This report clearly demonstrates the shift towards digital advertising. It is undeniable that the future for the majority of publishers and advertisers lies in digital formats. For a time now, analysts have predicated the fall of the paper medium, as using the internet and the digital transition have reduced costs and created better returns. E-mail ads and PPC banners, allow advertisers to reach targeted consumers more effectively, than spamming wasteful print ads. In addition to increased online activity, the poor economy has forced advertisers to find alternative means of marketing that prove to be more reliable. E-mail and social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, have become the preferred means of advertising for many companies.
Although traditional print ads remain an important format for advertising, the decreased viewership of magazines and newspapers, has drastically impacted their effectiveness. The decrease in traditional mediums has been caused by technological innovation. The internet is no friend of newspapers and journalists. Companies like Amazon and Apple have been strongly pushing digital formats with their mobile devices, Kindle and iPad. In turn, publishers are having to shift towards digital formats, which also directly effects advertisers.
The shift towards advertising is not surprising. As we become a more technologically savvy and environmentally conscious society, paper will be viewed as an inferior and wasteful medium of the past. The growth of the internet and mobile devices is moving quickly, which is where advertisers will undoubtedly shift their focus. The types of approaches and strategies advertisers will take are still developing, as they begin to phase out print ads. Whether it be mobile applications, e-mail, or online ads, it’s here to stay.
Written by Daniel T