Are There Several Types of Advertisements?

December 14, 2021

For all businesses, whether they may be selling products or services, advertisements are essential to spread the word and help acquire sales. 

By its definition, an advertisement is an announcement or a notice. It is used to inform a specific audience about a service, an event, or a product. 

With that said, how can people effectively advertise their products and services? Are there different types of advertisements? If so, what ad type works best for their needs?
 

The Two Main Categories of Advertisements

Before diving deeper into the different types of ads, it is essential to understand the two main categories of advertisements. 

This is because the different types just branch out from these two main categories. These two categories are traditional advertising and digital advertising. 
 

1. Traditional Advertising

As the name suggests, traditional advertising is the typical advertising method you are most likely familiar with. Examples of this are billboards, television ads, radio ads, newspapers, direct mail, and magazines. 
 

2. Digital Advertising

Digital advertisements, on the other hand, make use of the internet and therefore can target a much bigger audience compared to traditional marketing. 

Furthermore, you can easily collect data from digital advertisements to analyze. This will allow you to understand how to optimize your advertisements further. It is also more customizable, and many of these digital advertisements can be edited on the fly. 

While digital advertisements seem better than traditional ones, each category has its advantages and disadvantages.
 

Types of Traditional Advertising

Despite the marked preference of several business owners for digital advertising, the number of traditional advertisements still hasn’t dropped. 

With the right concept, financial support, and planning, traditional advertising can compete with digital advertising. With that said, here are the different types of traditional advertisements.
 

  • Print

1 Teacup With Saucer and Magazine on White SurfaceThis is one of the most basic types of advertising. Before televisions and the internet became popular, advertising through print was the preferred method. In today’s modern age, print advertising still amounts to millions around the globe.

Advertising through print can be done through different channels. Even in this modern-day era where most information is spread through television and the internet, some still prefer to use newspapers. 

Several people still buy newspapers early in the morning to read the latest news. So, people who want to advertise a product or service can purchase a segment in the newspaper. 

This is also the case with magazines. Other forms of advertising through print include brochures, flyers and posters, directories, and direct mail. 

As with all the other types, advertising through print still entails answering some fundamental questions. Who are you targeting? What are the demographics of your target audience? 

Given the right concept and execution, print advertising will go a long way in promoting a product or a service.
 

  • Broadcast

Woman in Yellow Long Sleeve Shirt Watching Tv In BedBroadcast uses the technology of radios and televisions. Even today, television and radio advertisements are still being used as one of the primary advertising methods. 

Examples of this method include infomercials, local or national spot advertising, network spots, etc. Although broadcast advertisements are no longer the dominant type for ads, they still play a significant role in advertising. 
 

  • Out-of-Home Advertising

multicolored wall decorThis is also otherwise known as outdoor advertising. By its definition, outdoor advertising is when you make an advertisement that the audience can see outside their homes. The best example of this is billboards. Although it may seem simple, outdoor advertising is pretty complex.

Take billboards, for example. One crucial aspect to consider is that the advertisement must catch the audience’s attention. This is because there are only a few moments when drivers and passengers or people who are on the go take a look at the billboard. 

The message must be short enough yet understandable for the audience to understand in that few seconds.

Outdoor advertising is usually used to increase the general population’s awareness about a brand or a product because it can simultaneously reach many people.
 

Types of Digital Advertising

In today’s advertising industry, digital advertising is now the prevalent and preferred method. Somehow it is now an unspoken rule that all businesses and companies or anyone who likes to promote or advertise something should do or invest in digital advertising. 

One benefit of this is that those who advertise digitally can immediately acquire relevant data. This includes information like who interacted with an advertisement, how long the potential buyer interacted, and whether the interaction led to a sale. 

There are other benefits of using digital advertising. With that said, here are the different types of digital advertising. 
 

  • Paid Search Advertising

Person Using Macbook AirThis type of advertising uses keywords so that when a user searches for something related to the keyword, an advertisement appears on the search results. 

This is an excellent way to target specific audiences since they are most likely searching for or are interested in items and services related to the keyword they searched.
 

  • Social Media Advertising

Person Holding Turned-on Android SmartphoneAs the name suggests, it is when you promote something on social media platforms. If you decide to utilize social media advertising, you must select the correct forum to use. It would be best to understand that not everyone uses every social media channel, so choose wisely.

The most common channels for social media advertising are Facebook, Linked In, Instagram, among many others. The good thing about this type is that the advertisement can be tracked in real-time. 
 

  • Native Advertising

This advertising type blends in with the website. Therefore, advertisements are most likely related to the content of the site. 

This ensures that there is a much bigger chance that audiences visiting that site may also be interested in whatever it is you are advertising.

The good thing about this advertisement type is that it is not disruptive or annoying, like pop-up ads or banners.
 

  • Display Advertising

This is perhaps the most common type of advertisement. These are the types of ads that you see on the corners of the screen. 

This is more straightforward compared to native advertising. The downside is that sometimes they can be disruptive or entirely irrelevant for the person visiting the site. However, this type of advertising is suitable for targeting a large audience.
 

Final Thoughts

The ones mentioned above are the different types of advertisements. Now that you know them, you can now start your ad campaign and implement the things you have learned here. The type of advertisement you choose should be one that suits your budget, concept, and target audience.

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