Six Factors to Consider Before Making the Choice of Advertising Media

Advertising is the way to influence potential customers to purchase or consume a particular brand of product or services. For advertising effectiveness, different media are used to convey their messages for consumers, such as print, online, electronics, and outdoor media. Secondly, the selection of media according to the target audience is really important for the promotion of particular products, because wrong media selection for a product cannot convey their core messages to the consumers. To obtain the maximum return on investment, it is important to select the right mode of advertisement. This certainly requires a thorough study of each medium and vehicle. The actual selection of the media for any advertiser should depend on variables market conditions, the marketing programme, and the peculiarities of each medium of advertising.

Strictly speaking, there is no rule of thumb in the selection of appropriate advertising media. However, in general, the following factors govern the choice of advertising media.

1. The nature of the product:

A product that can be used by a wide and diverse group of people requires mass media like broadcast, print, telecast, and outdoor. A product needing demonstration warrants television and screen advertising via YouTube. Similarly, industrial products find favour of print media than broadcast media. And, products that are injurious to health, such as cigarettes, alcohols, and tobacco should never be advertised on National television and radio.

2. Potential market:

The aim of every advertising effort is to deliver the message to prospective clients and influence them to make a purchase. This crucial task rests in the identification of potential market for the product in terms of the number of customers, income pattern, geographical spread, age group, likes and dislikes. If the message has to be delivered to high-income folks, magazines are the best mode. If the message needs to be focused on local areas, newspaper and outdoor advertising are of much help. If illiterate folks are to be approached, television, radio, and cinema advertising are the most appropriate methods.

3. The type of distribution strategy:

The choice of advertising media and distribution system has correlated. There is no use of advertising a product or service to the area where it is not available for shopping. Also, specify the end users and how they can be reached.

4. The advertising objectives:

Though the major objective of every company is to influence the consumer behavior, some organizations might desire to have a local, regional or national coverage to popularize a product, service or company to create primary or secondary demand. If it wants immediate action, direct or specialty advertising is the most successful method. If national coverage is needed, use television and newspaper with nationwide coverage.

5. The budget available:

A manufacturer may have a great plan for advertising and he might be dreaming of advertising on a national television network and films. But if the budget does not allow this, he/she has to be happy with low budget media like newspapers and outdoor advertising.

6. Competitive advertising:

A good advertiser is one who makes his/her moves after carefully analyzing the competitors. It