The Different Types of Advertising

Advertising is an important part of running a business, as it provides opportunities to reach new audiences, drive sales, and promote brand awareness. That said, there are countless advertising options available for today’s businesses, so it can be hard to know which methods are right for your business. Understanding the various types of advertising can help you make smarter financial decisions about which types will be most beneficial to your business. Here we will take a look at some of the different types of advertising businesses use to promote their products or services. 

Print Advertising

Print advertising refers to printed advertisements that may be visible in magazines, newspapers, brochures, or flyers. Some companies may choose to print advertisements in the classified section of the newspaper, whereas others may choose to advertise in specialty magazines related to their business.  For example, a company that sells fishing gear would likely place ads in fishing or outdoor magazines because they know they have a better chance of reaching their target audience. Print advertising can be a great way to provide a colorful, visually appealing experience for consumers. 

Paid Search Advertising

The majority of people today begin their search for a product or service online, which explains why more and more businesses are turning to online advertising. Paid search advertising is a method of advertising in which businesses pay search engines to place their ads in the search engine results pages. When someone enters a search on Google for example, the results that appear are both organic and paid results. 

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a type of advertising in which company’s optimize their website so it will rank higher on the search engine results page. When users search a phrase or keyword relating to that business, the company’s website appears closer to the top of the page. 

Social Media Advertising

Social media advertising uses platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to reach potential customers and share information about their products and services. This can be in the form of targeted ads, personal content, or even interactive polls and engagement. 

Television Advertising

We have all seen plenty of commercials on television, advertising various products and services. These ads can range from 20-60 seconds in length and can vary by the time of day, the geographic region, the target audience, and the number of networks in which the ad is shown. Repeated advertisements on television can help to build brand awareness and recognition. 

Radio Advertising

Radio advertising is another form of advertising in which ads are played during scheduled commercial breaks. Companies typically conduct market research to figure out which radio stations their customers will listen to the most as well as what time of day they would most likely be listening. They may try to target customers driving to and from work or perhaps those who might be conducting other activities like household chores. 

Podcast Advertising

As podcasts continue to increase in popularity, so does podcast advertising. In this type of advertising, companies can sponsor podcasts or have advertisements for their products or services played during the episodes. 

Outdoor Advertising

This type of advertising refers to anything that consumers might see while traveling outside their homes. This could include billboards, signs in public transportation areas or vehicles, ads on the sides of buses, or any other outdoor signage.

These are just some of the more common types of advertising options available to businesses that include both online and offline methods. It’s important to consider your target audience and where they spend their time when deciding which advertising strategies will work best for your company.