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Why You Should Avoid Print Media and Go Digital Instead!

by | Mar 6, 2017 | Digital Marketing

Who Uses Online Media?

With online media dominating the global news readership what space is left for print media? Consumers of print media and online media differ greatly along in age, consumption habits and concept of news.

With 87 percent of Australians using the Internet daily it is clearly evident online audiences are much larger than print. Users are made up of key demographics that you or your organisation may want to target.

Selecting your target group is key but with the volume of users worldwide, finding your niche may be hard. The web is easily broken down into age groups that occupy different spaces and have different agendas online.

There are platforms to be social and others to be more formal online, and these spaces are occupied by very different users. Print media differs as its readership is now a well defined niche who are still accustomed to the old system.

What Are The Limitations Of Print Media?

All media forms have their drawbacks, there are few times when print media today is an acceptable form of communication. With print serving as the longest form of news media over radio, television and social the channel is outdated.

Digital mediums currently lead communication pathways and give the user many benefits. 24/7 instant message delivery services and constantly updated news sites fill this bracket.

Unlike social media, print media does not allow you to target specific demographics. It’s far more expensive than online advertising or production and according to Clayman and Associates is too salesy in nature.

They also claim that people don’t read anymore and tune out. The Internet is interesting and not going online means you’re missing out.

If you are an advertiser you may opt to transition online. Print advertising costs are too high compared to the almost free advertising spaces on social media.

Running ads in newspapers is expensive and does not reach the large volume of online users. However this process can be tricky and it’s sometimes best to seek professional help.
 

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When Is The Best Time To Go Online?

If you’re not online you should be or at least aiming to transmit yourself. As stated the process can be difficult especially for organisations with large print connections.

Don’t do it immediately if you already have a large print readership. If you have the capacity you may wish to generate a large amount of online activity before before going fully online.

Executing your transmission can be costly as executing a digital strategy take time. Creating a social media following or optimising your site for SEO takes months to see results.

Unlike print you don’t pay for your advertisement and wait. Online media is demanding and requires constant monitoring, you’re trying to find what works.

Why You Should Go Online?

The benefits of online media are overwhelming and are summarised below:

  • Online media is updated 24/7
  • Online media is cheaper
  • Online media has more users
  • Online media is growing, print is declining
  • Online media gives you a direct link to purchase
  • Online media is much more effective at building and spreading awareness

This list could go on but each of the benefits listed are the main reasons for jumping online. As already discussed online media is 24/7, cheaper and used more.

Some people still believe print media is growing, this is one of the largest misconceptions. It is easy to understand this phenomenon. As we see usage of print media declining readership is growing in some groups.

Some newspapers that only publish weekend copies are growing in readership. Some have opted to quit their weekly subscription and only get a weekend newspaper. Their readership grows as the others decline.

Traditionally getting a customer to convert or make a purchase involved listing a phone number or asking them to visit your location. Now when a person finds your page you can give them a direct link to purchase.

Online media is shareable and spreadable and there is more available information as to how your site is used. There is no guaranteed audience like a newspaper but you have the potential for greater reach.

Where To Start Your Digital Strategy?

For newcomers reaching out to a professional is best practice. You can start off with your social sites and make them personal but building a website properly requires a lot of knowledge.

There is a ton of information online including courses and videos that will get you in the know how. The varied different skills you need to possess online such as copywriting, analytics and design are all more than capable of being self-taught

To become proficient in any of these is difficult and doing it yourself may not be an option. If you’re destined to do a DIY digital strategy then these sites may be a good starting point:

Print, unlike digital, has quite limited in options for you to be seen. Most organisations will give you an ad space and a fee or you may wish to start your own publication. Going online gives you greater options.

When starting online the first question to ask yourself is what am I seeking to achieve. Your platform should be chosen accordingly. The platform will differ greatly if you’re trying to sell or just spread awareness.

Likely if you’re transitioning from print this should be clear but be aware as simply broadcasting on the most popular platforms can return poor results. If you have a specific target audience, choosing a niche site will allow you to increase the target ability of your content.

How To Go Online?

A good first step is researching your competition. See what they are doing and which online spaces they occupy. It can be hard to attract viewers on a platform your competition dominates.

However if you are offering a unique service, product or information and you have a competitive edge then you may want to take them on. This is one of the factors in determining your platform of choice.

Digital marketing agencies can simplify this ordeal and let you get on with running your business. Bringing something like this in house is the only option for large organisations.

Advertising costs, audience and usage vary between platforms and your own site. The Internet is not as free as people think. What you don’t pay for you earn.

Do as much as you can on your own, in the long run it will save time but don’t attempt things you don’t know. With numerous factors contributing to your popularity online hiring a professional with wide skills and knowledge will help.

 

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