If you’re a consumer, which would you prefer? Products you see online, like in facebook ads or recommended by google. Or maybe products you see in person like from flyers, banners, or even in custom masks – which you can see everyday now? Why?
There is still an ongoing debate online and in different social media platforms on whether marketing strategy works best in either digital marketing or print advertising. Almost everyone thinks that digital marketing is dominating the world of marketing and that print media barely exists nowadays.
In 2014, traditional marketing or print advertising had fallen almost one-hundred sixty percent (160%). In the same time, the costs and expenses in digital marketing increased by fourteen percent (14%).
But how can a business owner or a marketer know which marketing strategy should he or she invest more? First of all, let’s define what each marketing strategy is and what are their benefits and disadvantages.
What is traditional marketing?
Remember that day when marketers exerted efforts in brochure pens with logos, flyer printing and now even on custom masks? Those materials are the byproducts of this marketing strategy. Although, traditional marketing has other facets which include items like business cards and ads in the magazines and even in newspapers.
Aside from that, it may also comprise television and radio commercials, billboard ads, and other one-way communication marketing strategies. Everything that does not require digital means to advertise a product is nothing but traditional marketing. Word-of-the-mouth referrals and building relationships with them are also part of the traditional way of advertising.
What are the benefits and disadvantages of traditional marketing?
Because traditional marketing came first compared to the other one, it is more familiar to consumers. Also, people are more accustomed to this strategy. Ads in magazines and newspapers are still present nowadays. In addition to that, people still read these materials up to this date.
However, one of the primary disadvantages of this marketing strategy is that it only reaches the audience locally. Aside from that, it will be difficult to measure results real time, and sometimes, marketers cannot measure results at all. Most of the time, this type of strategy may be more expensive than that of digital marketing.
What we see nowadays as the biggest downside of traditional marketing is that there is no way to interact with your target market, unlike digital marketing. It’s more like throwing everything at the wall and hoping it would stick.
What is digital marketing?
On the other hand, here comes digital marketing. Well you see, the world of digital marketing has evolved and is still evolving continuously. As long as technology continues to develop, the digital way of marketing will as well. This marketing strategy includes website rankings, YouTube videos, and mentions in different social media platforms.
As a matter of fact, digital marketing shares the same goals with traditional advertising: to sell a product or service.
The only difference is that digital marketing uses digital media or channels to market what your company offers. For example, 24hourwristbands provides cheap custom printing options and other print media materials and tries to get customers through social media mentions and even website rankings.
Nonetheless, this type of marketing strategy is more like an inbound form. The efforts that the marketers are exerting are for your target audience to find them.
Companies create content or ads basically for the public to find their site online. People may locate you through a written content published on a blog or website, a social media mention, or maybe a paid search.
The more visible your content is to your target market, the more they become familiar with your brand. When this happens, this will build the public’s trust with your brand through its online presence.
What are the benefits and disadvantages of digital marketing?
One advantage of digital marketing is the measurable results in real time. Another one is that it reaches a local and global audience.
Well, you can create content that would reach your local target market, but you can also use this online to advertise your product globally. Although one of the disadvantages of using this type of marketing strategy is it would take time for you to look for the best practice for your business’s surefire success.
Takeaway
Although digital marketing seems to dominate the world now, we should still consider the advantages of traditional marketing. Some companies even integrate traditional marketing to digital advertising. After all, when it comes to business, there is no surefire formula or guide to success.