In any medium of marketing, business owners are challenged to get the most bang for their buck. With so many forms of media available, from social media to banner ads, print advertising and TV spots, it’s difficult to know where to spend your marketing budget. Which medium speaks to your target audience more appropriately?
Choosing the Right Advertising Medium
The manner in which you convey your information is just as important as the medium that you choose. Plan your advertising in a way that elicits emotion, attracts attention and puts out a call-to-action to those who see it. You need to be specific about the goods and services offered and regardless of the medium you choose your branding should always remain the same.
The key to choosing the right medium is understanding which medium speaks to your target audience in the most effective way. Does your audience spend more time commuting, therefore radio would be best? Is your target audience social engaged to where a social media campaign would be the best option? Of course, at Quaintise we always shoot for the stars and maintain that integrated advertising is truly your best option, if your marketing budget calls for one medium and one only, you must chose the right one.
The main difference between the audiences you attract through television, radio, print or internet advertising is the way your potential customers will discover the ad. If a potential customer is going to have access to your print ad he must be able to have that newspaper, brochure or magazine in hand. When it comes to website advertising, Entrepreneur.com was quoted as saying that they are “more like billboards than ads.” What does this mean to the business owner? It means you have less space to “convey your message because computer users don’t want to read long copy” while in a print ad, your reader is more likely to spend time reading a longer ad.
Your target audience with a television or radio advertisement is likely to be more localized than the consumer you’ll connect with online. Is your product or service one that needs to be purchased or used locally? If you’re a restaurant or a car dealer, then the answer is likely yes. If you offer a consulting-type service you can reach your audience through all three mediums – television, radio or Internet.
Medium Differences
Here are some of the differences when it comes to television/radio and Internet advertising and the audiences you will potentially reach:
• The age of your audience: The Internet traditionally attracts a younger audience when compared to television and radio.
• The potential size of your “viewing” audience: The most obvious difference between radio and television advertising and Internet advertising is the reach. You need to weigh the pros and cons of reaching a larger audience before you make the final decision on which medium to utilize.
• The flexibility of your message: Let’s face it, once you submit your radio or television advertising, it is difficult – and costly – to go back and change the message. Advertising on the Internet offers you flexibility to go back and adjust the ad based on the response.
TV Advertising
You’ll need to determine the size and type of client you want to reach if you choose television advertising as your medium: A local audience? A certain demographic? A seasonal audience? Many advertisers choose television if they have a product or service that is new or complicated and that lends itself to the use of “visual aids” to get the message across. Remember though, that many television watchers use the commercial time to get up and grab a snack.
Radio Advertising
Radio listeners are more likely to still hear your ad, even if they are multi-tasking (walking around, making a snack, etc.) If you’re looking to capture the attention of a radio audience, keep the time of day in mind as there are fewer listeners to the radio later in the day. Radio audiences have been found to be a more stable and reliable customer however, they are more slow to change their minds and leave a known brand where television and Internet audiences are more easily swayed.
Internet Advertising
If you’re trying to grab the attention of an Internet audience, you need to advertise on a site at which your potential customer not only visits, but will linger on long enough to pay attention to your ad.
All of the above mediums each bring with it their own pros and cons and it’s up to each business to determine which will work best for them as a way to garner market share and do it in a cost effective manner. Consider your brand, your audience, and your budget, and speak to a professional to help you make the most effective decision.