By: Laura Slessor
At some point we have all interacted with either one of these forms of marketing. The main difference between the two is basically the medium through which the intended message gets to the audience.
Traditional Marketing includes marketing through main stream broadcast (Television and Radio), print media including magazines and newspapers, window display and signs, bus / taxi wraps and posters. On the other hand, digital marketing is marketing through social media, Websites, Content marketing, Affiliate marketing SEM, Email and Pay Per Click (PPC) among others.
Traditional Marketing has been in existence since the ancient times when Egyptians created sales messages and wall posters on papyrus. This form of marketing is broad and encompasses various forms of advertising and marketing. From the famous Niko na Safaricom advert, Kiwi – hebu jitokeze to the renown mpango wa kando HIV-prevention advert that would air dead in the middle of prime-time news we have seen traditional media grow and it would be a lie to say that it is not set to get even better in the future.
Digital marketing landing page, smartphone screen with megaphone or loudspeaker, data analysis charts and magnifying glass on futuristic neon glowing background. Cartoon vector illustration, banner
Despite Traditional Marketing being so much undervalued today, it is still as impactful or even more today than it was decades ago. This form of marketing when printed is more permanent and preserves history. Some of its shortcomings however is the fact that compared to digital marketing, it is really difficult to measure impact. Apart from word on the streets it is not easy for one to immediately take action after seeing an Ad on a billboard, or even be able to have one on one contact with your audience. It is also rather expensive. The larger population of those committed to buying newspapers today is arguably the older generation, compared to many who would actually rather get to read publications online catch up with what is trending on Twitter.
Digital Marketing on the other hand has seen great improvement since it first came into existence. The word Digital Marketing was first coined in the 1990s when we saw the coming of the internet and the development of the web 1.0 platform. Soon after this in 1993 the first clickable banner went live and this marked the beginning of transitioning to the digital era. In 1994 new technologies began revolutionizing the digital marketplace. This revolution has seen Digital Marketing change the marketplace drastically actually threatening a complete take over.
Digital Marketing has exceptionally been able to bridge the gap between the consumers and entrepreneurs/ business owners. The greatest advantage by far is its ability to reach a large audience at the same time. According to (Johnson, 2021) we have 4.66 billion active internet users today. This makes up to 65.6 percent of the world population. On average, users spend 6 hours and 56 minutes online every day. These statistics just begin to give an in-depth analysis as to the how vast the Digital Marketing reach is.
Today one is able to have real time conversations with a first-time user on their website effortlessly. In addition, through direct messaging and personal chat, specific user experience details are able to reach a business owner and, in the process, also be able to receive constructive criticism on how to make your product or service delivery better or efficient.
Digitally, campaigns have over time been able to be measured with the help of the many tools available today i.e., Google Analytics which is undoubtedly one of the best tools when it comes website analysis. Needless to say, that with creativity, marketing possibilities have become limitless. Creative targeting has been made possible. A travel company can partner with a drink company for example and then, you are able to sell a lifestyle and product at the same time! How amazing is that!
The downside of digital marketing is the fact that there is too much noise on these platforms and Ads interruption is one of them. As people scroll through their favorite apps, your Ad may not be what they want to see and even if they do some times, they would not take action on it hence the need for creativity so that you do not miss the attention of your intended audience. Digital Marketing is also less permanent. It is constantly evolving, which means that your content always needs to keep up with the trends and changes. In the end we realize that customers also evolve or change.
We are on the internet a lot. Sometimes a lot more than we actually should. Why not take advantage? Businesses and brands are starting to get ahead of these trends, and what’s more? Today you do not have to do the dirty work yourself. Together with companies like Fourtech Global Solutions, all you have to do is share your story and leave the rest to us.
As a business owner or entrepreneur, you may probably be wondering which then, is the best form of marketing you should use? These forms of marketing are still able to thrive together and none is able to completely dominate the other. They are both important and vital for your growth, dependent on your budget, needs and audience.
This is great, keep up guys.