Showdown: Local Influencer Marketing vs. Print Advertising

Imagine this: you’re chilling at your favourite local café, flipping through a glossy magazine and spotting an ad for the latest fashion line. Classic, right? But maybe not as exciting as it used to be. Now, picture scrolling through Instagram and seeing your favourite local influencer rocking those same clothes in a quick, snappy video. Which one grabs your attention more? As a business owner or marketing manager, choosing between these two approaches can seriously impact your brand’s visibility and engagement. Let’s break it down and see how local influencer marketing stacks up against modern print advertising across key criteria: channel, medium, reach, targeting, campaign management, measurement, and pricing.

Channel

The advertising platform used to deliver the marketing message.

Local Influencer Marketing: Uses social media platforms where local influencers with dedicated followings share your brand message in an authentic and engaging way.

Print Advertising: Includes traditional media like newspapers and magazines, plus digital versions like online publications and e-magazines.

InfluencerPrint
Higher daily usage ratesYY
Ads delivered only when consumers are engagedYN
Ability to interact with consumersYN
Endorsement by trusted personalitiesYY
Quick and easy campaign setupYN
Target specific audience segmentsYN
Comprehensive performance insightsYN

Medium

The format or style of content used to convey the marketing message.

Local Influencer Marketing: Uses video, images, and text to create dynamic and engaging content across various social media platforms.

Print Advertising: Relies on static visual content in newspapers, magazines, brochures, and their digital counterparts, offering limited interactivity.

InfluencerPrint
Ability to deliver ads through videoYN
Ability to deliver ads through imagesYY
Ability to deliver ads through text formatsYY
Ability to deliver ads through the most preferred consumption mediumYN

Reach

That amount of people that have seen your advertisement.

Local Influencer Marketing: Provides wide and diverse reach, targeting various demographics and interests through the influencer’s established audience.

Print Advertising: Reaches readers of specific publications, with less control over audience engagement compared to digital channels.

InfluencerPrint
Guaranteed audience reachYN
Guaranteed ad frequency
YN
Reaches middle and older generationsYY
Consistently reach younger generationsYN
Reaches audiences without digital devicesNY

Targeting

The capability to divide and customize the marketing message for a particular audience.

Local Influencer Marketing: Allows for detailed targeting based on demographics, interests, and behaviors to ensure your message reaches the right people.

Print Advertising: Offers broader targeting based on publication readership, with less granularity in audience segmentation.

InfluencerPrint
Target consumers in specific locationsYY
Ability to target consumers in specific geographic radiusesYN
Target by age, gender, behaviour, interests, and incomeYN
Ability to retarget website visitors YN
Ability to retarget store visitorsYN

Campaign Management

The time and resources needed to create and distribute the marketing content.

Local Influencer Marketing: Enables rapid content creation and collaboration with influencers who understand what resonates with their audience.

Print Advertising: Involves more static content creation, with longer production and distribution timelines.

InfluencerPrint
Minimal content creation and revision roundsYN
Pre-tested and proven content formatsYN
Flexible content formats and placementsYN
Rapid content creation and launchYN

Measurement

The ability to monitor and assess the performance and impact of the marketing campaign using measurable data.

 
 

Local Influencer Marketing: Provides real-time performance metrics, allowing for immediate adjustments and optimization.

Print Advertising: Often lacks immediate feedback, making it harder to measure and adjust campaign effectiveness in real-time.

InfluencerPrint
Real-time data tracking and content optimizationYN
Accurate tracking of reach, engagement, and conversionsYN
Ability to track how many consumers have seen your adsYN
Ability to track conversationsYN
Ability to track website traffic driven by adsYY
ROI measurementYN

Pricing

Definition not needed.

Local Influencer Marketing: Offers scalable pricing based on influencer reach and engagement, often providing a higher return on investment for digital campaigns.

Print Advertising: Costs can be higher due to production and distribution, with varying costs depending on publication and ad size.

InfluencerPrint
Offer competitive pricingYY

Conclusion

Print advertising is still a classic and reliable option, especially for reaching traditional audiences and local markets. But if you’re looking for a more dynamic, interactive, and targeted approach to engage with a broader audience, local influencer marketing is where it’s at.

Curious about how local influencer marketing can make a difference for your brand? Get in touch below.

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