Digital Advertising vs Traditional Advertising



Digital Marketing VS Traditional Advertising



“If You Build It They Will Come”.


It’s no secret, marketing works and has been proven effective for a very, very, very, long time. The core principles of advertising will always be vital and hold a place in communications and business in general. As time goes on new forms of marketing will rise up and prove more effective than the last. We have seen advertisements grow from posting fliers onto the wall to printing images in newspapers and publications that circulated worldwide. T.V. commercials transformed the industry when they finally were able to include images, motion, and sound into one medium as opposed to choosing between radio or print. And now were are seeing the next evolution of marketing; digital marketing. That doesn't mean that the traditional forms of marketing will no longer be effective. Not by any means. However, it does mean there is an exciting new frontier of marketing that is opening the floor to all businesses big or small.


The times they are a-changin’. Consumer’s attention is rapidly shifting away from billboards, newspapers, and even television screens. Their eyeballs are now fixed onto their smartphones and tablets. Scrolling through social media feeds and binge-watching their favorite shows. Technology has changed the way we consume media and thus how businesses market themselves to the masses. It’s not a secret. Over the last decade, marketing budgets have expanded to include digital marketing. It's hard to argue against the shift towards digital. 



What Is Traditional Marketing



Traditional marketing can very simply be defined as any type of marketing that IS NOT online. This includes billboards, T.V. commercials, radio ads, print ads (newspapers and magazines), direct mail, and phone calls. We all encounter some forms of traditional marketing every day, usually at a very high volume. We’ve just become desensitized to it because of the large number of advertisements we see daily. In fact, The University of Southern California published a report that on average we see roughly 5,000 advertisements a day. 


We are flooded with traditional advertisements daily because they work. That being said, in light of how technology is evolving, there are some limitations of traditional marketing. Especially when compared to digital marketing. 







What Is Digital Marketing

Remember that time you were shopping for a new pair of shoes. You surfed the web for 20 minutes or so and even checked 3 different retailers. You ultimately decided that you won't buy them right now and closed your computer, or more than likely just put your phone down. Then, as if someone had been watching you, you see the same shoes on your Facebook news feed. This time in the form of an ad...from all three different retailers! You make a joke “wow that's creepy” and just scroll past it. That is no coincidence, that is the power of digital marketing.


Simply put, digital marketing is marketing on any digital medium. The internet, smartphones, social networks, email, and even search engines. In the last decade or so has taken on a form all its own. Technology has seemingly connected everyone. Social networks now claim billions of unique users (Facebook claims 2.5 Billion monthly active users). And thanks to cookies and information tracking, big data allows digital advertisers to target potential consumers in a more detailed way than ever possible with traditional marketing. Digital marketing makes it easier to show your message to the right person at the right time. And because of these amazing social networks and programs the process to buy media space and create an eye-catching as is also easier than it has ever been. 


I know you’re no dummy, everyone knows what digital marketing is. But not everyone understands just how powerful it can be. Let's take a look at some of the benefits compared to traditional marketing:








Conclusion


For all of the reasons listed above and some others, digital marketing has helped marketers and businesses transform their marketing strategies. You no longer need a gigantic budget to reach a million people with your brand’s message. You don't have to go to a local T.V. station or a news organization to get your message out, you just need to open your computer. Technology is evolving every day and making marketing solutions more realistic and informative for businesses. Don’t turn your back on traditional forms of marketing but don’t let the future pass you up either.