Traditional Marketing v. Online Marketing
April 25, 2012
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There’s a lot of debate out there on whether or not online marketing will soon overtake the tried and true tactics of traditional marketing—if it hasn’t already. Companies are flocking to social networking sites and trying to perfect email ad campaigns every day, letting their print and radio ads fall to the wayside. But other professionals are skeptical, claiming that Facebook fan pages and other online ad techniques will just be a passing fad.
The lines have been drawn. But before you pick your side, you have to understand the core concepts at stake (especially if you’re thinking about earning your marketing degree). Outlined below are three major differences between traditional and online marketing. Study the pros and cons and choose your loyalty.
Target Roles
As consumers, we’re targets for companies. In traditional marketing strategies, we act as receiving targets. We take in a TV commercial or a radio plug or a magazine ad without really being able to directly act on it or say anything about it.
But online marketing gives targets a voice. On the Internet, we’re active participants in shaping marketing campaigns and can even click on an ad for an interactive experience. Online users can write reviews of products and services, comment on blogs or articles, share pages with others, “like” a business and more. This makes online marketing sound like the hands-down winner, but keep in mind you’re only as good as your reviews say you are.
The Annoyance Factor
Traditional advertisements like commercials have been around for so long that they’re almost accepted as a part of the TV watching experience. And when the Superbowl this, they’re even a well known form of entertainment.
Online ads aren’t habit-forming yet. Most people will tell you that popups are more annoying than any magazine ad and less effective, too. They interrupt your online experience randomly and can even carry viruses. One plus for this side, though, is that many antivirus programs now come with popup blockers that shield the majority of the little buggers.
Tailored Styles
Traditional marketing tailors their ads to a certain extent. For example, the commercials running on a kid’s cartoon channel are going to be a lot different than those on a history network. Marketers will base their ad placement for radio and magazines off of the genre of station or publication as well.
Online marketing kicks the personalization up a notch. It has the ability to track your computer’s history and insert ads on your future pages according to your click-through interests. The tailoring reaches an individual level here, which is something that traditional marketing can’t accomplish.
And the Winner Is…
Well, neither.
It’s important to note the differences between the two marketing strategies, but you don’t have to make an ultimate decision between them; professionals would probably advise against it, actually. If you want to learn how to make both styles work to your advantage, consider getting your marketing degree. Find a credible school and apply to a marketing degree program for in-depth training in sales theory and business practice.
This article is presented by Briarcliffe College. Contact us today if you’re interested in developing marketable knowledge and career-relevant skills with an industry-current degree program from Briarcliffe College.