Have you heard the term “Print is Dead”? Digital junkies love this statement. Don’t believe it! Both online marketing and print advertising have their benefits. As with anything, there is a time and place for everything.
Brands that provide consistent messaging through print and digital marketing gain higher awareness. The two marketing strategies complement each other: Digital provides easy access to information; print provides a physical and tactile interaction with your brand. Use both and the campaigns reinforce one another to create a well-rounded brand experience for the end-user.
Why is print marketing beneficial?
A printed piece is perceived as more official than any digital marketing piece, especially with the highly trending “Fake News” on the web. It invites the client to touch and feel and thereby engages the end-user for a longer period of time. For example, take a magazine vs. a blog post: Which would hold your attention longer? The magazine is more likely to make a lasting impression because it is something you can easily flip through and read. With a blog, if the specific information isn’t presented within 15 seconds on entering the site, your visitor will likely leave and find something from your competition.
Why is digital marketing beneficial?
Today, your online marketing experience is the first introduction to your company and brand. According to Adweek, 81% of consumers conduct online research before buying.
Digital marketing -when properly implemented- can be less expensive than print, events and other promotional channels. While the sheer number of competitors in the online world is causing pay-per-click campaign costs to rise, a smart digital campaign is still cheaper than a print-based one.
If your budget permits, consider bringing print into the mix to add depth and improve trust in your brand. This is particularly true once you’ve grown your sales and you need recurring and returning customers.
For those who are still wary of online marketing, it’s time to get better at it. Data shows that consumers use the digital world for information, pricing and price-comparisons, so you need to be there. A mix of the two -digital and print- is a way to get your brand to thrive.