Digital vs Print Marketing

Everything seems to be digital or headed in that direction. You can even create your own digital business cards. It’s as easy as downloading an app to your phone and putting in your information. When you meet a potential prospect, you can open the app, which then shows a QR code, and your prospect can hover their camera over the code and your contact information immediately gets stored into their phones. No more paper cards getting lost, left on a table, or getting washed from accidentally leaving it in your pants pockets. All you have to do is remember their name. Social media marketing replaces print flyers and print ads to promote your business. All you have to do is promote it online and it will access anyone’s social media platform within a 100-mile radius (or more!). With instant internet connection, it’s never been easier to access information right at your fingertips. The question is:

“Is print dead?”

The news industry has had to make some major shifts in the last 20 years. With everything moving to digital, some newspapers had to decide whether to shut down because of the rapid decline in print media. Luckily, they were able to bounce back by going online. They still print the paper, yes, but their journalists have all gone digital. This allows them to relay information quicker, and as a result, give headlining news to the public as it is happening in real time. 

We have also seen a rapid decline in print marketing. This concern had everyone in the marketing industry quickly adjusting and learning new skillsets. They needed to understand the trends of how consumers were viewing ads. Algorithms allow businesses to target specific consumers based on what they search for online, allowing them to place pop-ups on the side bar of the web page the consumer is viewing at that time. The general population spends almost seven hours per day online, giving marketers a prime opportunity to create highly targeted ads, putting them in front of the right people at the right time.  

“So, which is better—digital or print?”

Print marketing has its advantages. It is a more trusted source of information and is increasingly distinctive. It keeps the consumer in the moment and holds their attention. When they hold a print, they’re more focused on the content in front of them. Print makes it a more personal experience. With digital, the consumer is scrolling and swiping, attention spans are no more than eight seconds. Your really have to make a quick impression. However, digital does have its advantages as well. It is efficient, casts a wider net by reaching customers no matter where they are, and as a business owner, you can gauge the impact and impressions it makes on your audience by looking at the analytics. Digital marketing is a great tool to use for call-to-actions. It can make the consumer buy, register, or perform any other action needed. Print call-to-actions can reinforce online messages. In short, they each have their own advantages, but overall digital and print are better together. 

There is no doubt that some traditional forms of print media have become almost obsolete. But the question, “Is print dead?”. Happily, the answer is “No”.