Digital Marketing V/S Traditional Marketing
What is the difference between digital marketing and traditional marketing, and which one should you use? The age-old question on every marketer’s mind is how to choose the correct marketing type.
Definition Of Digital Marketing
Simply said, digital marketing is that the use of digital platforms for marketing communication, like websites and social media. If you use social media, you’re probably familiar with the advertisements that appear in your feed—this is digital marketing.
Definition Of Traditional Marketing

Traditional marketing, on the other hand, uses old-fashioned methods like billboards and print ads. Consider Don Draper from Mad Men brainstorming Coca-Cola TV commercial ideas and copy. Traditional marketing was pretty much the sole method of marketing until the internet was developed in the 1990s.
Digital Marketing Vs. Traditional Marketing: What’s the difference.
The primary distinction between digital and traditional marketing is the channel via which a marketing message is delivered to an audience. Traditional marketing relies on print media such as magazines and newspapers, whereas digital marketing relies on digital platforms such as social media and websites.
Of course, just because something is traditional does not mean it is outdated. With the ever-increasing desire to leave the digital world, traditional marketing continues to play a vital role in people’s lives. Because of their long-term impacts on your mind, the immersive experience of an effective TV commercial and the tactile nature of a copy of Rolling Stone magazine are as significant today as they were 20 years ago. Using the web for several hours every day may be a normal part of most people’s day-to-day life. Digital marketing just uses this to its advantage by cleverly weaving in marketing communications into every digital channel.
Marketing Strategy You Should Employ
Finding the correct balance between traditional and digital marketing is crucial to a successful campaign. Digital marketing is the yin to traditional marketing’s yang in 2021. Both are crucial parts of a marketing strategy, but when employed together, they have a greater impact. Guinness recently broadened their digital marketing frontiers by creating video content exclusively for Facebook and Instagram in order to reach a bigger and younger audience. Rather than simply repurposing existing TV commercials, they shot their campaigns as social-first videos, crafting shots exclusively for Facebook and Instagram. The videos were made with a specific audience in mind. The result was a visually stunning and impactful social media campaign about Compton cowboys caring for his or her horses in California. Perfectly trendy and sharable Instagram fodder.
In order to evaluate the best marketing type, let’s look at the pros and cons of both before reaching the conclusion.
Digital Marketing VS Traditional Marketing
Pros of Traditional Marketing
1. Insightful and simple to comprehend
A visually attractive billboard or a compelling television commercial is a common occurrence in most people’s daily life. They’re simple to understand and frequently funny.
2. Printed marketing materials have a longer shelf life.
If you place an advertisement in The New York Times, it will remain in the magazine until it is recycled. Which is fantastic if the customer is a serious collector.
3. Simple to trace the results of your efforts.
In contrast to traditional marketing, the details of digital marketing tracking are quite detailed. This makes your lessons for your future round of marketing activities crystal clear.
4. Allows for more precise targeting.
If you have the means to directly target a 29-year-old female writer who enjoys Lizzo and drinking Guinness, you can undoubtedly create perfect tailored content.
Cons of Digital Marketing
1. Frequently costly
If you’re a new brand, you probably don’t have the budget for a four-page spread in Vogue. Traditional marketing will set you back a significant amount of money.
2. There is no direct contact with the customer.
You’re more or less in the dark regarding your audience’s reaction to your marketing efforts, unlike social media marketing.
Cons of Traditional Marketing
1. Less long-term
Digital marketing campaigns such as Google Ads, banner ads, promotional emails, and social media ads can be transitory and ineffective. They’re intangible and easy to overlook. Your ad will be gone from your target audience’s screen if they keep scrolling or click to the next page.
2. It Is Constantly Changing
There is a lot to understand in order to get the most out of your digital marketing efforts. From search engine marketing to social media, each channel usually requires its own expert to get the most bang for your dollars. A grassroots social media marketing approach, on the other hand, is a terrific place to start. For more information, see our digital marketing strategy guide.
Figure Out What Works Best For You
In the end, both marketing types offer advantages and disadvantages, but the key is to understand your individual marketing needs, financial constraints, and target demographic. The moral of the story: both digital marketing and traditional marketing can work for you, as long as you know what your audience wants.