We are used to the familiar sight of billboards all over the highways with attractive captions to pique the interests of passers-by. There are also advertisements in between shows when we are watching television with our families on certain nights. Now, with the invention of the Internet and social media platforms, a lot of people have shifted their interests and the way they spend their leisure time. This is when digital marketing comes into play. Think of it this way: how many sponsored ads or marketing do you come across when you scroll through your social media feed?
We have seen the tremendous change of traditional marketing into modern ways of marketing, or it is better known as digital marketing. It is crucial to select the best marketing strategy that is effective to increase brand awareness. Before we dig into the differences between these two, let’s get into some basic ideas that need to be comprehended clearly.
What is Traditional Marketing?
Traditional marketing involves media that do not incorporate the use of the Internet such as newspapers, billboards, and televisions. They have been used as marketing methods for decades to relay messages to consumers. The oldest form of traditional marketing is printed advertising where the printed materials are distributed or displayed for people to see. Then, there is broadcast marketing which involves television and radio advertisements. Television has been one of the most reliable entertainment platforms before the existence of the Internet. Last but not least, traditional marketing includes telemarketing where it is an act of conveying sales messages to people over the phone in order to convince them about their products.
What is Digital Marketing?
When we talk about digital marketing, social media is probably the first thing that comes to mind. New trends and technology have pushed digital marketing to evolve rapidly. It is normal for a lot of people to use the Internet for hours daily. This is when digital marketing uses this advantage to weave into those channels and reach out to the target audience. Through these platforms, modern marketing has been taking customer experiences and building relationships with consumers seriously. Interacting with consumers is one of the effective ways to improve business strategies and increase sales. These marketing methods are not only used to achieve the goals of acquiring new customers and providing services to existing customers, but they also help in building customer relationships. With the Internet doubling its users over the past decade, this shift has greatly affected how people purchase products and interact with businesses.
Pros and Cons of Traditional Marketing
A lot of people would say traditional marketing is outdated and no longer relevant in our current time as compared to digital marketing. However, it is actually still effective and useful depending on your type of business and target audiences. To help you discern if this is the best option for your business, we are revealing some pros and cons of traditional marketing.
For one, traditional marketing is still by far the best method of reaching local audiences easily. Printed materials such as newspapers and flyers can help target the audience in specific areas or suburbs of where your business is located. Besides, through television and radio advertisements, businesses can reach those people who are not into modern gadgets, especially those who do not even own a smartphone.
Its biggest drawback? Traditional marketing has little to no engagement between businesses and consumers. It is more about providing information and waiting for the customers to come and purchase their products.
Pros and Cons of Digital Marketing
Many businesses have begun relying on digital marketing more and more, and it has been proven to help them successfully develop brand awareness and gain relationships with their customers. However, we might still want to discuss some areas where digital marketing strives and where it doesn’t.
Through social media platforms, it is so easy to connect with customers to ask for their feedback and opinions. This in return can help improve customer satisfaction through engagement with the business. A vast amount of audience can also be reached out regardless of their geographic location. Although, you can still personalize the content depending on some factors, so you will hit the right target audience.
The main drawback of digital marketing is when negative feedback is being publicly visible to other audiences. This can affect the business while risking it to lose its current and potential customers. A good and reliable expert who understands every nitty-gritty detail of the digital marketing world is truly needed by every company, and it can be expensive to employ such professionals.
Which One Works Best for You?
With the emerging trends of digital marketing now has to offer, there are many ways a business can use to attract the attention of their target audiences. It is vital to stay updated with the current trends and understand how the marketing world has evolved. When it comes to choosing the right marketing strategy, in-depth research and study of your business and your target audience is necessary to decide on the best option that is effective to help your business to strive.