We all know that going online instead of print can help save time and money. Printing costs can rack up quickly, especially in large quantities. Yet, many companies continue to use print material to create tangible impressions, so people can sense and feel it – as seen from brochures and annual reports. While it is true, do you know that switching from print to online can create many other benefits beyond time and money?
Interactivity
Online content have exciting features that promote interactively. You are no longer confined to boring or dull elements with print, such as flat images and grid lines. Instead, you get a large variety of choices to choose from. For example, you could go for animated GIFs in a poster to capture the reader’s attention instantly. Or adopt pop-up graphics that highlight changes. The possibilities are just endless.
No matter what you choose, the eye-catching content will attract the reader’s attention. Additionally, they will have an easier time understanding what you are presenting. This is why interactive online flip books have become so well-liked in the last few years, replacing traditional catalogs and mailers.
Increased reach
According to the 2017 Media Consumption Forecasts – by marketing agency Zenith – global online media consumption has risen by 4.4% compared to their previous year. This is a sharp contrast to the fall of 8.6% in print media consumption in the same period. This shows that audiences continue to be more receptive to online content while they spend less time with traditional print media.
Essentially, people are turning to online media to get information instead of reading what is on print. This extends to leaflets, booklets and other print material, as people are less likely to read them. Instead, they prefer to search for information online. Even business-to-business (B2B) companies are not exempt, as more clients are using the top results from web search engines or networks like Google and Linkedin for their needs. Switching from print to online is the fastest and easiest way to reach out to a large audience, especially with the popularity of social media.
Engage the audience directly
Audience engagement has never been easier thanks to online media. Want to know how your target audience feels about your latest product? You will be sure to receive feedback on it soon once you publish a piece of online content (like a video advertisement) online. Anyone can comment at any time due to the large number of online platforms available and the accessibility of the Internet.
Best of all, you can reply to the audience instantaneously, especially through social media comments. This helps in branding and portrays a favourable corporate image. After all, you are addressing their concerns or compliments directly, which shows that you care for them. Switching to online content allows us to gauge the audience’s interest and respond to them.
Get accurate analytics – better for advertisers
Online content have the ability to track down specific information about your target audience’s behaviours. You can determine their interests and preferences with free online tools such as Google Analytics. The current tools are simply extensive. From the number of likes to the length of time they stay on a video, you can get precise figures from these tools.
You can then use such information to refine and better your content. However, this does not apply for print media. You cannot get accurate, on-the-spot statistics about the customers’ reactions to printed content. Information about your customer base is useful for third-party advertising too. Advertisers are keen to know these figures so they can find other avenues to promote their products. If you are willing to let them advertise on your platform – like your website – you can earn additional advertising money on the sidelines.
Flexibility
Unlike print, you are not limited to physical constraints for online media. Gone are the days where you have to worry about getting the correct paper size or colour schemes, such as CMYK or RGB. Nowadays, all types of screens – regardless of size – can display the same online content. Just make sure that your content is mobile-friendly. The online content will be automatically resized to fit the screen, providing much flexibility. Hence, you can focus on creating interesting content that works.
Even if something does go wrong when you post online content, you can tweak and edit it with a few clicks. On the other hand, a reprint is not only expensive, but time-consuming too.
Are you now ready to start switching to online content? Get inspired and more with our ultimate 6-step social media strategy guide!