Newspaper bills - still worth the effort?

Once the streets of most towns were littered with them. They were different every day and for big occasions they hung from lampposts. They were powerful weapons in the endless quest to sell more newspapers. I am talking, of course, about newspaper bills. Nothing sums up the power of words better than a well-crafted bill. Five short words scribbled on a sheet of paper that make people change their minds - and walk into a shop and buy a newspaper. And unlike most marketing campaigns they could change each day, giving a sense of urgency. What other industry had the opportunity to get several different messages on the streets every single day?
But in these hi-tech days, where newspapers use social media to 'drive traffic' and where all journalists understand SEO, is the humble bill still relevant?
Here's my piece on bill-writing - including 21 tips - published in this week's InPublishing magazine.