metro cities as well as the Gulf to cater to the Keralites who are living outside Kerala.
Matrimonial classifieds are published every Sunday.
You can visit BookMyAd to compose and publish your matrimonial ad.
Step 1: Select matrimonial classifiedsFollow these steps to get your ad published on Mathrubhumi.
From the homepage, select matrimonial classifieds by first choosing the sub-category (Brides Wanted, Grooms Wanted, Brides/Grooms Wanted, General).
The second step would be to compose your ad. The newspaper can publish your ad in English or Malayalam. Malayalam text can be composed elsewhere and copied into to the text area.
Mathrubhumi recommends composing the ad in Malayalam using Google Input Tools. Once the ad is composed, you can add a headline for an additional fee.
Once the headline and the ad is complete, you can either select an ad package or select the editions in which the marriage classifieds ad will be published.
Finally, select the date or dates on which your ad will be published.
A few more points to note:
1. You can pay an additional fee to highlight certain words in bold.
2. Mathrubhumi will not publish your ad if you include your profile ID from matrimonial sites such as Shaadi.com or Bharatmatrimony.com.
3. You need to upload a Government approved ID proof (PAN Card, Aadhaar Card, Drivers License, Voter ID).
Mathrubhumi's matrimonial classified rate card is published online. You can find it here.
If you need support, you can email online@mpp.co.in.
Step 1: Choose matrimonial classifieds Malayala Manorama is one of the oldest regional language publications in India. First published in 1988, Malayala Manorama is a leading newspaper and magazine in Kerela. They also publish in Hindi (Vanitha) and English (The Week).
Follow these steps to book your Malayala Manorama matrimonial classifieds ad.
First, visit the Manorama Classifieds website and click on the red "Book My Ad" button under "Matrimonial".
You will need an account with Malayala Manorama to create your matrimonial ad. You can sign up using your social media credentials or by using your email.
Step 3: Choose ad delivery optionYou will be asked to verify your email address and phone number so please make sure you use a valid email address and phone number when you create a new account.
Once you verify your contact information, you are prompted to provide your address as well!
Malayala Manorama gives you three options to choose from:
Step 4: Select text or display ad1. Print only ad
2. Online only ad
3. Print and Online ad
Select an option. We selected the print-only option.
Step 5: Composing text adNow, select either a text ad or a display ad.
Composing text ads is based on templates available. Select a template and you can fill in the blank boxes as per the template. You cannot change the format once a template is chosen. You can choose to leave it blank or you can change the content completely in a subsequent screen.
In the next screen, you have the option to change your content or even type the content in Malayalam using the Google Input Tools.
Once this is done, you can choose to add a headline for an additional cost, include special symbols to attract attention, choose the publications, dates, and calculate the total cost of your ad. The preview of the matrimonial ad is also displayed on the same page.
Finally, you are asked to upload ID proof before you can make the payment.
If you choose to go for display ads, Malayala Manorama gives you two options.
1. You can compose the display ad based on a couple of templates they have.
2. You can upload a display ad you may have created as long as it meets their publishing guidelines.
If you need help, you can email Malayala Monorama at mmclassifieds@mm.co.in or call +91 9496262000
Amar Ujala is one of the largest newspapers in India in terms of circulation and is published in the Hindi language. Amar Ujala matrimonial ads are published on Sundays.
To place your matrimonial ad in Amar Ujala, you have two options:
1. Directly visit one of their offices and place an ad.
2. Click here to get a list of all their offices and their address.
The other option is to use online third-party ad publishing companies such as releaseMyAd and Ad2Publish.
We will review both these options in separately.
Amar Ujala Matrimonial ePaper is also available and could potentially increase your chances of getting more responses.
According to Wikipedia, Dainik Jagran is India's largest newspaper by circulation. Headquartered in Kanpur, Dainik Jagran publishes matrimonial classifieds every Sunday.
Step 1: Create your matrimonial adMatrimonial advertisement in Dainik Jagran can be published by visiting their ad booking site.
Click here to visit the ad booking site.
Here are the steps to book your matrimonial ad on Dainik Jagran.
First select the sub-category (Brides and Bridegrooms wanted) and additional category that's based on caste, region (language), and profession.
Then compose your ad. You can just click on the sample ads to get the sample in the text editor. You can then customise the sample to your requirement.
Step 2: Preview and payClick on the Preview button to view your ad as it will appear in the newspaper.
Choose your package and apply optional extras such as bold, border, shehnai icon, colour and PO Box for contact.
Finally, select the dates and proceed to payment!
Now you can preview your ad, category and total price before you proceed to payment.
The rates for classified ads on Dainik Jagran (and this includes matrimonial classifieds ads as well) is available here.
Indian Express Matrimonial Classifieds
Indian Express is a well-known English language publication that now publishes in Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi and Bengali.
1. Make sure your contact number or email address is correct. A mistake in any one of these is money down the drain. 2. Keep a separate email id and telephone number for matrimonial ads. You never know who will call you or email you. 3. Use the email address to share details about the bride or the groom. Example, create an email address such iyer32nri@gmail.com to indicate your caste, age and location. 4. While you may want to save money by using abbreviations, please do not forget the purpose of the ad i.e to maximise responses. Don't go crazy with abbreviations. 5. Pick the right newspaper for placing your matrimonial ad. Don't publish your ad in a newspaper if the readership base doesn't include the kind of matches you are looking for! 6. Consider placing the ad in regional languages as well. Remember, your ad could be seen not only by the prospective match's parents but also by their relatives. 7. Make sure your ad is reasonable and not funny. The last thing you want is your ad being listed among the craziest matrimonial ads list!They do not have direct online booking option. You can use third-party service providers like releaseMyAd or Ads2Publish.
You can also call visit the local Indian Express office to book an ad. However, if there are multiple local offices in your city, you will have to first figure out where the booking can be done. This might require multiple phone calls as this information is not easy to get even from their office!