Traditional Marketing vs Digital Marketing

To lead in the business field, it is important for every business to build engagement with the audience. Marketing is that tool that keeps the conversation going as it allows businesses to promote and build brand awareness, increase sales and engage consumers. There are a lot of ways through which businesses choose to catch the attention of their niche audience. The marketing strategies in today’s time have shifted from Traditional Marketing to Digital Marketing and almost every business is switching to digital methods of marketing. However, there are still a lot of businesses that use Traditional Marketing in the marketplace. Let’s explore why Digital Marketing is dominating the business world, leaving behind traditional marketing strategies. This blog includes the key differences between Traditional Marketing and Digital Marketing, the pros and cons, and more. 

Comparison Chart

The comparison table below will help you understand the key differences between Traditional Marketing and Digital Marketing:

Parameters of Comparison	Traditional Marketing	Digital Marketing
Target Audience	Local Audience	Global Audience
Marketing Cost	Expensive	Less Costly/Affordable
Communication	One-Way communication	Two-way communication
Interaction	Direct Interaction	Online Interaction
Methods of promoting	Through hardcopies such as Magazines, Newspapers, etc.  And Radio, Television Ads, etc.	Digital Platforms such as Websites, Social Media, etc.
Marketing Results	Weeks or Months	Quick Results
Engagement	Low	Comparatively High

What is Traditional Marketing?

Traditional marketing is a marketing strategy that takes place offline through print media, broadcasting, direct mail, phone interactions, and outdoor advertisement. Traditional Marketing has been in use for decades. Traditional Marketing is meant to reach a local audience and is more expensive than other forms of marketing.

Forms of Traditional Marketing

The different forms of traditional marketing methods are listed below:

• Billboards
• Direct mail
• Print advertising
• Event marketing
• Referral marketing
• Broadcasting
• One-to-one Marketing through calls, SMS

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital Marketing is used for promoting and advertising businesses through online mode. Advertising and promotional activities for a business are delivered through digital forms of marketing such as Websites, Search Engines, Social Media, Email, and Mobile. Digital Marketing is capable of reaching a global audience and is a lot more affordable than the traditional method of marketing. 

Forms of Digital Marketing

The various forms of traditional marketing areas are listed below:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Content Marketing
• Inbound Marketing
• Social Media Marketing (SMM)
• Pay-per-click (PPC)
• Affiliate Marketing
• Native Advertising
• Marketing Automation
• Email Marketing
• Online PR (Public Relations)

There are other types of digital marketing methods that are also gaining traction.

Pros and Cons of Traditional Marketing 

Listed below are the pros of using Traditional Marketing:

• It becomes easy to reach the local audience through Radio Advertising.
• Traditional Marketing is done through various offline methods such as print media including flyers, posters, and pamphlets that can be reused and do not require an internet connection to be viewed.
• There is a large population that still believes in traditional marketing, older customers specifically. They prefer traditional forms of marketing over digital marketing as they are not used to the digital world.

Listed below are the cons of using Traditional Marketing:

• Static Text is used in traditional marketing which does not allow you to edit your advertising, unlike digital marketing where you can update and edit whenever needed.
• Traditional Marketing is quite expensive as you have to pay every time for putting up advertisements, billboards, flyers, or pamphlets.
• Customized Marketing is not at all possible in Traditional Marketing as only specific markets are targeted.
• Not capable of providing enough information as the space provided in print media is limited. 

Pros and Cons of Digital Marketing

Listed below are the pros of Digital Marketing:

• The best part about using Digital Marketing for business is that it is extremely affordable and some platforms even allow you to use it free of cost. Hence, you can get the same or even more outreach at less cost. 
• Digital Marketing allows businesses to reach a global audience, unlike traditional marketing where you can only reach out to the local audience.
• Digital Marketing provides a variety of customer services through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and e-mail marketing.

