Are the Days of Offline Advertising Over?
With so many online marketers pushing the benefits of advertising online, it can be easy to start thinking that offline advertising is on the way out completely. After all, online campaigns seem to get great results on their own, so is there really a need to make offline efforts at all? Although the answer to that question depends on the specific niche your business operates in, generally speaking most companies can still reap benefits from offline advertising if it's done right. Even if a business isn't a local establishment, there's still nothing wrong with letting people know about your website with some offline marketing and promotion. With that said, here are seven reasons why offline advertising is definitely not yet obsolete:
With so many online marketers pushing the benefits of advertising online, it can be easy to start thinking that offline advertising is on the way out completely. After all, online campaigns seem to get great results on their own, so is there really a need to make offline efforts at all? Although the answer to that question depends on the specific niche your business operates in, generally speaking most companies can still reap benefits from offline advertising if it's done right. Even if a business isn't a local establishment, there's still nothing wrong with letting people know about your website with some offline marketing and promotion. With that said, here are seven reasons why offline advertising is definitely not yet obsolete:
1. Flyers and Posters are Still Widely Used
If offline advertising wasn't getting any results for anyone, then there wouldn't be so many businesses still using flyers and posters. In fact, companies spend many millions every year just to produce flyers for advertising conferences, job openings, and other events. You can even make a flyer for free using an app and then print it out for distribution. The obvious widespread use of flyers in all industries is an undeniable clue that offline advertising is still bringing results and is therefore worthy of a dedicated budget of its own.
2. Billboards Can't Really Be Ignored
Another reason why offline advertising is still highly relevant is the presence of billboards on the side of highways. These massive signs are almost impossible to overlook and they often contain info about special deals or branding designs that are hard to forget. Billboards are not only useful for forcing your branding into the faces of many drivers, it's also great for getting those drivers to pull off the highway and visit your place of business if you're operating a local shop or hospitality venue.
3. Everyone Isn't Online Yet
According to a number of surveys, approximately 80 percent of Americans now shop online occasionally. However, most people still do the majority of their shopping locally, and there are certain products and services that you can't reliably source online. Plus, there's still 20% of the population that doesn't shop online at all, so of course they're worth catering to as well. Until online shopping becomes the online form of commerce, offline advertising will remain relevant in any niche where it is applicable. While futurists can try to assert that offline advertising is almost archaic, the fact that it is still a huge industry in and of itself proves that is simply not the case.
4. Some Products and Services are Better Marketed Offline
If a product can't be shipped long distances or you're offering a local service within a specific region, then it doesn't really make sense to advertise solely online. In fact, in those situations it would be better to focus more on offline marketing endeavors because that's where most of your target audience will be. However, it's still worth trying some online efforts as well because the goal is almost always to generate as much brand exposure and web traffic as possible.
5. In-person Networking Can Still Spread Brand Awareness
Sure, having your site at the top of Google for a popular keyword is a great way to have hordes of people encountering your brand, but so is delivering a presentation, networking with local business owners, and building a reputation in your community. As long as an advertising method is still effective, it doesn't matter if it only represents a minority of the results being achieved, it will still be put to use. A method doesn't have to be the popular or most effective in order for it to be a worthwhile component in a well-rounded campaign. Of course, you'll still want to dedicate the majority of your budget to the methods that will provide the most results. If a promotional technique is capable of accounting for even 10% of your leads then it's something you should be doing continually.
6. The Internet Has Not Replaced Reality
As of today we still live in the real world, where we have to step away from our computer screens from time to time and engage in normal offline behavior like going to the grocery store or showing up for work. During those inevitable offline moments, there would be no way for a brand to reach out without offline channels like TV, radio, and signage. Furthermore, although most people use Google or a similar search engine to look up companies, there are still many people who use offline directories like the phone book to make their purchasing decision.
7. Face-to-Face Encounters are More Memorable
Think about how many web pages and online ads we see every day. Our brains can’t possibly remember all of that, so most of it is just discarded or soon forgotten. On the other hand, having a local marketer approach you with info about a business is not as common, so it's more likely to leave a lasting impression, especially if the advertised business is located in the same area you live in. The fact remains that genuine face-to-face encounters are more impact than the alternative of scrolling past a banner ad online. There's a higher degree of trust and authenticity when a real person is representing the brand in a personalized encounter.
8. Determining When Offline Advertising is Appropriate
While offline advertising is certainly not on the way out yet, there are also plenty of situations where it doesn't really make sense. For example, if you're selling a digital product that can only be bought and enjoyed online, then offline promotion certainly wouldn't be a requirement. On the other hand, if you're marketing a new brick and mortar business that operates within a specific region, then offline advertising would be almost mandatory to achieve maximum success. Ultimately, you'll still need to use your discretion and knowledge of the niche you’re in to decide whether offline advertising will be worth your while.
