When was the last time you picked up a newspaper, a magazine perhaps, or the last instance you looked for a local business through the several-inch thick tome that is the Yellow Pages? It should be fairly plain that in the wake of the Internet, physical print media has been on the decline. With more and more people consuming their news from the web instead of physical media every day, the efficacy of advertisements has been on the decline. Even the historical classifieds section has been replaced with online services such as Kijiji and Craigslist. In this day and age, it is imperative to evolve your advertising presence out of print media, and into digital media.
Television has been the king of advertising for the better part of a century. Inheriting their role from the artful Billboards that preceded them, television advertising has been a steadfast part of the viewing experience for many decades. More recently however, the value of this advertising has been threatened by the rise of the use of PVR. No more does a commercial guarantee a view, as consumers may elect to skip them entirely. Channels and services, like HBO, Hulu, and Netflix have evolved to combat this change, adopting premium subscription strategies, collecting money directly from their consumers rather than attempting to bombard them with advertisements. Other consumers have turned to consuming alternate sources of media. Approximately 2 billion hours of content is consumed each day on Youtube, and for many children, is beginning to fill the role of cartoons. While the value of TV advertising is on the decline, major events still command an unfathomably large audience. In fact, the commercials from some of the largest of these (such as the Super Bowl), hold a degree of reverence, as their quality is often a cut above many other advertisements.
Now, the advent of social media has fundamentally redefined the advertising space. Every day, more and more companies join the ranks of those that maintain Facebook pages and Twitter profiles. The fantastic part of all of this is that the cost of maintaining a social media presence is free, coupled with the fact that the level of customer interaction is higher than ever before, allowing the possibility of addressing feedback promptly. The possibility of stopping bad press & turning it into good press by rectifying the situation is a priceless tool. Of course, paid advertising in this space is still available for those brave enough to venture into such waters, although the complexity of the entire situation is too daunting for most. Fortunately, this is one of many advertising services that The Mark Consulting provides. For your part, just remember that content is king. Frequent updates on your social media channels will drive more traffic, and are fundamental to your success in the online space.
Written: Travis Sareault (The Mark Staff writter)
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THE MARK CONSULTING & MARKETING