Table of Contents

Introduction

How Do I Place an Ad in Times of India?

Step 1: Choose Your Ad Category

Step 2: Choose Classified Text, Classified Display, or Main-Paper Display

Step 3: Choose Your Edition and Publication Date

Step 4: Submit Your Ad Content or Creative

Step 5: Confirm Payment

Step 6: Receive Your Tearsheet

How Long Does the Whole Process Take?

Should I Book Directly With Times of India or Through an Agency?

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Introduction

Most first-time advertisers face the same problem when they try to place a Times of India advertisement. The newspaper has multiple categories, city editions, supplements, and rate cards, which makes the booking process confusing without the right information. A Google search shows prices and details that no longer match the current rates. This guide explains the complete process in order, from choosing the right advertisement option to seeing your ad in print.

How Do I Place an Ad in Times of India?

Placing a Times of India ad follows six steps. You start by choosing the ad category, then select the format that fits your requirement, such as classified text, classified display, or main-paper display. After that, choose the edition and publication date, submit the ad content or creative, complete the payment, and receive the published tearsheet. A standard classified booking through an authorised agency moves from the first inquiry to publication within 2–4 days. Urgent categories can move on a shorter timeline when they meet the same-day cutoff.

Step 1: Choose Your Ad Category

Times of India offers several advertising categories, and each one comes with its own placement options, rate structure, and supplement choices:

• Matrimonial — runs strongest in the Sunday Times Soulmate section.
• Recruitment — runs in Times Ascent, published every Wednesday.
• Property — runs in the Times Property supplement, strongest on Sunday.
• Obituary — published daily on a dedicated page at a concessional rate.
• Name change / legal notices — accepted any day, but require supporting documentation (an affidavit copy for name change).
• Business, tender, and public notice — often placed through the Business by Bids supplement.
• Education — runs with Education Times, published Mondays, strongest around admission season.
• Lost and found, personal announcements, services — standard classified categories.

Choosing the right category at the beginning matters because it decides where your ad appears and which audience sees it.

Step 2: Choose Classified Text, Classified Display, or Main-Paper Display

Classified text — plain text, priced per word or line, the most economical format; suited to name change notices, job listings, matrimonial ads, and most personal announcements.

Classified display — includes your logo, images, or basic design within the classified section, priced per square centimetre with a 3×5 cm minimum; suited to recruitment ads that need a company logo or property listings that benefit from a photo.

Main-paper display — large-format ads running alongside editorial content, from a small box ad up to a full page or front-page jacket; suited to brand campaigns and major announcements, priced at a significant premium over classified formats.

For most individual and small-business bookings, such as a job opening, name change, or property listing, classified text or classified display is enough. Main-paper display belongs to a different budget range, with prominent positions reaching lakhs.

Step 3: Choose Your Edition and Publication Date

Times of India publishes separate editions for Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, and many Tier-2 cities, with a different rate card for each market. Advertisers can choose a single edition, a metro combo, a regional package, or an All-India national package based on the audience they want to reach.

The right publication date matters just as much as the edition you choose. Each category has its own preferred window. Recruitment ads get better placement with Wednesday Times Ascent or Sunday editions, property ads run with the Sunday Times Property supplement, and matrimonial ads appear in the Sunday Times Soulmate supplement. Choose a different date, and a category-specific ad may move to the general classified section instead, where it may miss the readers most interested in that category.

Step 4: Submit Your Ad Content or Creative

Classified text ads need only the right wording, which you can prepare yourself or create with help from the booking platform or agency at no extra charge. Display ads follow a different process. You need to submit your creative in high-resolution PDF, JPEG, TIFF, or EPS format, and the agency shares a design proof for your approval before sending it for print.

Plan your booking at least 2–3 days before the publication date for a standard Times of India ad. Some categories follow their own deadlines; for example, Times Ascent closes Wednesday publication bookings on Monday by 4 PM. Name change and legal notices also require an affidavit copy along with the ad content.

Step 5: Confirm Payment

Most agency platforms accept UPI, NEFT, credit or debit card, and cheque payments, with booking confirmation and a GST invoice after the transaction. Online booking through an authorised agency can save 15–50% compared with newspaper office counter rates because agencies use negotiated bulk rates.

Step 6: Receive Your Tearsheet

Once your ad appears in the newspaper, the agency provides a PDF tearsheet, which contains a scanned copy of the published page with your advertisement. This document confirms that the ad ran as booked and serves as proof for legal records, regulatory filings, or your own reference.

How Long Does the Whole Process Take?

A standard classified booking can move from the first inquiry to a quote within a few hours. Once you approve the booking and submit the content, the ad appears within 2–4 days. The timeline may change during busy periods, such as education admission season or matrimonial festival periods, or when you need a specific publication date.

Urgent categories such as obituary notices and tender deadlines may qualify for same-day or next-day release. These requests need confirmation against the newspaper's cutoff time, because a missed deadline moves the advertisement to the next available slot.

Should I Book Directly With Times of India or Through an Agency?

You can book a Times of India advertisement either through the newspaper directly or through an authorised agency. Most individuals and businesses choose agencies because they provide negotiated rates below the public counter rate and manage category-specific requirements such as documentation, formatting, and deadline tracking. Direct booking works better for large, ongoing brand campaigns where an in-house media buying team already handles the newspaper relationship.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion: The Process Is Simple Once You Know the Steps

Booking a Times of India ad involves more than selecting a category and sending the content. First-time advertisers need to get several details right, including the category, format, edition, timing, and submission requirements. Follow the six steps in order, and the booking process takes a few hours of your time, with publication in 2–4 days.

Next steps:

• Identify your category and the right supplement for it
• Choose classified text, classified display, or main-paper display based on your budget and goal
• Submit at least 2–3 days ahead of your target publication date
• Book your Times of India ad today with Riyo Advertising, and let our team handle every step, from category selection and rate negotiation to creative review and submission. We check every detail before sending your ad for publication, helping you avoid common booking mistakes.