Digital Marketing Versus Traditional Marketing

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Do you know the difference between digital and traditional marketing – and why both are equally important? If your answer is ‘no’, read on, or risk being left behind. So you have heard of the Internet and now you think you’re up to date with the latest trend? Well, if that’s as far as you’re knowledge extends, you have got a lot to catch up on! Heard of SEO, Social media marketing, pay per click? If not, it’s time to get up to date, and quickly – your business depends on it! Business marketing is going through a significant and rapid change at the hands of the digital era – and right now, we are stuck in the period when it is vital for your success, your brand and your reach, to perfectly combine digital with traditional marketing.

What does traditional marketing include?

Traditional marketing is everything you have seen done in the past, above and below the line. It is the television ads, business cards, the print ads in the newspaper, promotions, brochures, posters and radio. It relies on technology we have had for some time, and while this technology is gradually becoming less popular, there are certain parts of your audience who will always prefer it! In general, while traditional marketing intends to provoke a response (this is its core purpose), largely, it does not offer the opportunity to be interactive and can be difficult to measure. How do you know how many people read your ad, saw your billboard, or watched television for that specific 30 second slot?

What does digital marketing encompass?

This is a difficult question to answer, because right now digital media is evolving rapidly and what it currently encompasses, and what it could encompass in just a week could be markedly different – the possibilities are endless! Right now, if you’re exploring digital marketing, you are looking at everything from your company’s website, through to banner ads (even moving videos) on sites relevant to your audience, rankings in search engines, mentions in social media, and company-owned social media pages, videos on the likes of YouTube, and a myriad of other media. The most exciting aspect of digital media is the majority of it is completely interactive.

With web 2.0 came the opportunity to provide your feedback and input on everything, to chat live to a consultant online, and to create an avatar that lives in a make-believe computer world. As web expands and evolves, interactivity is only increasing. What this means for your marketing, is that in some respects you are losing control – you can’t control everything consumers say about your brand. So increasingly, we are becoming more and more accountable for our businesses – essentially, if we make a brand promise, but don’t deliver on the front line, people will know!

How will this impact my marketing strategy?

The most you can know at this point is your marketing strategy needs to reflect both traditional and digital marketing tactics. It is still very important to maintain an element of face-to-face communication, to leave a business card, and to take advantage of publications that specifically target your audience and capture a strong readership.

At the same time, a business that does not have a strong website, will not survive. If you don’t understand the need for some sort of social media interaction and you don’t believe in online advertising, you will be left behind. While getting the experts on board in developing your strategy is highly important, it is also important you get up-to-date and develop even a small level of understanding of this new marketing era.

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