Media pertains to the form of communication used to reach out to many people. For businesses, this translates to your method of advertising. The success of your campaign depends upon using the media to its best potential. Here, we will go through the different forms of media, their strengths and weaknesses, and how to pick one depending on what you need.
1. Print Media
This used to be the most dominant form of media for advertising because of its accessibility for any business. From neighborhood shops to the most prominent companies, most have employed this method in some way.
It can work when done correctly and is affordable. While most companies now focus on digital media, print media still has a solid demographic that regularly consumes its contents, which is why it shouldn’t be ignored.
The most common form of print media is newspapers, which are affordable and are sold by many shops. Some are updated daily, and some weekly. Most are broad in topic, ranging from news, sports, special interests, politics, fashion, and more.
Similar ones are magazines, which are released either weekly, monthly, or yearly. This is more specialized in content, such as beauty, sports, health, and lifestyle. Its high-quality paper, eye-catching images, and attention-grabbing headlinesmakes it a big hit among many.
Both of these are bought by customers for their content, and companies reach out to people through ad spaces anduniquel articles. The strength of these lies in that many people regularly subscribe tothemt. Aside from this, integrating your company’s message into its contents can make it seem more organic and easy to absorb for your audience.
This weakness is that its readers have decreased over the years in favor of digital media. Still, a large demographic, specifically the older generation, regularly subscribes to this.
Aside from magazines and newspapers, banners, brochures, and flyers are also considered print media. This is specifically made for the company and contains all theessentialt information about the company. Some also have contact information to make it easier for people to contact them afterward.
2. Broadcast Media
Broadcast media is one of the most accessible for consumers, and it is everywhere we go, as we often turn to it for entertainment. Because of this, companies have to create content that is as spontaneous and interesting as the content that people watch the media for.
Television is one of the most dominant forms of broadcast media. There are thousands of channelsworldwided, each with specialized shows made for the general public.
Some also target specialized demographics, such as children, sports enthusiasts, and those interested in beauty. Millions of people tune in daily, makings it one of the most ideal platforms for your company to reach out to the public.
Another form of broadcast media is the radio. It is often used in cars and public places, and itt isalso usedo in areas where television coverage is unreliable. The content of radio broadcasts varies, with some specializing in news and some music.Companiess create entertaining jingles to make their messages heard across many areas.
Finally, movies are also considered a form of broadcast media. You can promote a specific theme, portray a story, and showcase stunning visual effects in an hour or two. Companies use a pre-screening slot to display advertisements, while some integrate their brands inside the movie itself. Many companies have always used advertising in film because of how many people watch it regularly.
Broadcast media is still effective as ever. Its main benefit is that it reaches a large part of the general audience, making itsuitabled for companies that target many demographics.
Its downside is that it is expensive to us, and highghh budget is needed for producing interest-grabbing video and audio ads. Because of this, it is not usually for mostsmall-to-mid-sizedd businesses.
3. Out of Home Media
Out-of-home advertising or outdoor media is another accessible form of media. Here, you can advertise through public places frequented by many. You can usually see this in parks, vehicles, billboards, and similar ones.
The most common form is billboard advertisements. They come in either printed or screen form. Its large size makes it easy to see for many commuters who pass by buildings and stress. Transit media works similarly, as they are displayed near vehicles and modes of transportation. This is usually seen in taxis, railways, and buses.
The primary benefit of these is that it is affordable for companies. It also allows your ads to be seen by many people regularly. Lastly, it can last for days, months, or even a year depending on where you posted it.
The only issue is that it is harder to specify the demographic you want to reach with this. After all, different walks of life use public transportation or drive past where you put your ads.
4. Internet Media
The most recent among the four is Internet media. By connecting to the web, you can get information easily. It integrates many forms of media, including video, audio, text, and a combination of these.
Internet Media is used for many reasons, including news, socialization, entertainment, and work. Because of this, it has a wide reach for people worldwide.
The most common form is social networks and websites. This includes popular names like Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. Although its main purpose is to connect people worldwide to each other, it is also rich with many media. Companies easily reach out to their audiences by creating videos, posts, and even direct messaging.
Next are online forums, where people gather to create threads about a specific topic. The primary topic of each forum include shows, lifestyle, gaming, and more. Similarly, blogs are websites made by content creators who release daily or weekly content about a specific topic.
Another form of Internet media is podcasts, which are recorded audio where people talk about a specific topic. Unlike the radio, this can be paused, skipped, and played on many devices. Companies usually integrate their advertisements through breaks in between.
What companies like most about internet media are that it is easy to tailor the content to your specific audience. These usually have information about which age group, gender, country, and other identifiers their users belong to. Through this, the money used for advertising is expected to be used more efficiently.
The downside to internet media is that it is much more technical than other forms. Here, industry terms like search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), keywords, and more are often heard. Complete beginners may have trouble finding how these work.
Conclusion
As we can see from these, media comes in different forms, each with its own pros and cons. Because of this, the best one depends upon the company which will utilize it. For this, you need to consider the following:
- The budget allotted – There is a huge difference in the price of printed and broadcast media ads. Because of this, choose one that will provide you with the best return on investment.
- Your demographics – Try to see which media best fits your budget while still being able to target your specific audience. For example, outdoor advertising about food is always effective as everyone becomes hungry. On the other hand, an ad for insurance may not work when displayed in a beauty magazine.
- Your competitor’s media – You will need to research which methods have been effective for competitors and from companies abroad.
The existence of many media comes from the development of technology that makes it possible to create different forms of reaching out to more people.
It includes social media sites, media sharing, forums, blogs, consumer websites, and content curation websites.
It includes print, broadcast, out-of-home, and internet media.
It is media delivered digitally and includes older media forms that are now available online. It includes websites, blogs, social media networks, and podcasts.
It is a form of digital media.
Broadcast media is still the most used worldwide because it is accessible even without Internet access, yet is more friendly to many demographics than print media.