Introduction To Small Business Marketing
The marketing landscape is quite a different beast now compared to a couple of decades ago. Back then, it was all about casting as wide a net as possible to ensure that your presence is known.
With the advent of the internet, reaching a wide range of audience has become incredibly more effortless. However, this has also tweaked the playing field and changed the rules.
The question now is whether traditional marketing is still relevant in today’s social media-centric society.
Did online marketing fully overtake the traditional style of marketing? This article will discuss which method is better; online marketing versus traditional marketing?
What are the Advantages of Utilizing Online Marketing?
Online marketing has steadily positioned itself as the most popular campaign method when it comes to advertisements. Below are all the benefits one can obtain from using this marketing route.
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Reaching a Far Wider Audience
It is quite easy to reach a good number of your target audience with a well-placed online advertisement. Not only does online marketing allow an individual to cast a broader net locally, but it is also possible to reach an international demographic for absolutely no cost whatsoever.
It is also possible to quickly develop a marketing campaign to reach a specific demographic by tailoring the critical elements of the advertisement. From gender to age, to location, and interests, an online advertisement can be developed to target a demographic with the help of search engine optimization (SEO).
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It is Versatile and Adaptable
It is important to consider that one person will prefer to digest information in a specific way. Not everyone enjoys reading through a pamphlet to learn about a product. This is where online marketing has a traditional marketing method’s number.
Online marketing can be consumed as a blog, a short “to the point” post, or as a video clip of varying lengths. Online marketing also does away with the use of telemarketing. Nobody wants to be disturbed by calls at inopportune moments. With online marketing, the target audience will have full control of where and when they want to learn about particular services or products.
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It is Cost-Effective
Digital marketing is a perfect marketing technique for growing businesses as it can be extremely cost-effective, free even. Compare this to traditional marketing wherein printing pamphlets and buying newspaper advertising can quickly add up to your total expenses.
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Interactivity with the Target Audience
Online marketing and social media go together like peanut butter and jelly. Traditional marketing techniques do not allow for seller and customer to communicate efficiently. On the other hand, marketers who utilize a visible online presence can communicate and interact with their audience in real time.
Time is of the essence here; once a seller has a potential customer’s attention, it is vital that the deal is sealed as soon as possible. Hence, the importance of having a social media presence.
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Gathering Essential Marketing Data is a Breeze
Insight tools are readily available for use with most social media sites. With these tools, it is easy to check one’s marketing campaign data in real time. This will allow crafty marketers to adapt on the fly. Analyzing what works and what doesn’t is a vital aspect of a successful digital marketing campaign.
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The Ability to Go Viral
Online marketing excels in utilizing the ‘domino effect’ with its campaign. For example, the average Facebook user will usually have a hundred plus contacts, with 12% of those being able to see what they like online. That’s a good number of potential customers for absolutely free. Now, imagine if that 12% also liked the post. The number of reached audience will snowball in record time.
What are the Advantages of Utilizing Traditional Marketing?
Traditional marketing might seem archaic today, but it still does certain aspects far better than its modern digital counterpart.
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Simple and Easy
Traditional marketing utilizes a pretty basic concept that is designed to be understood by everyone. Keep in mind that not every person understands how to use social media. Some key demographic still gravitates to traditional marketing campaigns.
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It is Best Used for Reaching a Local Audience
Pamphlets and flyers targeted at a specific town or suburb are sure to significantly boost chances of exposure, along with an advertisement using the local radio station.
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The Audience will Get a Physical Copy of the Marketing Material
Unlike online marketing, traditional marketing allows its target demographic to obtain a hardcopy of the material being advertised. This means the audience won’t even need internet connectivity to learn about a specific product or business as long as they have the printed flyer/pamphlet.
What are the Disadvantages of Traditional Marketing?
Unfortunately, traditional marketing does come with some disadvantages that are not present in online marketing strategies. Below are the most prevalent issues one will encounter with traditional marketing:
- Significantly limited audience reach.
- Can be costly over time.
- Analytics are not readily available at all times.
Conclusion: Online Marketing vs Traditional Marketing – Which is Better?
It is quite easy to see based on the points above that online marketing is the future of advertisement. Simply put, an online marketing strategy offers a low risk and high reward approach to advertising.
That factor alone should entice anyone to try out and develop their online marketing strategy.
For people who are not confident enough to dip their toes into the hectic and often chaotic world of social media, it is recommended to hire the services of a top-notch online marketing agency to help guide the campaign towards a successful run.
Of course, it is unwise to completely ignore what traditional marketing techniques can bring to the table.
There are still specific scenarios where a traditional approach can still yield amazing results. Always do proper research when it comes to the target audience; once that is adequately covered, all pieces will essentially fall into place.
Hopefully, this article has helped shed some light for new and future entrepreneurs on how to approach modern day marketing. The good news is that all the tools are readily available, some for free. It is all about how to employ each instrument into the perfect synergy of ideas properly.
