Not only has our society and technology changed significantly in the past 20 years. Marketing is changing with the ever faster development. Nowadays one speaks of traditional and modern marketing. Today we will introduce how not only the media have changed over time, but also strategy and methods of marketing.

Traditional Marketing

When you think of traditional marketing, the first thing that comes to mind is the classic print media. From posters and posters to flyers and newspapers. Whether job advertisements or discount campaigns, everything was disseminated through these media. However, radio and television are also among the media used in traditional marketing. For example, while television advertising is much better quality than a newspaper ad, all of these media have one thing in common. Communication through these media is one-sided. There is a broadcaster that broadcasts a message visually or auditorily. The recipient receives this advertising message, but cannot react to it. This one-sidedness and asymmetry of advertising is characteristic of traditional marketing.

Another problem with traditional marketing is spread. Even if newspapers and magazines are divided into certain regions, no real definition of a target group is possible. Whether it's a TV commercial or a newspaper ad, you never really know how many people have actually seen the ad. There are only estimates. Other factors such as gender, age or education, etc. can be narrowed down and calculated statistically, but there is no way to put together a real target group according to your own ideas.

In addition, traditional marketing measures are so common and ubiquitous today that we no longer perceive them properly. Due to the constant overstimulation of stimuli, the brain virtually hides the numerous displays. Of course there are always exceptions: Particularly creative and / or aesthetic advertising measures in television and Co. still get stuck today and have a lasting impact on our buying behavior.

An important factor that is causing more and more advertising to decline in print media is the environment. Sustainability and environmental protection (luckily!) Are becoming bigger and more important issues in our society. That is why more and more companies are switching to digital advertising or radio and television advertising, instead of wasting paper unnecessarily on flyers or brochures.

Despite all the changes and the one-sidedness, traditional marketing is an important part of today's marketing. Advertising in print and radio is particularly useful for local companies. Because older people in particular are more likely to be reached through traditional media, while younger people can be reached more with modern marketing measures. The mixture of traditional and modern marketing brings the greatest success to reach old and young, as well as local and global target groups.

Modern Marketing

With the emergence of the Internet - especially Web 2.0 - marketing also changed fundamentally. While, as already mentioned, traditional marketing only takes place in traditional media, modern marketing is completely digital and online.

Modern marketing is advertised on the Internet. And that includes not only advertising on websites, but also advertising on social networks, on platforms and via email. Apps are now also characterized by advertising. In contrast to traditional media, there is a decisive advantage in advertising on the Internet, especially for the customer: interaction. While advertising in the traditional media is one-sided, communication in the "new" media is two-sided. The customer or user can react directly to the advertising and is in direct contact with the company. As an entrepreneur, you can respond and respond directly to criticism, questions or praise.

However, the biggest advantage of modern marketing is one thing: precisely defining a target group. Cookies and Co. continuously collect data about each and every one of us. And this data can be used as a company. For example, on Facebook you can define target groups down to the last detail. About place of residence, hobbies, relationship status up to political attitude. Thus, as an entrepreneur or marketer, you can be sure that your advertising really only reaches those for whom your advertising and your products or services are relevant.

This increases the likelihood that your marketing measures will also be successful and that the people reached will actually generate sales. And you can also check that in online marketing. With tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Business Manager, the success of your ads can be checked very precisely. If you sell your products online, you can also understand exactly whether your buyers came to your product via one of your ads. So your marketing can be constantly optimized.

Another advantage is that advertising is no longer necessarily recognized by the consumer. Social media advertising has become so hidden and interactive that you won't even notice it. Because your Instagram or Facebook profile is also advertising. Design it in an appealing and interesting way, arouse the interest of the users and thus gain more and more reach organically. In addition, your followers automatically become brand ambassadors. By liking and sharing your posts or leaving reviews, your followers will also become aware of you and so on.

Even if advertising and marketing in social networks is often criticized because it is not noticeable or is not adequately labeled, it has become indispensable nowadays. An important point is also the collection of the data that you use for your marketing measures. Many users see your privacy at risk. However, the advantage for the consumer outweighs this. He decides for himself what he reveals and consumes on the Internet and thereby receives more relevant content. Advertising included.

Conclusion

Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself which form of marketing is relevant for your company. However, the advantages of online or modern marketing cannot be denied. The target groups are more relevant and most important: communication with the consumer is interactive. However, turning away from classic media and traditional marketing is not recommended. A company can be advertised very effectively locally, especially through print media and the like. Combining and mixing the two forms of marketing is probably the most profitable way today.