In today’s world , business often debate whether to invest in digital marketing or stick with traditional marketing. But here’s the truth – you don’t have to choose one over the other.
When used together, both strategies can create a strong, balanced marketing mix that drives brand awareness and measurable results.
What is traditional marketing
Traditional marketing is all marketing that happens offline. This includes print, broadcast, direct mail, phone, and out-of-home advertising like billboards and posters.
It’s called “traditional” because it predates the internet, but that doesn’t mean it’s outdated.
In fact, some of the most digital-native startups are circling back to it. Case in point? One of my customers, Artisan, a fully AI-driven outreach platform, shocked marketers with their now-viral billboard campaign.
In a world where SaaS companies obsess over CAC and digital tracking, Artisan went old-school. They rolled out billboards in San Francisco with a bold message: “Stop Hiring Humans.”
What is Digital marketing
Digital marketing uses online platforms to connect with potential customers.This includes
Social media marketing (Fcebook , Instagram, Linkedin, etc)
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Google Ads and Online advertising
Email marketing
Content Marketing and blogging
Digital marketing is cost-effective, measurable, and targeted, allowing brands to reach specific audiences andtrack real-time performance.
Traditional Marketing vs Digital Marketing
“In today’s landscape, it’s no surprise that digital marketing is an increasingly important revenue driver. In fact, 78% of businesses that use social selling outperform those that don’t.Disadvantages to digital marketing do exist, however. Chief among these concerns are privacy and security issues. According to Hubspot’s State of Consumer Trends 2025, online data privacy is valued as a human right by 75% of survey respondents.This means that “digital power” comes with responsibility. To build trust and achieve long-term success, marketers must be cautious in their use of data and respect consumers’ growing expectations regarding privacy.But when my business is all about creating sales and marketing content, I see no other option but to market my skills online 99% of the time.
Importance of Traditional Marketing
It might already be pretty clear from the above examples, but I want to break down some of the reasons why traditional marketing is still important alongside digital marketing.TrustConnecting with potential customers is at the heart of marketing.Print still leads in credibility. A 2024 Kantar US Media Reactions report found newspapers were ranked the #1 most trusted and relevant advertising channel by American consumers, beating out digital formats.So, even if it seems like we live in a digital marketing landscape, when it comes to trust, what’s tried and true works better.Honestly, I’m right there too.
After digging into the numbers, here’s how I see it: it’s not about choosing one over the other. There’s actually a real advantage in using both traditional and digital marketing together when you’ve got money in your pocket.Traditional marketing is great for building trust and reaching local crowds. When it comes to precise targeting, it could fail, but that’s exactly where digital shines.So instead of seeing them as rivals, I view them as two tools that complement each other. It’s not either-or — it’s a smarter play when you use both.”