Traditional versus cutting edge. Tried and true versus revolutionary. What has worked versus what will work.
The great print-versus-online-advertising debate has been raging in the healthcare industry for over a decade now. The fact that a consensus remains elusive is evidence of just what a sticky issue it is.
The great print-versus-online-advertising debate has been raging in the healthcare industry for over a decade now. The fact that a consensus remains elusive is evidence of just what a sticky issue it is.
On one hand, the Internet is the future. According to a September 2010 study by the Pew Research Center, six in 10 adults use the web to find information about products and services. In fact, on any given day about 21% of adults look online for product info, up from 15% only a few years ago. That makes the web a prime environment to reach customers.
On the other hand, Internet advertising is in its infancy compared to print, and health professionals mustn’t appear too susceptible to hot new trends. After all, medicine is based on careful testing and consideration of long-term results. Healthcare advertising must therefore be carried out in a manner that reflects a discerning, respected company. Given the multitude of online ads that span from goofy to downright obnoxious, it’s easy to see why many providers are reluctant to stray from the traditional.
If you’re still stuck in the center of the debate, surrounded by a host of your healthcare peers, don’t fret. You’re about to get a tip that will provide some immediate clarity: Stop asking yourself the question ‘Should I use print or online advertising?’ The answer is yes. Both mediums should be employed if you want to attract new customers, increase sales, and encourage interaction with your brand. The real question is how to use paper and screen together, in harmony, to make your return on investment sing.
For starters, there are three main factors for health providers to consider when splitting marketing budgets between online and offline mediums: target audience, cost, and how tightly your business is tied to a particular geographic location. These factors will be unique for each health practice or business. In relation to these variables, each medium has its advantages. The following discussion provides an overview of those advantages, and can serve as a starting point for planning your print and web ad campaigns.
Online Advertising
Reach a wider audience: Your brand needs to be seen for your business to grow, and nowhere are there more eyes than on the Internet. Further, while the web audience is growing, print is not — and while newspapers are tossed after a day, and magazines after about a week, the Internet is available 24/7 to millions of users.
Reach a wider audience: Your brand needs to be seen for your business to grow, and nowhere are there more eyes than on the Internet. Further, while the web audience is growing, print is not — and while newspapers are tossed after a day, and magazines after about a week, the Internet is available 24/7 to millions of users.
Ease and immediacy: This applies to both the advertiser and the customer. Online ads are easy to update or edit, and the latest version is instantaneously displayed, so no more waiting for the next print cycle of paper or periodical. For customers who want to learn more after seeing an online ad, the information is only a click away. Print ads, on the other hand, require the customer to take extra steps to learn more. Often, that allows just enough time for interference (phone rings, email chimes, boss calls a meeting), and the opportunity is lost.
Target your ads for your audience: Outstanding demographic accuracy is one of the single greatest advantages of web advertising. By placing ads on related sites or with relevant search results your viewers are more likely to have an existing interest in your products or services. Beyond that, online ads can include dynamic content (content that changes based on preset parameters such as the viewer’s location, gender, or time of day they’re online) so that your ad speaks directly to the customer who’s looking at it.
Lower cost: In general, online advertising is less expensive than print. In addition, some web ads only incur a charge when a customer clicks a link or visits a page that contains your ad.
Easy to track: A famous quip about TV ads says, “50% of advertising works, we just don’t know which 50%.” This isn’t an issue with online advertising, which allows efficient analysis of ad effectiveness by tracking viewer responses.
Offline (Print) Advertising
More personal: No matter how big the Internet gets, never underestimate the power of a well-done and well-placed print ad, postcard, brochure or flyer. Healthcare is a personal business, and a personalized letter or postcard adds a nice touch.
More personal: No matter how big the Internet gets, never underestimate the power of a well-done and well-placed print ad, postcard, brochure or flyer. Healthcare is a personal business, and a personalized letter or postcard adds a nice touch.
More memorable: This isn’t an absolute, but some studies have found that subjects remember the content of print ads better than online ads.
Target your community: For brick-and-mortar businesses, print ads are an ideal and inexpensive way to target specific neighborhoods. Use direct mail, flyers or postcards – sent to new and current clients – to introduce new services or special offers. Place brochures at nearby (noncompeting) businesses, and distribute them at events and conferences.
Not dependent on a web connection: It’s easy to forget, but not everyone has access to the Internet all the time. With print ads, you can reach customers who lack access at home, or in places where access is limited, such as on airplanes or even in your own lobby.
A business-to-business standard: Key decision-makers at companies want something to hold in their hands while deliberating during board meetings, or to pass around to other top executives as they compare your company with the competition, so for much of B2B marketing print is still king.
No doubt, cataclysmic changes in technology and communications have expanded the ways companies can reach customers. But just as one treatment won’t work for every patient, your customers will respond differently to different methods of advertising. Successful marketing programs therefore need a mix of print and online elements to bring maximum benefit.
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