Online Marketing: A set of tools and methods used for promoting products and services through the internet.
Traditional Marketing: Any type of promotion, advertising or campaign that has been used by companies for years. Methods of traditional market include print, broadcast, direct mail, and telephone
Online and traditional marketing are vastly different. This doesn't go to say that one method is better than the other, but both types of marketing cater to their audience uniquely. Traditional marketing targets a mass audience through specific mediums. For example, radio broadcasts reach a large number of people every day. Unlike online marketing, traditional doesn't have as customized of a target audience. Online marketing is better able to cater to specific people. However, it is still capable of a mass approach, such as viral videos.
Enjoy this South Park Clip parodying popular YouTube videos...
When I say online marketing is more specific, it's because the internet is a powerful source through its interactivity. Since online users are interactive, marketers can base what types of products you see, by simply knowing what you have been doing on the internet. For example, I am a New York Yankees fan, so I tend to see a lot of Yankees products when I'm online. It's pretty freaky.
The main advantage to online marketing is its ability to connect with people on a personal level. You are essentially building relationships with marketers, because they find out your interests, and cater to your needs specifically, and efficiently.
On the other hand, traditional marketing is good for exposing you to new things. Since the internet can be so specific, it closes doors to other things you may not know about. Traditional marking is useful in terms of learning about products you may never think to search for.
I like your main point that internet marketers are able to connect on a personal level.. I think that's an important aspect of internet marketing, and probably what most sets it apart from traditional advertising means. But I do think its advantages beyond the connection are extremely important too. The ability to be selective in both ad placement and amounts is what I think separates it entirely from traditional media. TV ad campaigns have been successful for years at getting the consumer involved with a product, whether it be through a physical activity or other form of interaction. What these media lack is the high targetability of the internet's multiple platforms.
ReplyDeleteBrian, I think that you have made some solid points in your post. I do believe, as well, that online marketing is much more specific than traditional media due to the medium itself. The medium is user specific; we use the medium to inform or entertain ourselves to our particular interests. I like the video too.
ReplyDeleteBrian, I was thinking about what you said about online marketing connecting on a personal level. I agree to an extent but its kinda creepy at times though. What I mean by that, is that it is personal that they know our likes and interests and give us advertisements we might like to see based on that, but when all is said and done, what do we know about them? Nothing other than they want to sell us stuff. And in real life, imagine two people. One person knows everything about the other, while the other person barely knows anything about the first. I dont know about you, but I would call that creepy more than personal!
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