ESSAY TASK

Traditional methods of promotion such as television and radio still hold their place as effective methods of bringing attention towards products and businesses, there are many traditional ways to advertise a business by taking advantage of an audience’s everyday activities. They are significantly easier to create a strategy for considering your competition is much less than it would be online and being seen physically in posters or billboards increases memorability and awareness. In spite of this, when the ability to access clients and target an audience is taken into consideration, social media becomes much more competitive than traditional marketing, especially when factors such as client accessibility and audience targeting are taken into account. Traditional advertising, such as television, physical posters and radio, are very effective methods for companies to grow their brand and support memorability with the audience. Since there are so many mediums for traditional advertising, you can make your brand appear during almost any activity that people carry out. However, to get this reach at a beneficial amount, it becomes impossible for smaller businesses with a lower advertising budget. An article on Sortlist states that television, for example, is priced on CPM, this means that the brand is charged a certain amount per thousand viewers. Considering how the average UK Television viewer sees 36 advertisements per day, this would become quite costly considering prices per thousand can range from 50-100 pounds and often totals at an average of £115,000. However, through social media small businesses have access to cheaper, more refined ways of advertising themselves to a large audience of their choosing. Through one of the most popular forms of social media advertising, Google Ads ran on YouTube, you can reach between an estimated 100,000 and 920,000 people for the same £50 that you would pay for 1000 people to view an advertisement on television. However, as I previously mentioned, traditional advertisements are seen by most people as more trustworthy as the authorization process is a lot more vigorous when it comes to television advertising.

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When it comes to marketing, the consideration of cost and client availability goes hand in hand with the importance of credibility and engagement. Traditional media marketing holds an advantage with its established trust factor, as people tend to view information from traditional channels such as newspapers or TV as more reliable due to the heavy monitoring they undergo. However, it is crucial to take into account the limited interactivity offered by these platforms, as they generally facilitate one-way communication. In contrast, social media marketing excels in terms of direct engagement and real-time interaction, which fosters a strong sense of community with the brand. As previously mentioned, Wendy’s is a prime example of harnessing the benefits of this community advantage through their “savage Wendy’s” campaign on the social media platform X. Nevertheless, it is essential to acknowledge the difficulty of controlling the authenticity of social media marketing. In today’s climate, misinformation and harmful user-generated content have the potential to tarnish a brand’s image, emphasizing the need for caution and vigilance. To maintain a positive brand reputation, it is crucial for marketers to navigate the complexities and intricacies of social media platforms, ensuring that their messaging remains accurate and aligned with the brand's values.

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Whilst social media marketing is difficult to manage when it comes to authenticity, it is considerably more agile than traditional marketing when strategy is considered. This means that social media marketing allows for quicker adjustments and adaptations to real-time trends and audience preferences, thanks to the availability of tools such as Google Ads and Meta Business Suite. These tools provide the means to swiftly pivot and optimize marketing strategies to ensure optimal results. Nevertheless, due to the fast-paced nature of social media feeds, there is a risk of messages getting lost in the sea of content. This necessitates the need for consistent and strategic content planning, to ensure that marketing efforts effectively cut through the noise and reach the intended audience.

 

Understanding the importance of strategic planning in social media marketing, one may raise the question of whether this constant maintenance adds to the overall cost for a business. However, it is crucial to consider the worth of social media marketing as an efficient advertising medium. Despite the potential costs, the agility it offers in terms of strategy trumps the predictability and established methods of traditional marketing. In traditional marketing, there are tried and tested approaches that have stood the test of time, enabling brands to distinguish themselves among other advertisements in the marketing space. With no algorithm to leverage, competitors operate on a more level playing field, without the immediate advantage provided by social media algorithms.

 

However, it is important to note that traditional marketing lags behind social media marketing in terms of responding to market changes. Adapting and altering campaigns in traditional marketing may require more significant time and resources compared to simply deleting a video or post on social media. Even after an advertisement is removed from airwaves, its time slot has already been paid for, demonstrating the inflexibility of traditional advertising methods.

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Whilst social media marketing is difficult to manage when it comes to authenticity, it offers considerable advantages over traditional marketing when strategy is considered. Social media marketing has evolved significantly from its early days, as tools like Google Ads and Meta Business Suite allow for quick adjustments based on real-time trends and audience preferences. However, with the fast-paced nature of social media feeds, there is a risk of messages getting lost, which emphasizes the need for consistent and strategic content planning. This requirement for constant maintenance can add to the cost for businesses, potentially raising questions about the worth of social media marketing as a proficient advertising medium.

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On the other hand, traditional marketing has stood the test of time with established strategies that have consistently stood out among other advertisements. Without the aid of algorithms, traditional marketing operates on a more even playing field, providing competing businesses with equal opportunities. However, this approach can be relatively slower in adapting to market changes, as campaigns may require significant time and resources to adjust. For instance, pulling an advertisement off the air involves more complexity than simply deleting a video on social media, as the slot for the advertisement may have already been paid for.

 

While traditional media marketing may have challenges in campaign management, it still boasts the effectiveness of physical material. Tangible formats like brochures and billboards can seamlessly blend with our real-life surroundings, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. However, compared to social media marketing, traditional marketing lacks instant, live updates on campaign performance and effectiveness. Social media marketing excels in providing a wealth of data and analytics tools, enabling precise measurement of campaign performance through tracking likes, shares, comments, and other metrics. Yet, there is a potential downside to consider, as the crowded digital landscape can lead to content saturation, potentially diluting the impact of campaigns over time.

 

In conclusion, my research into traditional marketing and social media marketing has unveiled distinctive strengths and weaknesses in each strategy. Traditional marketing, characterized by enduring formats such as posters, television, billboards and radio has a physical presence that can significantly enhance brand memorability. The physical nature of traditional media provides a sense of legitimacy and performance which is important for certain audiences. However, this approach is not without its challenges. Adapting to real-time changes becomes a hurdle, as traditional formats may not be as flexible or responsive as their digital counterparts. Additionally, there’s a lack of immediate engagement and reaching clients can be constrained by their availability, geographical factors and the overall cost and risk associated with traditional advertising methods.

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 On the other hand, social media marketing, despite grappling with issues such as content saturation, consistent monitoring and the unpredictable nature of algorithms, holds remarkable potential. The global surge in time spent on social media, especially with the increasing influence of Generation Z and Generation Alpha, indicates a shifting landscape favouring digital platforms. As highlighted in an article on Famemass, the exponential increase in global social media usage over the years is a trend likely to persist. This projection implies that social media could eventually replace traditional media as the primary form of advertising. However, it is crucial to recognize that social media marketing is still evolving, refining itself and becoming more accessible for businesses of all sizes. Despite this progress, challenges will still persist for both traditional and social media marketing of statistics and adaptability to the ever changing landscape.

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While my research suggests that social media marketing has the potential to become the primary method of advertising, it’s essential to acknowledge that it may not entirely eliminate traditional marketing. Instead, a cooperative relationship may develop, with each method complementing the other. For example, many physical advertisements such as posters and television adverts contain call to actions leading to social media and their websites, while social media often offer deals that can be used physically and shared when you refer their service to someone else.