As you can see, both traditional and digital marketing is important to the sustainability of your business. In today’s digital world, you can combine both of these efforts to create a versatile and more diverse marketing strategy.
Below are some of the ways you can incorporate digital marketing with your traditional marketing campaign.
Pair Billboards with Geo-targeted Ads
Billboard ads can successfully reach 90% of the entire population. For a very long time, expensive price tags discouraged smaller businesses from purchasing billboard ads, but digital billboard ads are now available, and they’re much more affordable. To get an enormous return from your investment, pair your digital billboards with geo-targeted ads. This will send a banner ad to a passing driver for a stronger marketing effect.
Combine Magazine and Digital Ads
Print is not dead. People are still reading magazines for one underlying reason. Magazines are often based on a particular niche. This is why consumers rely on magazines to obtain an authoritative point of view on business, antiques, traveling, etc. Businesses that partner with magazines can receive the trust of its readership, which is a great thing if you want to build your brand via word-of-mouth. If you are considering purchasing a magazine ad, make sure you inquire if your ad can be promoted on the publication’s website and social media channels.
Take Out a Newspaper Ad
Newspaper sections are getting thinner and thinner these days. However, depending on the audience, there are still people who prefer a newspaper and a cup of coffee in the morning. Since larger businesses have moved away from newspaper ads, you can reach a different audience by taking out an ad for your business. Newspaper ads these days are shockingly cheap, which means you can purchase a large ad with a modest budget. What’s more is that many newspapers have online components, so you can always negotiate with your local publication to create a digital counterpart of your ad for increased exposure.
Utilize Television and Streaming Ads
Everyone watches television, but according to the MPAA, video streaming has surpassed cable subscriptions as the most watched platform in the world. This still doesn’t mean that television ads are ineffective. If you know your target audience, you can easily find out which channels they prefer to watch and schedule an ad accordingly.
The cost of television ads have decreased over the years, and now many networks have YouTube channels to reach younger audiences. It would be wise to purchase an ad for both platforms, but remember to personalize each of your ads and repurpose them on other streaming platforms, such as: Vimeo and Hulu
Make Both Campaigns Look and Sound Similar
Before you read this section, it’s important for you to realize that your traditional and digital campaigns shouldn’t be similar. Instead, they should look and sound similar, while matching the ideals of your brand. A big part of your marketing campaign is your appearance because this is how viewers will identify with your brand. Take a look at your traditional and digital channels and ask yourself a few questions.
- Am I using the same fonts, logo, and colors for each promotion?
- Does the tone of my campaigns sound the same?
- If I took my company name off each of my ads, would they still match?
- Much like how a sports team has its own brand identity, you should too. Keep your brand consistent on all of your marketing channels to improve your recognition.
Only Use Platforms That Work
Here’s a quick question – who buys from you? If you’re really lucky, you may only have one demographic. Many businesses have several demographics they appeal to, and they often make the mistake of choosing the wrong marketing channel. This is because many marketing professionals use generational stereotypes to determine suitable platforms for their business. For example, older generations typically aren’t fond of using the internet. Still, there are thousands of older people who are actually skilled at navigating on social media.
Does this mean that you have to neglect social media marketing if your services or products relate to an older audience? Of course not. Conduct comprehensive market research to understand every single detail about your target audience. This will help you identify the right platforms to conduct your marketing activities, instead of relying on stereotypes.