Difference between digital marketing and traditional advertising and which of the two is preferred by costumers

Difference between digital marketing and traditional advertising and which of the two is preferred by costumers. The world of advertising has evolved on a large scale over the years. And yes, the digital age has greatly influenced these changes and innovations that it has gone through. To the point that, in recent years, it has been given more importance to digital advertising than traditional.

Traditional Advertising

Traditional advertising refers to that carried out or transmitted through media such as television, radio, written press, magazines, billboards on the street, means of transport, flyers, and pamphlets, among others. Which have been among us forever and still endure.

These persist because they offer to reach many people. Making them mass consumption media, one of the objectives that interests those responsible for advertising. Despite digitization and streaming channels that are increasingly occupying more space and importance, traditional media is still active. And working for the entertainment and attention of the viewer, with the percentage of people who watch television, for example. This is why renowned companies such as Coca-Cola, and Maggi, among others, continue betting on these. And keep creating suitable campaigns to broadcast on television, radio, or print media.

Advantages of traditional advertising

• It is far-reaching since most people have access to television channels. In contrast, not everyone has access to the Internet or a quality one at that. Or they simply do not have an affinity with streaming channels, among other digital options.

• There are face-to-face activities for advertising purposes. Such as tastings in supermarkets or shopping malls, which allow direct contact between the brand and the potential customer. Who may be inclined to make a purchase immediately after seeing the product live and direct. And at the same time, the brand has a presence, is noticed, and can engage with those who are there.

Disadvantages of traditional advertising

• The level of investment in radio and television is high, depending on the times you want to cover.
• The return on investment cannot be specified. Since it takes approximately 4 to 5 years, without the figures, it gives at the end being exact.
• Campaigns are not adjustable. In the case of launching a campaign containing an error, it is impossible to make corrections and broadcast it again. Because it would imply a greater investment and a valuable loss of time. It is not known precisely if it is possible to recover it later.
• Although you can reach everyone, you may not reach anything. Certainly, in traditional advertising, a large number of viewers are covered. However, because we do not have the possibility of segmenting in this type of advertising, we cannot precisely select who we want to capture. This could result in poorly elaborated and structured campaigns not achieving the stated objectives.

Digital Advertising

It is all that advertising carried out by digital means through the internet for the most part.

When we talk about digital media, we refer to social media, email, pages, and websites.

And any other platform that serves to receive and broadcast advertising campaigns in digital format.

Advantages of digital advertising

• It has a wide variety of formats to carry out advertising campaigns, which adapt to the different needs of customers.
• Thanks to these diverse formats, sharing quality and helpful information and content that can hook people and encourage a need to want more from that brand or company is possible.
• It is possible to apply various tools to know the tastes, preferences, and interests of the people with whom they interact. And thus, be able to better focus each campaign in favor of these people and those you want to reach. So that it would be a more a matter of quality than quantity. Some campaigns are accessible and low-cost depending on what you are looking for and need. You can publish according to many criteria and interests and advertise for days, weeks, or months according to your budget.
• It is possible to segment people to locate your target audience or target.
• bAn analysis of return on investment can be done through Google Analytics and Creator Studio tools. With this, you can make a more precise projection of spending and recovery and the campaign’s impact.
• There are tools to organize your paid campaigns that even help you by limiting the number of ads per day. And thus, prevent you from spending the money available.
• It allows you to obtain the metrics or statistics of the campaigns you are activating and the results you are throwing. Such as the interactions of each publication, which one has been liked more and which one less. And at what times there is more activity in an account, from which regions or countries see you more.
• Constant improvements. The digital world is in constant movement and transformation. It consequently seeks to improve to offer better products and results to companies and brands. As well as to optimize search engines and websites to be responsive and, of course, at the speed of a click.
• Another advantage and one that is a very flattering option for brands and businesses is the possibility of instant recommendation. An example is how we can immediately share accounts or products we see on Instagram with other people on social media. So that they know a specific place or object and, in this way, expand the field of action of the campaigns in the future.

Disadvantages of digital advertising

Well, its main characteristic or fundamental pillar has also been its biggest disadvantage: its dependence on the internet. To advertise in digital media, the internet is necessary.

As we indicated at the beginning, not all people are there, or they do not have an optimal quality of service to be able to access all types of digital advertising.

So, a campaign may be mainly for the inhabitants of a perhaps rural sector where the service is not optimal. Consequently, it will be a waste of resources as the message will not arrive adequately.

The union between traditional advertising and digital marketing

Both can go hand in hand, and in fact, they should. A business, brand, or company can employ both conventional and digital advertising strategies.

An example of this is the case of Coca-Cola, Movistar, and El Palacio de Hierro, who have a presence in traditional media, have physical store locations and participate in digital media.

For this reason, one complements the other concerning the types of the public that they can and cannot reach with certain strategies. As well as, it will depend on your objectives and the goals to achieve to define what type of advertising will be the most suitable for each.

And in this way, we can find companies that have a presence in both worlds. Coexisting their advertising plans in perfect harmony.

Difference between traditional and digital advertising

Once we know what each one is about and its advantages and disadvantages, we can conclude that both differ in the following:

• Traditional advertising has changed over time, not providing the same benefits as before. While digital marketing, thanks to the internet, allows an immediate and direct connection with people.
• Regarding attention, traditional advertising keeps the user attracted for a short period of time, in addition to presenting interruptions. At the same time, digital marketing is less invasive, creates valuable and viral content, and we can see it as often we want because it is always there.
• Traditional advertising is much more expensive, while digital marketing offers low-cost plans. And you can also publish for a defined period and pay only what you consume.
• A function of traditional advertising is to inform. While content marketing, in addition to informing, also seeks to impact.
• Other techniques complement content marketing. While in traditional advertising, there is only one use for each medium by which it is promoted.
• The main communication channels of traditional advertising are television, radio, press, printed publications, events, and billboards. And those of digital marketing are social media, pages, websites, and email marketing, among others.

Which is better, traditional or digital advertising?

The answer lies in a company or brand’s needs, the objectives it wants to meet, and the project it wants to start up.

It all depends on the strategy and the project. It seems that lately, investments in traditional advertising are losing steam, while investments in digital advertising are on the rise.

Likewise, it is necessary to analyze the public, the target, their preferences, tastes, and needs to know which strategy and means to opt for when choosing which will be the best for the business.

Both types of advertising provide benefits. You just have to be very thoughtful when choosing. And not do it by forcing a strategy that does not adapt to your guidelines. Contact us!

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