Google Remarketing and Outdoor Advertising – More friends than foes.

Digital and traditional advertising—to an untrained eye these are starkly different. Chalk and cheese. Apples and oranges.

However, there are striking similarities between the two. An en masse comparison of them would be a gargantuan exercise but even focusing on sub-sets from each will reveal vital truths. In this instance, let’s take Google Remarketing and Traditional Outdoor Advertising. It’s not surprising if at this stage you’re wondering what Google Remarketing and Traditional Outdoor Advertising have in common. But take a closer look and you’ll see that the two are fundamentally similar in their modus operandi.

Google Remarketing entails targeting potential customers who have shown interest in a product on other web platforms they visit. Outdoor Advertising essentially carries out the same task of remarketing. An outdoor ad consistently targets prospective customers taking the same route every day. Both mediums serve as reminders to potential customers about products they may wish to buy.

But how does this insight help? Well, for starters knowing that you as a marketer have another medium at your disposal that largely performs the same task is having a great tool in your armoury. And by being aware of the benefits and drawbacks of both media, you can make an informed choice to use the best media for the task at hand.

In the case of Google Remarketing, you have a highly data-driven activity. Outdoor Advertising, on the other hand, relies purely on a visual estimation of potential customers that can be targeted. As such, Google Remarketing proves to be a highly accurate exercise. Also, with Google Remarketing, a decision to stop advertising can be taken basis of the response shown by the prospective customer.

Outdoor Marketing scores very highly in certain areas. It proves to be a medium one uses to advertise high-involvement products such as cars, real estate, premium watches, etc. This is something that is presently not in the realm of digital advertising.

This understanding of overlapping functionalities of Digital Media and Traditional Media can help optimise marketing efforts. And while it may be voguish to speak about the diminishing returns of traditional media, it is still a very relevant and productive medium to help us achieve business goals.

So the next time you think about where your product should be advertised, think a little more deeply. A considered decision that leaves out biases and is based more on fact than on popular opinion, is something that could help you optimise your budgets, maximise reach and leverage your brand.