Should You Still Be Advertising On Traditional Media in 2023?

Traditional advertising and marketing strategies are based on non-internet marketing techniques that focus mainly on product sales and profit instead of meeting customer needs.

There are four main types of traditional marketing: Hardcopy, Direct Mailing, Broadcast, and Telemarketing. Despite the rise of digital marketing, traditional methods still play an important role in the success of many brands.

They offer a low-cost solution, are unique in nature, are preferred by some consumers, and will never go out of style. Banners, for example, are still widely used as an effective traditional marketing strategy.

Printed materials also endure longer and are easier to comprehend and remember.

Traditional marketing can also attract new and local customers, but it can also be expensive and difficult to target specific markets. The texts and advertisements are permanent, and updating or editing them is not possible.

In 2023, traditional marketing will continue to play a significant role in brand growth and success. However, it's important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy and combine them with digital marketing for a comprehensive and effective marketing plan:

Advantages of Traditional Media

1. Wide Reach: Traditional marketing channels such as TV, Radio, and Print media reach a large audience, making it easier to target the desired audience.

2. Established Channels: Traditional marketing channels have been established for many years and have a proven track record of success.

3. Trust: Consumers are often more likely to trust traditional marketing methods as they are seen as more credible and authoritative sources of information.

4. Tangibility: Print and physical media such as brochures and posters provide a tangible aspect to marketing which can help increase brand recognition and recall.

5. Budget Flexibility: Traditional marketing allows for flexibility in the budget, allowing companies to spend more on high-impact channels or adjust spending based on performance.

Disadvantages of Traditional Media

1. Cost: Traditional marketing can be expensive, especially when considering production and distribution costs.

2. Limited Audience Data: Traditional marketing channels do not provide in-depth data on audience demographics or behaviors, making it difficult to track and adjust marketing efforts.

3. Limited Interactivity: Traditional marketing methods such as TV and Radio do not allow for immediate interaction with consumers, making it difficult to gauge their response to campaigns.

4. Time-Consuming: Developing, producing, and distributing traditional marketing materials can be time-consuming, especially when compared to digital marketing.

5. Decreased Relevance: With the rise of digital media, traditional marketing channels are becoming less relevant, particularly among younger generations.

However, in today's fast-paced digital age, digital advertising has become a vital aspect of marketing for businesses of all sizes. From start-ups to large corporations, companies are realizing the benefits of digital advertising and incorporating it into their overall marketing strategies.

The advantages of digital advertising are clear, and companies are realizing the importance of incorporating it into their overall marketing strategies. From increased reach and targeting to cost-effectiveness and measurable results, digital advertising is undoubtedly the future of marketing, and businesses of all sizes are already taking advantage of it.

• Increased Reach and Targeting: With digital advertising, you can reach a much larger audience than traditional marketing methods. You can target specific demographics, geographic locations, and interests, ensuring your message is being seen by the right people. This leads to a higher conversion rate and a better return on investment (ROI).
  

• Cost-Effective: Digital advertising is often much more cost effective than traditional marketing methods. You only pay for the clicks or impressions your ad receives, and you can easily track the success of your campaigns.
  

• Measurable Results: Digital advertising provides you with real-time data and analytics, allowing you to track the success of your campaigns and make adjustments in real time. This provides you with a clear understanding of the ROI for each campaign, allowing you to make informed decisions about your marketing budget.
  

• Mobile Optimization: The majority of internet traffic now comes from mobile devices, so it’s essential to ensure your advertising campaigns are optimized for mobile. Digital advertising allows you to target specific mobile devices, making it easier to reach your target audience on the go.
  

• Better Engagement: Digital advertising offers interactive and engaging ad formats, such as video ads and interactive banners, which can capture the attention of your target audience. This leads to better brand recall and increased conversions.
  

• Global Reach: With digital advertising, you can reach a global audience, regardless of geographic location. This opens up new opportunities for businesses, allowing them to expand into new markets and reach a larger audience.
  

• Real-time Feedback: Digital advertising allows you to receive real-time feedback from your target audience, giving you valuable insights into what is working and what is not. This helps you to continually improve and refine your campaigns, leading to increased success over time.

Advertising on Facebook & Instagram

If you are starting out to market for yourself and are keen to start somewhere, Facebook will be your best bet. Advertising on Facebook's ad manager's platform actually allows you to reach out to more than Facebook's audience and that includes their publishing partners and, more importantly, the much-desired Instagram crowd.

Before consider to take up a digital marketing course with us, you may want to try your hands at advertising yourself on Facebook to see how well it goes. Here are the step-by-step t guide you on how to go about doing it:

1. Create a Facebook Business Account: To start advertising on Facebook, you need to have a Facebook business account. If you already have a personal Facebook account, you can easily convert it into a business account by visiting Facebook's advertising page.
   

2. Define your Target Audience: Before you start creating your ad, you need to determine who your target audience is. Consider factors such as age, gender, location, interests, behaviors, and more. This information will help you create a more effective ad campaign.
   

3. Set up your Campaign: To set up your campaign, log into your Facebook business account, and go to the Ads Manager. From there, click on the "Create" button and select "Campaign." Choose your campaign objective, which could be anything from increasing brand awareness to driving website traffic.
   

4. Choose Ad Placements: Facebook offers several ad placements such as Facebook feeds, Stories, Marketplace, and more. Choose the placements where you think your target audience is most active.
   

5. Create Ad Set: In the Ad Set section, you can specify the budget for your campaign, set the target audience, and choose the ad schedule.
   

6. Design Your Ad: This is where you create the visual components of your ad. You can choose to use images, videos, or both. Make sure that your ad is eye-catching and relevant to your target audience.
   

7. Preview and Launch: Before launching your ad, preview it to ensure that it looks the way you want it to. If everything looks good, click the "Submit" button to launch your ad campaign.
   

8. Monitor Performance: Once your ad is up and running, you can monitor its performance by checking the Ads Manager dashboard. This will help you see how well your ad is performing and make changes if necessary.

Note: Facebook has several policies and guidelines for advertising, so make sure to review them before you start your campaign.

In our opinion, although traditional advertising is still important for small businesses, it's also important for small businesses to also consider digital advertising in order to keep up with the changing market and reach customers where they are spending more and more of their time - online.

Digital advertising, such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media advertising, and display advertising, can target specific demographics and interests, providing a higher return on investment compared to traditional advertising methods.

For example, social media advertising allows for highly targeted and cost-effective advertising, as it can reach specific audience segments based on factors such as location, age, and interests. Additionally, digital advertising provides the opportunity for real-time measurement and optimization, so small businesses can quickly adjust their advertising strategies based on their performance.

By doing so, small businesses can reach a wider audience, target specific demographics, measure the impact of their advertising, and stay ahead of the competition in an ever-changing digital landscape.