Is There Still a Place for Traditional Marketing?
It’s easy to think that traditional marketing and digital marketing are at odds with one another, with digital being superior. We tend to think of them in binary terms: past v. present, dated v. modern, less effective v. more effective.
Data suggests that such a black and white view of traditional and digital marketing can do a disservice to businesses. On the digital marketing side, pay-per-click (PPC) ads deliver a 200% ROI rate. However, ads that engender the most consumer trust are from traditional marketing sources. Print ads win the trust of 82% of consumers, followed by ads from television, direct mail, and radio.
In short, traditional marketing is still needed. Marketers can use both digital and traditional methods to promote their businesses even more effectively than by just employing one type of marketing.
Traditional Marketing
Simply put, traditional marketing methods are the ones you cannot find online. Rather, they are ones that you can hear, touch, or see in the physical world. This includes print ads, billboards, direct mailings, radio ads, flags, banners, event booths, and more.
Though more than half of successful marketers prioritize digital marketing, traditional marketing has stood the test of time for hundreds of years. It possesses an inherent familiarity and trustworthiness that digital marketing just can’t match. Furthermore, traditional marketing can benefit brands in many ways, such as:
Reaching audiences that typically don’t spend a lot of time online. Many consumers are tired of the digital clutter they see every day. Additionally, some demographics just aren’t interested or able to go online. Traditional ads can reach both of these groups.
Marketing to audiences without the worry of technology issues or data security concerns.
Elongating the lifespan of print or mail campaigns. This type of collateral is physical and can be saved by consumers.
Grabbing the attention of target consumers who are numb to constant online ads. 64% of users installed an ad blocker because they view online ads as annoying and intrusive.
Appealing to your audience without relying on third-party cookies. Google intends to phase-out third-party cookies by the end of 2023. More than half of marketers are already preparing by investing in innovative ways to engage with their customers. Traditional methods offer great ways to do that.
Digital Marketing
On the other hand, digital marketing happens exclusively online. Tactics include pay-per-click (PPC) ads, social media ads, email marketing, content marketing, and more.
Unlike traditional marketing, digital marketing is essential to the success of your business. More than 80% of consumers go online to research a product or service before making a purchase. Additionally, 68% of marketers reported that their paid advertising campaign is a “very important” or “extremely important” part of their company’s marketing strategy.
If your company does not use digital marketing in some way, you’re likely losing customers to competitors. Aside from enabling you to surpass the competition, digital marketing offers many additional benefits. Through digital methods, you can:
Strengthen relationships with your target audience. Consumers can respond to your emails and social media posts via replies, comments, and direct messages. This real-time communication can help speed up purchasing decisions and give you intel into the needs and pain-points of your audience.
Track data easily and make improvements. With data tracking built into so many digital platforms, it’s easy to monitor the success of your campaign. If you’re not seeing great results, you can tweak your ad collateral or landing page in real time to improve their effectiveness.
Spend less of your marketing budget. Print ads can run anywhere from $2,000-$160,000, while online campaigns require a fraction of that cost.
Traditional & Digital Marketing Working Together
Remember, both traditional and digital marketing tactics offer unique benefits. They are not necessarily meant to compete. Rather, traditional and digital marketing can complement one another to create an air-tight marketing strategy.
Here are a few ways that traditional and digital marketing can work together:
Include a QR or coupon code on your print ads. Customers can use the code to capture a special discount or deal, and learn more about your brand.
Follow up with leads from an in-person event. Email them with a free lead magnet, providing immense value while also promoting your company.
Create a print and digital version of your ads. Target each version of the ad to the appropriate audience. For example, you can run your ad on Instagram to capture customers who are 25-34 years old, as well as a print ad in a magazine to capture an older audience.
Invest in podcast ads. While podcasts fall under the digital media category, they don’t automatically appear in front of customers online. Rather, customers listen to and typically trust podcast hosts. In 2020, 49% of listeners reported that their opinion of a company is more positive when mentioned on a podcast they follow regularly.
Focus on making consumers feel loved. Identify ways your brand can demonstrate appreciation for customers. Then, choose the most effective methods to do so—digital, traditional, or a mix.
