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Opposites Attract: Traditional and Digital Media Work Together

media planning, media buying, traditional media, digital media

They say opposites attract: peanut butter and jelly, Romeo and Juliet, traditional and digital marketing.

The differences between traditional and digital marketing are simple: one focuses on media such as print, television, radio, while the other focuses on the Web. The goals of the two however, are very similar. Digital and traditional marketing are used with the goal of attracting customers, building awareness of your brand and creating conversions. Together, they can create powerful and successful results. Here are a few of the most important reasons you should integrate traditional and digital marketing into your strategy.

Engaging Customers

One of the most obvious differences between traditional and digital marketing is the engagement level of the audience. In traditional marketing, the consumer participates passively – driving by a billboard on the highway, watching a 30-second TV commercial. In an effective digital campaign, the consumer actively engages with the content by clicking on an ad, leading to a conversion on a website (purchasing an item, filling out a form, etc.).

In this multi-screen world, it’s incredibly important to market on multiple channels. For example, a company could utilize traditional marketing to catch the attention of a potential customer with a TV commercial and then deliver a call-to-action for the customer to engage with the brand’s digital channels.

Reach All Potential Customers

Another advantage to utilizing both marketing mediums is spreading your message across multiple channels. Everyone is exposed to different media outlets, and everyone has their preference. The younger audience may lean toward digital outlets, but you shouldn’t ignore potential customers who aren’t digitally savvy. By using both methods, you can reach more potential customers, without missing customers you might not reach using only one method.

Build Brand Awareness

Building brand awareness is incredibly important for any business. Standing out to customers will help them trust your brand and distinguish your credibility. Marketing with traditional and digital mediums allows you to increase brand awareness in a plethora of audiences. Utilize traditional marketing to introduce your brand to a new, general audience. Then, use digital marketing to place your ads on websites with content related to your services. Building brand awareness on both channels puts you top-of-mind when customers need your services.

Traditional and digital marketing are two sides of the same coin. If you leave out one of these methods, you’re likely to miss out on potential customers. Just like peanut butter and jelly, you need both to create a good sandwich.

Written by:

Mark wrote his first direct-mail fundraising letter in 1981 for the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. The effort raised a few million dollars in undiscovered wills and legacy gifts. From that day forward Mark discovered a love of the big idea that moves the needle. After 12 years at KWWL, Mark became a business owner as a co-founder of ME&V — rebranded as AMPERAGE in 2015. After 25 years of leading creative teams in video production, graphic design, PR, writing and web development, Mark transitioned out of ownership in 2021. Today he serves in an employee role as special projects consultant. He is creatively ambidextrous — son of an artist and engineer — and famous for distilling complex ideas down to a few words and a few visuals. Mark is a writer. When he found that many nonprofits struggled with complex branding puzzles, he wrote the book, “NonProfit-NonMarketing .” He also wrote a novel called “Reenactment.” Mark is an active blogger OneMinuteMarketer® with nearly 1,000 readers each week on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. One of his most popular YouTube videos is on “How to Look Good on Zoom.” One of Mark’s fondest business memories was being named to INC 500 two times and attending the INC 500 conference with other winners. Mark is considered by some a Civil War expert (and that explains his novel). Mark also served as an adjunct professor in the business and in the communications departments at Wartburg College. Mark is a graduate of the University of Iowa and is currently vice president of the University of Iowa Journalism and Mass Communications Advisory Board. Mark is married to state Sen. Liz Mathis, and the two love to travel, even when it means being trapped by a volcano in the Czech Republic for three weeks.