What is Digital Marketing? 

Put simply, digital marketing is where you take digital channels such as social media, websites, or screen displays spread throughout places such as malls or retail stores, and use these outlets as tools for marketing communications.

Ok, so then what is traditional marketing? 

Traditional marketing on the other hand involves traditional channels such as printed media or billboards. Up until the 1990s, traditional marketing was very much the only real form of marketing in general. It is still used today but its reach is very limited when compared to the power of digital marketing.

So, what is the difference? 

The main difference between digital and traditional marketing is the medium through which an audience encounters a marketing message. While traditional marketing uses media such as magazines and newspapers, digital goes more through the route of social media and websites.

Traditional marketing is not yet obsolete, and still plays a role in today’s society but the means of reaching out to as many potential clients or buyers will be severely hurt if this is the only method you choose to get in front of people. The power of digital marketing is causing everyone to shift into using it due to its reach and the ability to keep costs low.

Are there disadvantages to either? 

There are a few disadvantages to traditional marketing. First, businesses have little to no interaction with the consumers they are selling their products in real-time. You can’t Twitter DM a Macy’s ad to ask if the grey duvet covers will be available in your store.

Some marketers also see traditional marketing as unreliable. You can’t edit a print ad once it’s out. So, if you recorded the wrong percentage discount on that sale radio ad you recorded, you can’t change it.

Traditional marketing can also be pricier. For instance, it can cost between $2,000-$160,000 to run a print ad. Further, you never know who you’ll reach with that investment because results are difficult to measure. Marketers can’t drive more people to read The New Yorker or watch “The Masked Singer” — and they can’t boost those ads if they’re performing well.

Disadvantages to digital marketing do exist, however. Digital marketing depends on technology and, sometimes, technology breaks. When social media sites go down and a social media marketer has posts scheduled to go live, the only solution is to wait it out.

Can they work together?

In short, absolutely. It’s a debate as old as time, and the subject will continue to be debated for many years to come. But there’s a time and a place for both marketing strategies. Have you ever used traditional marketing to heighten digital marketing? To illustrate, the classifieds section of your local Sun-Times paper might now include “For more information about this job, check out our listing on Indeed.” The effect of this would be local applicants checking the paper for opportunities — and then learning more online.

The question shouldn’t be “To traditional market or to digital market?” Instead, try “How do we use both tactics to market effectively?” Of course, some businesses may benefit from going one way or the other, but on the whole, it is possible for both methods to thrive harmoniously.

Thankfully INEO has the solution to all your problems!

Contact [email protected] or call 1-833-244-1895 to find out you can get your foot into advertising in front of tens of thousands of people across Canada.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

www.ineoproducts.com
https://99designs.ca/blog/marketing-advertising/digital-marketing-vs-traditional-marketing/
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/traditional-marketing-vs-digital-marketing