The word marketing covers a broad spectrum of actions/strategies that are all associated with selling a company’s products or services. And while marketing and advertising are often seen together, marketing goes much further. Consumer research, product design and social media management are all different examples of marketing and are equally important for the success of your business. However, it’s essential to identify the difference between traditional marketing and digital marketing. Which strategy works best? What are the differences? When determining which marketing strategy is best for your organization, there are several points you should consider. At Digital Mules, we have put together a list of pros and cons to help you find the most effective marketing strategy for your business.
Traditional Or Digital: Which Fits Your Business Best?
What Is Traditional Marketing?
Traditional marketing is any marketing method that can be utilized without the internet. These strategies have been around for decades and are starting to lose popularity. However, that doesn’t mean they are useless forms of marketing. Commonly used traditional marketing methods include:
- Direct mail, pamphlets or coupons
- Newspaper or magazine ads
- Billboards or fliers
- TV or radio commercials
Whether you realize it or not, you see and hear many of these marketing strategies on a daily basis. For example, on the drive home from work you may see billboards or hear an ad on the radio. These traditional marketing techniques have become a part of daily life and continue to be a reliable form of marketing.
What Is Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing strategies encompass any form of marketing that requires the internet or smartphones. Although these strategies haven’t been around for as long, the new era of technology makes digital marketing the favorable choice for upcoming businesses. Typical digital marketing methods include:
- Email campaigns
- Clickable ads
- Social media posts
- Content marketing
- Website design
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
These strategies are popular today because of consumers’ frequent use of the internet. With the growing number of people who have smartphones and access to the internet, digital marketing is almost necessary for starting and growing a business in this day and age.
Pros Of Digital Marketing
For starters, digital marketing incurs a much lower cost than traditional marketing. Sending out email campaigns, for example, costs far less than a radio or television advertisement. The biggest advantage of digital marketing is that data and engagement can be tracked instantly. When someone visits your website, clicks on your ad or likes your post, that information is stored and can be tracked. Also, digital marketing allows you to reach millions of people around the world with the click of a button.
Pros Of Traditional Marketing
Traditional marketing is far better at reaching an older audience. These strategies are usually more effective for businesses trying to build a local following. A small, local business may have more luck with fliers, billboards and radio ads than fighting for space online against larger businesses. Also, one advantage of traditional marketing is that it can’t be “blocked” or “skipped” as digital marketing methods can.
Cons Of Digital Marketing
Again, some internet users have ad blockers so they’ll never see your pop-up ad. Another fault of digital marketing is that it needs to be constantly updated and reevaluated as new technology and trends emerge so frequently.
Cons Of Traditional Marketing
Many traditional marketing methods can be quite costly, such as printing thousands of fliers, and there is no guarantee that the recipient will be interested in your business. Furthermore, traditional marketing methods can take weeks or even months to yield results and data. Without conducting surveys, it’s almost impossible to determine how many people have seen your newspaper ad in the last week.
Full Service Digital Marketing Agency
No matter what direction your company chooses to take, marketing will always be essential to the success of your business. At Digital Mules, we take care of your company’s entire digital marketing needs so that you can focus on simply being the boss. Under your vision and with our expertise, we’ll work as an extension of your internal team to create and execute digital marketing strategies to grow your brand. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can carry the weight so you don’t have to!
