We’ve all heard of advertising, but what is it really? To put it in simple terms, it is the process of bringing attention to something, typically a product, service, or cause, through paid advertisements, also known as adverts or ads. Though simple, these are vague definitions, and the reason for that is that since its birth, it has undergone massive changes and evolution.

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The invention of the printing press birthed modern advertising. Since then, it has latched onto every form of applicable media, like TV, radio and, most importantly nowadays, the Internet.

Why is advertising important?

Advertising is essential to any business, as ads are the most direct way to reach and influence potential customers. No matter the size of your business, it can have the following effects:

Build awareness: Advertisements increase brand and product awareness among the target audience.
Improve reputation: Adverts can tell an audience what a brand stands for. Clever ads help businesses form their desired image in their customer’s eyes. One of the best examples of this is the first Superbowl blockbuster ad, the 1984 Apple parody by Ridley Scott.
Inform customers: It can be used to inform customers about products and services, their advantages and features, and what makes them stand out among the competition.
Increases customer trust: Ads can build a sort of familiarity and trust between you and your customers. You can also use them to address a competitor’s challenges or potential customers’ concerns.
Drive-up sales: It is one of the sure most ways to improve your sales and increase the income of a business.

Types of advertising

Generally, there are two types of advertising: Traditional and Digital. Traditional advertising can reach a broad audience but is not very targetable or trackable. Digital advertising uses the Internet and online platforms to target a specific audience, and its statistics are easily trackable. Each of these categories includes different types of ads.

Types of traditional advertising

Print advertising: While this term can refer to leaflets, flyers, and brochures, it usually refers to ads in print media like newspapers and magazines. It’s possible to filter the target audience by choosing the right magazine or newspaper, i.e., printing an advertisement for a car rental service in a tourism magazine.
Outdoor advertising: Billboards, transit ads (like the ads in the subway and bus stops), sport venue ads, and other ads like them, form outdoor or out-of-home advertising.
Broadcast advertising: Although the types of ads aired on the radio and TV are vastly different (one being solely audio and the other usually comes with huge production costs), all of them are broadcast ads. Nowadays, with the popularity of digital streaming services, ads aired on online platforms are a massive part of it.
Product integration: One of the more subtle forms of advertisement, product placement, involves putting products or services in movies, TV shows and even video games (see monster energy drink in death stranding). Remember that there’s no need to mention the product explicitly, as sometimes subtlety is the key to a good advert, and viewing it is enough.

Types of digital advertising

Paid search advertising: Otherwise known as pay-per-click or PPC. These adverts appear on the top of the search results you see on google and other search engines. With PPC, advertisers pay only for the users that click on their ads.
Display advertising: One of the most common types of digital advertising, display ads use identifiable adverts to present a call-to-action or CTA to users. Banner ads and pop-ups are the most common forms of display advertisements, and display adverts usually rely on cookies to work correctly.
Native advertising: Native ads are embedded into a website’s regular content, blending in with their other material. They usually come in the form of sponsored articles and videos. In contrast with the flashing pop-ups and other display advertisements, native ads don’t break the flow of a platform’s usual content.
Social media advertising: Most social media platforms offer a way to promote your content and advertise your product and or brand. On the other hand, social media influencers are also handy for a more targeted ad campaign.
Podcast Advertisement: Similar to radio ads, podcast adverts can help you reach your target audience through a sponsored ad read from the podcast host. Bear in mind that most podcast ads include a discount for the potential customers listening to the podcast.
Mobile advertisement: Mobile or in-app advertisement reaches potential customers through any mobile device, such as smartphones and tablets, with an internet connection. These advertisements can appear on social media, websites, games, and other apps.
Video advertisement: Video adverts can appear before, during, and after other content on streaming platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook or monetized websites such as news sites.

Here at Marketing Planet, we specialize in advertising. Be it digital advertisement, social media adverts or print ads; we will take care of it for you. Due to our belief in collaborative work, we work with you to create the perfect ad strategy for your needs. If you’re unsure of what form of advertisement works best for you, feel free to contact us and get a consultation from our team of professionals.

Advertising frequently asked questions – FAQ

1) Is advertising the same as marketing?

Marketing refers to all activities that attract customers or bring attention to a product or service. Ergo, advertising is a subcategory of marketing.

2) Does my business need advertising?

Most businesses need to reach out to attract new customers, and advertising is the most direct way. It can be a good choice if you are trying to establish a new line of products or location, build brand awareness or drive-up sales.

3) Where should I advertise?

You must know your target audience first to know the perfect place for your ads. Digital advertising allows you to filter your audience to an extreme level, like people who have already shown interest in similar products or users of a specific service. Still, traditional advertising can also target a particular audience, like a local one, in the case of print ads.