What marketing method would be a better fit for you, online or offline? The fact is, most marketers still use both approaches. Let’s go over both in this article to see which you should focus on.
Offline marketing and online marketing are two different things. So, which is more important in the marketing’s field? Online or offline marketing?’
Before we answer the question, let us first understand the differences between online and offline marketing.
What is online marketing?
Online marketing is a form of advertising that can send marketing information to consumers or companies over the Internet. It uses a variety of digital, online and electronic methods to send messages to current and potential customers. It can be as simple as a social media source, or as complex as a comprehensive strategy that spans multiple modes of social media, email newsletters, websites, and other channels.
Here are some facts about the popularity of digital platforms:
Today, millions of people use the Internet for information, to make purchases, and to connect with people. In total, there are more than 3.9 billion Internet users and 1.3 billion websites worldwide. Statistics show that 80% of American adults use the internet regularly, and 97% of them use it for making purchases.
The number of active social media accounts is close to 1.7 billion and 93% of users who use social media make purchasing decisions influenced by it. It also is a known fact that the mobile phone is our most reliable resource when it comes to handling a problem or need. 96% of people rely on their smartphones to accomplish tasks.
People use search more frequently than other online or offline resources and 87% of people say that search is the first resource they use when looking for information. Many searches are for simple problems such as “car mechanic near me” or “best florist near me”. It can also be a complex query such as “how to install antivirus software”. Regardless of the nature of the query, people are increasingly turning to search engines for solutions to their problems or to gather information.
Considering this trend, it is hard for any business to ignore online marketing. With more and more people using the internet in everyday life, online marketing can be a huge game changer for businesses.
So, what are the business benefits from online marketing?
Online marketing offers lots of chances for engagement with your consumer. It can help you market your product online by communicating directly with your customers. Starting with search engine optimization (SEO), there are several important online marketing strategies. SEO is the natural way to get to the top of the search page. By improving your websites, you are well on your way to gaining customer trust.
You can also influence viewers positively through active social media marketing. There are also methods such as lead generation, influencer marketing, affiliate marketing, email marketing, display advertisements and pay-per-click advertising to reach more customers with minimum investment. These tactics make it easier to improve customer loyalty and retention.
Internet marketing is also an effective way of expanding the business network and establishing new relationships. LinkedIn groups will allow you to network with other financial industry leaders. Online tools make it easier to establish strong relationships with customers, colleagues, and influencers.
What is offline marketing?
Offline marketing refers to any type of marketing that is done without using the internet. It uses offline media channels to create and achieve traditional marketing goals, such as creating ad campaigns and increasing sales. Popular offline advertising media channels include TV commercials, billboards, telemarketing, radio, brochures and other print media.
It is a traditional marketing method that was used before the advent of the Internet and is still widely used by almost all large and small businesses that want to maintain their market position. This type of marketing can target all types of consumers, as well as specific consumers. Over time, offline marketing methods have undergone tremendous changes. Nowadays, the offline marketing strategy of any company that has its own website is usually tied to the company’s online efforts.
Online marketing or offline marketing: which one is best?
According to many companies, online marketing is more valuable than offline marketing since it is much easier to reach customers on the digital platforms and thereby create a beneficial impression on potential customers.
Here are a few reasons why online marketing is more important than offline marketing.
- Low cost – In terms of cost, online marketing is more affordable than offline marketing. It is cheaper to run a website on the Internet and display ads on social media than to run TV, radio, or newspaper ads.
- Better exposure – Offline promotions have their own limitations. They cannot guarantee the maximum exposure for your investment. But online advertising has no barriers and can quickly reach any part of the world through the internet.
- Measurable results – We can easily measure view rate, conversion rate and overall advertising effectiveness of online marketing using Google webmaster tools, AdWords information center and other tools. But since we may not know whether the audience will finally make the purchase, it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of print, radio, and TV advertising.
- Reach global audience – The most effective way to build a brand is through content. You can easily target the global audience using content marketing strategies. Content reaches thousands of people every day, increasing your influence and coverage. This may not be possible with offline marketing.
Conclusion
We hope the article has helped you decide on the marketing strategy to choose for your business. Eventually, you will have to design the marketing strategy only after a thorough analysis of your business nature, customer needs, and competitor strategy. SBL can help you develop an effective marketing technique that aligns with your business objectives and meets you sales goals. Contact our Digital marketing division to know more.
