Choosing whether traditional media or new media is better than the other is sort of an impossible task. A good way to describe them is like saying they are two sides of a coin. Yes, they are different, but they tend to complement one another. Making an integrated marketing method combining traditional media and new media together to yield the best results.
If you’ve found success with traditional media in the past, we understand your concern with abandoning them for new media and vice versa. However, by examining what traditional and new media marketing entails and showing you the potential reach by integrating those methods we think you might come to realize that both are important aspects for your marketing plans.
Traditional Media refers to mediums that have been part of our culture for over half a century and usually encompass non-digital advertising and marketing methods. This includes television, radio, print advertisements, direct mail advertisements, cold calling and billboards.
Previously, relying on these methods were very effective and helped many businesses just like yours make a profit. As the needs and expectations of consumers has evolved, marketing has had no choice but to evolve as well. To date, Americans spend more than 11 hours per day watching, reading and listening to digital media. Marketing and advertising efforts had to shift so they could still be reaching these potential customers. Hence, the rise of digital media.
New media, or digital media, consists of methods that are mostly online or involve the internet in some sense. This includes audio, video and image content that has been converted into digital media formats. This typically includes social networking sites, websites, advertisements, blogs, vlogs and podcasts.
We all know the success of digital media. Consumers can seek out the companies on their own and choose to draw their own conclusions on where to take their business and ignore advertising that suggests otherwise. However, the average person listens to a minimum of 112 minutes of radio and still watches almost 5 hours of television per day. More importantly, 72% of people still trust the things they read in the paper or see/hear on the television and radio.
The question arises now as to which is better for business? The form of media you choose and use for marketing and advertising is unique to your business. By using an integrated marketing method, you will get the best of both worlds. You build credibility, relationships and authenticity with new media, while traditional media gives you a third-party credibility with reputable media outlets.
Altogether, this leaves you with greater brand visibility, increased media coverage clear and concise messaging and improved search results. Your company will benefit from both traditional and new forms of media advertising. The trick, of course, is finding the right combination of solutions.
Looking for integrated marketing solutions? Octagon Media can help. At Octagon Media, we help our clients choose the right mix of integrated marketing solutions for their business. Let us help you overcome the challenges that are unique to your business.
