4 Reasons Traditional Media is Still Important in 2023
Traditional media has transitioned from being the only main form of media people consume to sharing that spotlight with digital media. Just as the rise of the digital age has changed the way the world operates, it has changed the way traditional media works in terms of advertising and is optimized. Traditional media is not only alive and well, but it is also essential to use for your advertising plan. Here are the four main reasons why traditional media is important, even in 2023:
1) Traditional Media Taps into Unexpected Markets
Traditional media refers to television, radio, or print, all of which have a particularly widespread audience. While digital advertising can pinpoint specific target audiences, you may be missing an untapped, unexpected audience you could be marketing to. Enter traditional media.
Different types of traditional media, such as billboards, radio stations, and print advertising, can reach anyone. When you do marketing and advertising in the traditional media landscape, you are reaching whoever picks up the newspaper, drives by your billboard, or turns on the radio.
When it comes to traditional media vs. digital media, the widespread reach that print, television, and radio media have can launch your product or service into a new audience you would have never expected.
2) Traditional Media Channels are Well-Established and Credible
When looking for a trusted source, people almost always look for big news outlets like the Washington Post and the New York Times. These media outlets have been around for so long and provide reliable information to the country and sometimes even the world again and again.
People are prone to commit to brands, and in this case, these media outlets are the brands that are widely trusted due to their expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. Putting an ad on one of these trusted radio or tv stations or even in a magazine or newsprint can increase your credibility because you were given the spot on this media outlet that is highly coveted.
3) Increased Brand Awareness
Every advertising and marketing agency will hammer home the importance of one’s brand identity and brand awareness. However, in today’s digital climate, the use of traditional media to increase brand awareness is often overlooked by most small businesses.
Traditional media includes radio ads, tv commercials, and print media. There are countless jingles from radio ads and characters from TV commercials that are played so often they get stuck in our heads. Whether it’s “Flo” from Progressive, Jake from State Farm, or a slogan like “Red Robin, YUM”, we associate the brand with its identity, which is created by the messaging you put out.
There is also something to be said about having something tangible to promote brand recognition. This is why print media works because you see the branding on something you can physically hold, which will make people recognize it over time. Direct mail can also be easier to understand and comprehend than an online ad that’s competing for your attention with everything else on your screen.
4) Locality and Community
While advertising with traditional media can be effective for most companies, it can be especially advantageous for local businesses. Although digital media advertising allows you to specifically choose which audience you target to a degree, traditional media can reach everyone in a specific location.
Local radio and TV news stations can not only reach your target area but also are credible sources due to the fact that they are trusted entertainment and news sources that people have grown to love and appreciate. With local TV ads, local radio ads, direct mail, and even billboards and other large-scale media, you are making your presence known locally in a cost-effective way.
More often than not, it’s how you make other people feel and the relationships you build that sell your product or service, not your sales pitch. With local ads on local TV and radio stations and in local newspapers, you are building your relationship with your local community.
Final Thoughts
Advertising your business is rarely an overnight success, especially when you are just starting out. Even when success from advertising seems to be overnight, there is usually a lot of time, effort, and trust building that happens beforehand.
When it comes to advertising, it’s essential to not only grab your audience’s attention as quickly as possible but also make them remember the information in your ad. If done right, traditional media advertising has the power to do exactly that.
