If you’re wondering if traditional advertising is still relevant in today’s digital world, the answer is… absolutely. In fact, for most businesses, advertising via radio, television, billboards, direct mail, and other types of traditional marketing, can help your digital advertising efforts really go the distance.
Studies have shown that traditional advertising is more memorable than digital, which makes sense when you consider that most of us can remember our favorite Super Bowl commercial much easier than the pop-up ad we just saw on our most visited website.
Traditional forms of advertising are budget-friendly, too, especially when compared to Google Ads, for example. If you’re in a competitive industry, advertising on Google, which uses an auction-style, pay-per-click strategy, can get very expensive when you’re bidding on top keywords.
Below, we’ve broken down some of the top reasons to choose traditional advertising (even over digital) to grow your business.
Traditional advertising is easy to understand. Traditional ads are universal and far-reaching. A flyer, for example, can provide simple and clear information that a person can read when they have time. And traditional advertising is especially effective for older generations who may not be as web savvy as younger customers who navigate the web with ease.
Traditional media is trusted. In an age of “fake news,” it can be difficult to know whether you’re reading an article, an ad, or a combination of both called an “advertorial.” This kind of subtle digital advertising doesn’t always work, as most people want to know when they’re being influenced by an ad. One thing for sure…When you read it in print, see it on a billboard or television, the creator has solidly committed to their pitch. Digital messaging and its A-B ad testing is effective toward analytics as it can be changed instantly as reaction dictates. Good for the advertiser in the near term, but the consumer is catching on that they are being toyed with, categorized and watched which is a whole different blog topic.
You can reach a local audience easier. If you’ve invested in digital ads lately, you probably noticed the huge emphasis on local targeting. In fact, Google has been working very hard to make sure Google Ads garner the best local results as possible.
With traditional media, however, no algorithms are needed. All you have to do is advertise on your local radio station, choose recipients in specific neighborhoods for direct mail, or advertise your product or service on a Metro bus or a billboard to reach a local audience.
You’ll have a new audience every day. When you advertise on a billboard, television, radio, or any place with high visibility and reach, you’ll have a new audience every day (or every hour). This can create greater brand awareness, establish credibility, and you’ll have the huge benefit of reaching a much broader demographic than you ever could with digital ads.
You can be more creative. One of the challenges that arises when you’re creating ads in the digital space is that you’re usually limited when it comes to content. If you’re building a simple text ad campaign in Google Ads, for example, you only get three lines of copy to work with. And if you’re investing in retargeting ads with an image, you can only choose a few photos, too.
With traditional advertising like direct mail, for example, you’ve got the room to really convey the benefits of your product or service. And, you can design ads that are fun, engaging, informative, and even educational.
It’s personal. Never underestimate the power of human connection. Consumers want to engage with businesses they believe have a personal interest in their well-being, and traditional advertising is a great way to establish this effectively.
If you shop at DSW, the popular shoe store, for example, you probably already know the power of personalized advertising thanks to their rewards program, which sends members a generous discount in the mail on their birthday. Consider taking advantage of email management software to send your customers and clients personalized mail on special occasions like their birthday or the anniversary of the first time they used your product or service.
Digital and traditional advertising work together
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with using digital advertising to promote your business. In fact, digital ads are a great way to drive visits to your website. Another benefit to using digital ads is that you can easily track conversions and measure an ad campaign’s success based on how people engaged with it. However, digital ads work best when accompanied by traditional forms of advertising.
From direct mail, to television and radio spots, to billboard and transit advertising, there are a variety of traditional media methods that can fit any budget and every type of business. And while we may be living in the age of Siri and Alexa, traditional media is definitely here to stay.