Digital and Print Advertising: What Works & What Doesn’t
Print and digital advertising can help make or break a business. When talking with digital marketers, you might hear that digital is superior to print. Similarly, some printing professionals may sing print’s praises and overlook the benefits of digital advertising. The truth is that most companies benefit from utilizing a blend of both. Developing advertising strategies that draw on both print and digital advertising’s strengths give you a better chance of developing brand awareness, tapping into new markets, and boosting your sales.
If you’re new to print and digital advertising, consider the following helpful tips from the printing pros at Pel Hughes.
Benefits of Digital Advertising
As more people join social media and surf the web, utilizing digital advertising is a great way to raise awareness for your brand and increase your customer base. Digital advertising offers some unique advantages when compared to print. For example, advertising with social media, e-mail campaigns, and paid search ads can be very cost-effective. Another great benefit of digital advertising is the metrics you can use to understand your digital campaign’s performance. Metrics from Google Ad Words, Facebook Insights, and data collected from your website can tell you what search terms were used to land on your digital properties, the general location of your visitors, and even demographic information such as age and gender. These readily-available metrics can help you decipher what works and what doesn’t with your messaging.
If a good portion of your sales come from your website, digital advertising can help you reach customers throughout the United States and even the world. Facebook’s advertising platform as well as Google Ad Words can make it easy to target consumers most likely to be attracted to your brand or services.
Benefits of Print Advertising
Like digital, print offers its own set of unique benefits. One of the biggest selling points with print advertising is the fact that most people find print more trustworthy than digital. People from all walks of life have a knee-jerk reaction to trust brands who use print advertising methods like catalogues and direct mail. Part of the reason for this is the “nostalgia factor”. A piece of personalized direct mail seems to evoke an emotional response that harkens back to a simpler time. As we become increasingly dependent on technology to perform daily tasks and our work, a piece of personalized mail from your business reminds us of a time when face-to-face interaction and in-person customer service was the driving force behind our buying decisions.
If you operate a service-based enterprise or do most of your business in a brick-and-mortar operation, print advertising can help you reach out to your local community. A direct mail campaign can send postcards, coupons, circulars, and catalogues to specific zip codes in your area. This highly effective form of advertising is great for local-oriented businesses.
How to Blend Print and Digital Advertising to Meet Your Needs
In the battle of digital vs print, there isn’t a clear winner. What actually works is a combination of both rather than choosing one over the other. For instance, utilizing Facebook advertising, e-mail campaigns, and direct mail could help you expand your reach and develop brand recognition. Advertising is rarely a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Business owners have to consider their industry and method of operations before embarking on any advertising campaign. We encourage businesses to consult with experts to develop a customized solution to meet their needs.
The pros at Pel Hughes specialize in print advertising. We utilize the latest technology in campaign automation and database management to develop stunning print campaigns for businesses throughout the United States. Give our team a call at (504) 486-8646 to request a quote.
