What is the difference between digital and conventional marketing, and which one should you use? The age-old question on every marketer’s mind is how to choose the correct marketing type. Everything you need to know is right here.
What is digital marketing?
Put simply, digital marketing is using digital channels such as websites and social media as tools for marketing communication.
If you’re using social media you will be well versed in the adverts that pop up in your stream—that’s digital marketing.
Traditional marketing was pretty much the only sort of marketing available until the internet was developed in the 1990s.
What is traditional marketing?
Up until the development of the internet in the 1990’s, traditional marketing was pretty much the only type of marketing.
Digital marketing vs. traditional marketing: what’s the difference?
The method through which a marketing message reaches an audience is the primary difference between digital and conventional marketing. Digital marketing, on the other hand, employs digital media such as social media and websites instead of conventional media like magazines and newspapers.
Of course, just because something is traditional does not mean it is outdated. With the ever-increasing desire to leave the digital world, traditional marketing continues to play a vital role in people’s lives.
Digital marketing, on the other hand, is equally as crucial as traditional marketing, if not more so. To contact you, digital marketing exploits every touch point of your regular internet usage.
Using the internet for several hours each day is a common occurrence in most people’s lives. Digital marketing takes advantage of this by incorporating marketing messaging into every digital channel.
Traditional marketing: pros and cons
Traditional marketing is sometimes devalued by marketers as a result of the rise of social media. Traditional marketing, on the other hand, continues to play an important role in the lives of consumers. Your money could be well spent if you have the budget to advertise your campaigns in magazines and on prime time television.
Traditional marketing has become increasingly disregarded as social media has grown in popularity. Traditional marketing, on the other hand, continues to play a significant role in the lives of consumers. Your money could be well spent if you have the budget to promote your campaigns in magazines and on prime time television.
Traditional marketing channels include:
Outdoor (Billboards, bus/taxi wraps, posters etc)
Broadcasting (TV, Radio etc)
Print (Magazines, newspapers etc)
Direct Mail (catalogues etc)
Telemarketing (Phone, text message)
Window display and signs
Pros
- Insightful and simple to comprehend:
A visually attractive billboard or a compelling television commercial is a common occurrence in most people’s daily life. They’re simple to understand and frequently funny.
- Printed marketing materials have a longer shelf life.
If you place an advertisement in The New York Times, it will remain in the magazine until it is recycled. Which is fantastic if the customer is a serious collector.
- More enduring
Seeing something in person rather than on your phone increases the likelihood of remembering it. The excitement of new Super Bowl advertising or a stunning and outstanding window display is more likely to stick with you than an instagram ad that you’ll probably scroll through in seconds.
Cons:
- Campaigns are more difficult to evaluate.
Traditional marketing campaigns can be measured with brand trackers, but they aren’t nearly as in-depth or clever as the tools available for digital marketing.
- Frequently costly
If you’re a new brand, you probably don’t have the budget for a four-page spread in Vogue. Traditional marketing will set you back a significant amount of money.
- There is no direct contact with the customer.
You’re more or less in the dark regarding your audience’s reaction to your marketing efforts, unlike social media marketing.
Digital marketing: pros and cons
We can’t forget that we live in the internet age, no matter how effective traditional marketing is.
“Internet users now account for 57 percent of the global population,” according to ClickZ. Every day, Americans spend an average of 6 hours and 42 minutes online. By 2021, mobile is expected to account for 73 percent of all ecommerce sales.”
That’s a staggering amount of time and potential for some strategic internet marketing.
Check out Vistaprint’s Digital Marketing Guide for Small Businesses for advice on starting an effective digital marketing strategy.
Digital marketing channels include:
Social media (Facebook, Instagram etc)
Website
Content marketing
Affiliate marketing
Inbound marketing
Email marketing
PPC (pay per click
SEM (Search engine marketing)
Pros:
- More engagement options
You can directly see what your audience thinks of your brand and marketing activities through platforms like social media. You know you’re doing something well if your marketing is being shared, appreciated, and receiving a lot of favourable feedback.
- It’s simple to track the success of your efforts.
In contrast to traditional marketing, the details of digital marketing tracking are quite detailed. This makes your lessons for your future round of marketing activities crystal clear.
- Allows for more precise targeting.
If you have the resources to target a 29-year-old female writer who likes Lizzo and Guinness, then you must be able to develop properly targeted material.
Cons:
- Ads on the internet can be irritating
Consider the following scenario: you’re scrolling through your Facebook homepage, eager to see what your old school buddies are up to these days. Then you get the dreaded sponsored ad for an embarrassing disease you googled the night before. It’ll almost certainly make you despise the brand that’s doing the clever targeting.
- Less long-term
Digital marketing campaigns such as Google AdWords, banner ads, promotional emails, and social media ads can be transitory and ineffective. They’re intangible and easy to overlook. Your ad will be gone from your target audience’s screen if they keep scrolling or click to the next page.
- Constantly evolves:
There is a lot to understand in order to get the most out of your digital marketing efforts. From search engine marketing to social media, each channel usually requires its own expert to get the most bang for your dollars. A grassroots social media marketing approach, on the other hand, is a terrific place to start. For more information, see our digital marketing strategy guide.
In the end, both methods of marketing offer advantages and disadvantages, but the key is to understand your individual marketing needs, financial constraints, and target demographic.
