There is a debate brewing as to whether traditional marketing methods are still effective when compared to digital marketing.
There are so many ways to attract the attention and interest of customers and prospects that it can seem daunting to many small business owners.
Which type of marketing is best for you and your company is something only you can decide. It is critically important to establish KPIs and track them to determine what is most effective.
Digital Marketing
These strategies include the use of the Internet and smartphones. Common digital marketing methods include:
- Website content
- Email campaigns
- Content marketing
- Social media marketing
- Search engine optimization
With almost 5 billion active internet users and 4.6 billion social media users, digital marketing allows you to reach broad swaths of the population that were previously Inaccessible. Navigating this sea of information takes real expertise and many businesses turn to agencies like https://kingkong.co/ca/ppc-management-agency/ to help navigate successful digital marketing campaigns.
Digital marketing makes it easy to track audience involvement and collect information for future use. Digital marketing can be done for free or at very low cost in some instances. Email marketing campaigns are very low cost when compared to comparable direct mailing efforts.
Traditional Marketing
Traditional marketing has been the mainstay for marketing professionals for decades. There are still some audiences that prefer traditional marketing methods.
- Direct mail postcards, coupons and mailers
- Television or radio commercials
- Newspaper or print ads
- Billboards and fliers
- Phone calls and text
Not everything is rosy for digital advertisers. There are some shortcomings that smart digital advertisers pay attention to.
Many people complain of digital clutter that prevents them from reading an article, watching a video or browsing a website. It is very easy for a consumer to click through a digital ad or get turned off and leave the web page altogether. Studies have found that consumers are more likely to pay attention to traditional advertising methods.
Customers tend to trust traditional advertising methods over digital. Print advertising, television, direct mail and radio advertising all scored higher in trust factors in consumer surveys.
Podcasts are a rising phenomenon in advertising. They combine elements of traditional radio advertising and internet marketing. With over 100 million monthly listeners, podcasters exert enormous influence over their listener’s buying preference.
A savvy marketer or business owner is using a combination of digital and traditional marketing methods to drive sales and customer engagement in the future.
