The Difference between Online and Traditional Marketing

Great marketing finds and keep customers. But with so many marketing options, it a lot of businesses struggle with deciding what kind of marketing to do, because they know their marketing budget will only stretch to one or the other, not both.

Now more than ever, people spend more time online than they spend reading books or magazines, or even watching TV? For this reason, marketing is shifting away from traditional to online channels. Online marketing gives businesses unique and powerful ways to market to prospective customers where they spend their time!

Before we get into the differences between online and traditional marketing. Let’s explain what each mean.

What is traditional marketing?

Traditional marketing includes any non-Internet advertising methods, some of which have been used for decades, including:

· Print

· TV

· Radio

· Referral

These types of marketing are typically seen in newspapers, magazines, television, and more. Today, traditional marketing media are butting heads with the Internet as they compete for the same audiences.

For example, online video streaming services like YouTube directly compete with television. Plus, an increasing number of consumers prefer to read their news online instead of in newspapers.

Yes, traditional marketing still works for many businesses, but online marketing can provide a better avenue to connect with customers and even build a relationship.

What is online marketing?

Online marketing is the term used to describe any advertising efforts that occur online, including:

· Email marketing

· Social media marketing

· Content marketing

· Search engine optimization

· Pay per click advertising

Internet marketing is making waves in the advertising world as well, and it’s difficult to ignore the results.

Now that we understand what online and traditional marketing is, here are some basic differences between:

Cost

Every business strategy engages to budget, so does both strategies. There are some difference in the cost between traditional marketing and online marketing. Traditional marketing promotes the products of a brand through ads on paper, billboard, television, radio, and more.

This marketing strategy spends a lot of cost to keep the promotion running as the schedule. Online marketing can also carry a cost, but there are numerous online marketing strategies that are virtually free.

Coverage

In traditional marketing, coverage of your product will be printed on paper media or aired on television and radio. Unfortunately, the exposure your products will get is very often momentary. For example, the newspaper where your high-cost business advertisement appeared in becomes irrelevant the next day.

On the other way, your online coverage will be always there for like forever. It will be archived on the internet and ready to be found easily whenever your customers need it.

Audience

Traditional marketing is more effective for target customer which out of reach of internet. They are people who do not connect to the internet on daily basis. Older or low-end economic citizens who are internet illiterate are the best target for traditional marketing strategy.

On the other way, people who are never without internet in their reach, such as millennials and businessmen, are easier to reach through online marketing.

Metrics

It is difficult to keep track of your traditional marketing strategy. You need to put a lot of effort and time-consuming research to get information how your customer behavior against your products.

But for online marketing, it is easy to track. Email marketing software can tally the number of people who view your message. Moreover, it cans the number of advertisements that lead to purchases on online sales.

So What’s Right for You?

With all of the above differences in mind, it seems like focusing on using online marketing might be the best option. Not only is it more cost-efficient than its traditional counterpart, but it also provides you with more metrics which you can use to improve your campaigns, a more targeted reach, and more ways to communicate your message.

Although, the right mix of online and traditional marketing for your business will depend on your business and your goals.

Be wise and remember to avoid limiting yourself to one marketing channel. Test and optimize your plan so that you can develop the best marketing allocation for your business.