In today’s era of marketing and advertising, digital marketing has been rampantly used because of the technology and resources that come with it. Not mentioning the various platforms and ways on how this can be done with the Internet just at the tip of our hands. But have you ever wondered if traditional marketing is still being practiced these days? Definitely! Knowing why digital and traditional marketing still goes hand in hand today is something to be pondered upon especially if you are into business and entrepreneurship.
Definition: Traditional Marketing
Newspaper print ads, magazine publications, TV and radio advertisements, billboards, transit ads—these are just among what we call traditional marketing platforms and have been original starters for marketing to brand your product or logo. These ways are still being practiced today for a certain degree of marketing strategy.
Definition: Digital Marketing
Websites, social media, online videos such as Youtube or banner ads are just samples of digital marketing platforms. As long as it is anything digital, it is considered under this kind of marketing. In fact, in this digital age, this has become a more used strategy because of the widespread existence of the Internet.
Reach
The world has definitely transitioned into a very digital environment and marketing has been one of the many methods, which have shifted globally. But conventionally speaking, because of its longevity, traditional marketing is still being used up to date. It can continue to live up to its purpose by allowing customers to see ads in paper through brochures, magazines, or flyers circulating around, every day.
Traditional media can manifest by the daily instances of ads being played on radio, or the number of times it has been shown on TV through 30-seconder commercials, or the events you have been producing to allow customers to see what your products are in the flesh. Which means, this kind of marketing strategy, as information gaining is concerned, can still attract customers at some point.
Digitally, this can be done through online circulation such as social media, blogs, and Youtube videos. Advantageously enough, digital media is very much accessible since almost everyone is into this method of information-gaining. And with regard to information dissemination, customers can do a call into action like sharing the pages to their social media accounts and the like.
Costs
When it comes to costing, efficiently, digital marketing is more cost-effective. You only need access to the Internet such as a Wi-Fi connection, set up your own website, and update it regularly. Traditionally, this will cost a few more bucks for you to get someone’s attention. That is why digital marketing can help aid a company by strengthening its presence online and help you save up from the necessary traditional ways of marketing if needed.
Role Players
In traditional marketing, role key players are print media; TV networks, advertising agencies, and radio broadcast stations, or companies having physical retail stores. Campaigns are being circulated by partnered institutions for information dissemination and are often found beckoning on streets or maybe at the nearest magazine stand next to your office.
On the digital side, digital marketing firms, search engine optimization (SEO) companies or basically anyone who uses the Internet is spreading these. Digital marketing firms are one of the many sharing agents who can help spread a campaign into a phenomenal one. With having SEO in mind, optimizing your promotion can increase potential views and site traffics if well delivered.
With the use of the right keywords, valuable content, and extensive social media promotion, surely your information drive will not only boom across the online world but can also attract the traditional media practitioners because of its trending vibe online. And with its “news effect”, your message has become well-executed digitally and traditionally.
Here’s a video from Insivia quickly discussing an example of mixing digital and traditional marketing.
Achieving Goals
Both marketing strategies share similar goals. Digital marketing and traditional marketing build brand awareness to your niche market and are used to draw attention from qualified customers. These strategies work together and in effect, will produce powerful successful marketing results.
Having the right combination of using digital and traditional marketing is better than the sum of its parts. And there are a lot of instances that digital and traditional marketing can be used as partners in delivering messages across the globe. Take for example having a goal of selling products at a certain number this month. A business can start with a television ad that is strategically scheduled during a program watched by your target audience.
During your spot, you would include a call to action that encourages viewers to visit your website, where they could get a demo, or join a photo contest that has your products in it and have it featured on your website and win prizes, etc. By merging digital and traditional marketing, you are placing the right ad in front of the right people and giving them a reason to visit both your website and your physical store and eventually, buy your product then and there.
There are times when some businesses think of digital and traditional marketing bicker with each other, when in fact they complement each other to meet your unique objectives. Let your digital and traditional marketing work out to get the best possible results.
Branding Development
In today’s reality, even if you do not sell online, your business must be found online when a qualified local customer is reaching out to purchase. And having a well designed, regularly updated website with high-quality content is surely one of the best local brand-building investments you can make. It might not work much through traditional marketing but at least there is still an action from your customers on how they could access information regarding your product, which can be essentially managed through digital marketing.
Oftentimes, branding through traditional marketing can also help as you can immediately showcase your products, first-hand with your customers. Let us take for example; a leaflet is being given to a customer about an on-the-spot demonstration. It is a make or break move for you, but unless you make your ad a very attention-grabbing stint, then there is a big chance that your product will be noticed. After this, you can then attend to the customer’s questions right there and then. All you just need are the wits to explain to them what your product entirely is, how your product works, and how they could benefit from it.
Measurability
Tactically speaking, digital marketing has an edge when it comes to this aspect. But having a tangible presence through traditional marketing, it can help boost the effects of your online presence and quickly adapt your entire marketing strategy to take advantage of what’s working best.
It is easier to take note of the stats that can be produced from using digital marketing strategies and can give you a picture of how your website is working. But nevertheless, traditional marketing can still somehow play a role that digital marketing cannot do, and that is simply being present and tangible, in the flesh.
Practically, both strategies are very helpful. There may be downsides for both marketing strategies but the fact still remains that each strategy has its own unique way of attracting customers and that is the most important thing. All you need is to balance things out and eventually; you can get the hang of using both tactics to best serve your companies needs and goals.
