Traditional media vs digital media

 

What is Traditional Media?

Traditional media are media outlets and institutions that predate the Information Age. These offer marketers plenty of opportunities to promote their products. Here are a few traditional advertising methods that make use of this type of media:

• TV Commercials
• Radio Advertisements
• Cold Calling
• Flyers
• Billboard Advertisements
• Door-To-Door Sales
• Newspaper Ads

The Decline of Traditional Media

These traditional marketing methods were a staple of many brands’ promotional endeavors until recently; however, with the rise of online media and a shift in consumer trends, legacy media lost a lot of its appeal. 

For example, as seen at Array Digital, the number of people watching TV continues to plummet among all consumers between 2 and 49. That is still true despite the diversification of traditional TV through various IPTV services. And considering that television is the most interactive legacy medium, these other traditional advertising methods are much worse off.

What Is Digital Media?

In contrast to traditional media, digital (or online) media is all media that is encoded and can be viewed, distributed, or stored on digital electronic devices. This technology gave rise to an entirely new method for marketers to reach consumers. Here are a few examples of digital advertising methods that consequently came to be:

• Content Marketing
• Video Advertising
• Email Marketing
• Pay-Per-Click Advertising
• Social Media Marketing
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
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The Rise of Online Media

The above marketing methods have been present for years now, but they have only recently gained a lot of traction. That should come as no surprise considering the overwhelming increase in internet usage over the past two decades. The data might shock you, but in 2000, only about 7% of the world’s population used the internet. However, by 2018, that number rose to a whopping 48%! Today, it is even higher.

Online Media vs. Traditional Media — How Do They Compare?

Cost-Effectiveness

Interactivity and Engagement

Data Accuracy

Consumer Trust

Reach

So Who’s the Winner?

Just a moment to do a quick tally… Oh, who are we kidding — online media has proven superior to traditional media in every possible sense. So what can we conclude from this? Well, if you’re a marketer, you’d be remiss not to advertise online!