Print vs. Digital: Why Your Business Needs Both Forms of Marketing

In this blog we will weigh the pros and cons of print and digital marketing.
 
To business owners who want to improve branding, expand their organization’s reach, and sell their product or promote their service, the options for advertising may seem endless. Social media platforms offer additional advertising options. But what avenue should your business stick with? Print or digital?
 
First let’s define both types of marketing.
 

What is Print Marketing?

Print Marketing can range from articles in magazines or newspapers, ads in the paper, guidesflyersbrochuressignagebillboardspostcards, and coupons. Often forgotten forms of print marketing are playbills, newsletters, coupons, and business cards.  

Many may argue that we can do away with print media and that it is not as effective as digital media. While most of us tend to spend more time these days consuming digital media (depending on the study, the average user spends somewhere between 2 to 3 hours per day on social media), it would be a crime to do away with print media altogether.
 
Think about the times that someone gave you their business card, you were probably more likely to remember their name, profession, and place of work. Or think about the time when you wanted more information about the membership benefits of a local Garden you and your family just visited, and someone handed you a brochure that you could look at right then and there. Rather than doing away with either media, you should test and select the forms of both print and digital that match your organization.
 

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital Marketing comes in many forms, from the plain and straightforward such as filling in a Google My Business Profile or more complex such as creating social media advertisements, routine email marketingSearch Engine Optimization (SEO), and so on.

The Pew Research Center found more than 70% of U.S. adults use at least one social media site. That number is much higher for teens. If your business is solely marketing to teens and millennials, you may want to focus mainly on digital marketing avenues. But if you are trying to reach a varied demographic, the branding of your business should come in all forms.

Think about the platforms that your choice audience uses the most and focus your energy on creating engaging content for them. For example, Generation Z is largely on Instagram and TikTok, so if you own a café and are trying to reach high schoolers and college students, you would focus on creating content for these platforms. But let’s say you are a history museum trying to reach a wider age demographic range, you would focus more on your website, Facebook, and print marketing.

Let’s give up the fight on using only one form of marketing.

Both digital and print marketing must be used because they’ve already begun to overlap. Think about the QR codes stuck to the restaurant table prompting you to the menu on the restaurant’s website. Or the print coupon you receive in the mail that gives you 20% off an online order of shoes you’ve been eyeing. Or even your company Newsletter that is available through email and print.

If you are looking for versatile marketing professionals to help you with your next project, give our office a call at 757-536-9937, reach out to Strategic Solutions by Tricia, LLC via Facebook or www.ssbytricia.com.

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