Traditional vs. Digital Is the Wrong Question. Here’s the Right One.
A lot of business owners ask the same thing: Should we spend on traditional marketing or digital marketing?
That sounds like the right question. It’s not.
Why this question is holding you back
Your customers are not “traditional” or “digital.” They’re both.
They may drive past your billboard on the way to work, search for you on Google at lunch and see you again on Facebook that night. If you only show up in one place, you miss them everywhere else.
When you think of marketing as an either-or choice, you cut yourself off from half your audience.
The real role of each channel
- Traditional marketing builds awareness. Billboards, radio, TV and print keep your name in people’s minds.
- Digital marketing captures action. Google searches, online reviews and social ads make it easy for people to take the next step.
One without the other is incomplete. Awareness without an easy next step leaves buyers hanging. Clicks without trust or recognition fall flat.
A simple example
Think of a local roofing company.
A radio ad tells homeowners that they offer free inspections. When someone notices a leak weeks later, they search “roof repair near me” and see the same company on Google Ads. Because they heard the name before, they click.
If the company had chosen only radio, that homeowner might have searched but clicked on another business. If they had chosen only digital, the ad might have looked like every other roofing ad. It was the mix that made the difference.
The bottom line
Stop asking whether traditional or digital is better. Start asking how to use both in a way that aligns with how your customers actually make decisions.
That is how you stop wasting money on either-or thinking and start building a plan that works.
If you are stuck choosing between traditional or digital marketing, let’s talk. We will walk through how your customers actually make decisions and build a plan that uses both the right way.
