Wondering what the differences are between traditional marketing and newer digital methods? It all comes down to channels. We’ll run through the essentials of what you need to know in this article.
What is traditional marketing?
When we think about traditional marketing, we tend to mean pre-digital channels. Out-of-house, or billboard, advertising, print ads, brochures and flyers, advertorials, pop-up stands, events and even van wraps are all examples of traditional marketing, and the thing that distinguishes them is that they’re basically all physical. Think of the marketing that was done before the Internet. It spanned everything from big banners to handouts on the street, with plenty of PR, physical advertising, even cinema and radio ads.
Many of these traditional forms of advertising are still very effective and popular today. Often, businesses will blend traditional and digital marketing methods into one strategy to maximise their results.
What is digital marketing?
When we think of digital marketing Gloucester, delivered by agencies such as https://www.absolutecreativemarketing.co.uk/digital-marketing, we think of social media marketing, online banner ads, emails, websites and apps and other online forms of marketing. The thing that unites these marketing channels is that they’re all online. Usually, businesses will have a digital marketing strategy that integrates with their traditional strategy.
By integrating these online and offline methods, businesses have the best possible chances of meeting their target customers’ needs and building stronger conversions. The trick is to identify the right channels and then use them effectively for high-quality, results-driven marketing tactics that deliver on ROI metrics.
Banner ads as an everyday digital tool
Banner ads, often built as HTML5 ads, are one of the most familiar forms of digital marketing. They appear on web pages and link back to the advertiser’s own site, with the aim of getting interested visitors to take a specific action, such as buying a product, downloading a document, signing up for an event or starting a free trial.
They are usually created by digital designers, as there is a lot to get right, from the correct sizes to the principles of good online design. Used well, they can drive sales and raise brand awareness, depending on what the advertiser wants to achieve.
Their main benefits include stronger brand recognition, lead generation and retargeting, which shows ads to people who have already searched for a product or service. They also offer something traditional channels struggle to match: detailed tracking, so advertisers can see exactly how each ad performs and what return it brings.
Banner ads and video ads compared
Within digital marketing, one long running debate is whether banner ads or video ads work better. Video ads are the closest online equivalent to television advertising. They tell a story with vivid images and sound and can be memorable, funny or moving. However, they are expensive to produce and they interrupt the flow of whatever the viewer is doing.
Banner ads cost much less to make. HTML banners can be animated, giving them visual impact that rivals some video, and skilled designers can tell effective stories with them. A big advantage is that they can carry links straight through to your website or sales page, and a good banner does not interrupt the user.
Both have a place in a campaign, and leading brands often use the two together. Quality matters either way, as poor ads irritate people. For businesses watching production costs, a high quality banner campaign can make just as much impact.
How HTML5 display ads bridge the gap
Measuring results has always been hard with print, billboard, TV and radio advertising. HTML5 banner ads show how digital formats changed that. You can count click-throughs and also see which of those clicks led to a purchase, giving a true conversion rate.
They also solve a practical problem. The same HTML5 banner works on mobile and desktop and across different operating systems, so there is no need to build separate versions, and someone sees the same advert on a phone, a Chromebook or a PC. That consistency extends to branding, since the ads can carry the same colours, logo and fonts as your website.
They give far more creative room than static adverts too, with space for animation, audio and short videos. Together, these features combine the visual impact people associate with traditional advertising and the tracking that digital marketing makes possible.