Listed below are the cons of using Digital Marketing:

• Digital Marketing consumes a lot of time. It has been reported that digital marketers spend more than 11 hours a day working online. 
• Digital Technology has undoubtedly made our lives a lot easier but it has also increased online scams. Digital Marketing is also a victim of online scams as there are many scammers and trolls who may want to destroy your reputation by giving the business a negative response intentionally.
• Digital Marketing Campaigns and ideas are prone to plagiarism as it takes seconds to copy-paste your ideas online. 

Traditional Marketer vs Digital Marketer- How to become one?

You can become a Traditional Marketer by completing your higher secondary education, preferably in Commerce. Pursue a bachelor’s degree in the business field such as BCom, or BBA and for career advancement, you can opt for an MBA program. Apart from the educational qualifications, you must also possess the following skills:

• You must be great in planning and strategic management.
• You must be excellent at copywriting.
• Event Marketing and Planning
• Public Relations PR

To become a Digital Marketer, you must complete your higher secondary education and go for a bachelor’s degree in marketing, digital media, communication, website/graphic design, English, or liberal arts. To excel as a Digital Marketer, you must have the following skills:

• Organization and Project management
• Data Analysis
• Content Creation
• SEO and SEM
• Communication Skills
• Social Media 
• Knowledge of Graphic Design software such as Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, and InDesign.

Top Universities offering Marketing Courses Abroad

Due to the rise of Digital Marketing in today’s world, the demand for professionals in the Digital Marketing field has increased. This is the reason why many top universities have been offering Marketing Courses. Listed below are the top universities offering Marketing Courses abroad:

QS Ranking 2023	University Name	Country	Course Offered
1	HEC Paris	France	MSc in Marketing
2	ESSEC Business School	France	MSc in Marketing Management & Digital
3	Imperial College Business School	UK	MSc Strategic Marketing
4	ESCP Business School	France	MSc in Marketing & Creativity
5	Columbia University	USA	MS in Marketing Science
6	Esade Business School	Spain	MSc in Marketing Management
7	EMLyon Business School	France	Marketing and Strategie
8	SKEMA Business School	France	MSc International Marketing & Business Development
9	EDHEC Business School	France	Master in Marketing Management
10	WU Vienna University	Austria	Masters in Marketing

Which is better? Salary, Scope, and Career Options 

Digital marketing is dominating traditional marketing as digital marketing produces higher returns and brings extensive amounts of engagement to lead easily and effectively in the Business Field. Digital Marketing is a lot more affordable than traditional marketing which is one of the major reasons why the market is witnessing a drastic conversion in the use of Traditional Marketing to Digital Marketing. Even though both traditional marketing and digital marketing are potent in their own ways, Digital marketing is still way ahead of traditional marketing due to the rise of the Digital Revolution. 

Digital Marketing leads in terms of career opportunities as well. A career in Digital Marketing has a great scope as it offers a lot of career roles. Here are the popular career options for Digital Marketing:

1. Digital Marketing Manager
2. Brand Manager
3. Social Media Manager
4. Online Content Developer
5. Business Analytics Specialist
6. Search Engine Optimisation Specialist
7. Web Designer
8. Professional Blogger
9. Mobile Marketing Specialist
10. Email Marketer

Even in terms of pay, Digital Marketers are paid higher than traditional marketers. Digital Marketing is a growing field and growth means more demand for professionals in the field.  Here’s the average salary of a Digital Marketer in various countries:

Country	Average Salary per annum	In INR
USA	USD 69,292	52 Lakhs
UK	GBP 33,910	33 Lakhs
Canada	CAD 51,499	31 Lakhs
Australia	AUD 82,912	47,64,575
India	INR 7,00,000	—

FAQs

With its growing popularity, lucrative career options, and high-paying salaries, pursuing a career in digital marketing has become a trend. Many students are now opting for Digital Marketing Courses to gain expertise in the field. Hope now you about Traditional Marketing vs Digital Marketing. Want to build a career in Digital Marketing but are confused about how to start? If yes, then reach out to Leverage Edu Experts who will provide you with all the necessary assistance and guidance. Call us at 1800 57 2000 to book a FREE 30-minutes counseling session now!