How Digital Mediums Can Enhance Print

When it comes to print and digital mediums, people often think it has to be one or the other, but not both. But what if we told you the answer is combining both to get the most out of the work you’re doing for your company?

Let's dive in and discover the endless possibilities when these two mediums work together to elevate your brand and engage your audience.

What is a digital medium?

A digital medium is any electronic platform or channel used for creation, storage, and distribution of digital content. You’ll find them often in the format of images, videos, web pages, and social media. They’re designed to help improve communication and boost customer engagement in a digital space.

Engaging in digital mediums is one of the most essential things you can do for your business. It allows you the ability to reach and engage with your specific target audience. 

What would the world look like without print?

Today’s world is very digital focused, which actually provides more power to print for your business. It allows your business the ability to provide an experience to your customers that they can’t get from a screen, and that they may not be getting anywhere else.

So, what if we took print out of the equation, what would that mean for your digital mediums?

Shorter lifespan on digital products

When you send an email, post to your social media or have someone visit your website, that content disappears as soon as they move on. So, that means you have a few short seconds to make a massive impact on a potential customer. But print allows customers content that they can refer to time and time again. It’s also easier to pass printed content onto friends and family.

People would experience more digital fatigue

According to FinTechFutures, 64% of consumers feel exhausted by too much screen time. A lot of this is due to extra time spent on our phones and computer during the pandemic.

But this is a great way to show how digital mediums can benefit from print. This means printed media is an effective tool for getting through some of that digital fatigue.

Less personalization for each recipient

Digital mediums are a great way to get a lot of information out to a wide audience online, but print allows you to get information out to the right person in the right way. If print didn’t exist, then you would have a harder time choosing specific images, offers and formats for your customers.

Let digital compliment your print

The point here isn’t to show why one is better than the other but to show how they work perfectly together to elevate the experience your customers receive. The idea is that print should drive digital and digital should drive print.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming one is better than the other and missing what they both have to offer your business.

And if you're interested in combining print and digital mediums, Aradius Group can help! Our guide, 5 Benefits of Combining Print & Digital Advertising, was designed to break down a few reasons you should consider and omnichannel experience for your next marketing campaign. 

Examples of digital mediums and print together

QR codes

These have really popped up everywhere over the past few years, whether you love them or hate them, they are a great example of digital and print working together. You have this printed QR code that allows you direct access to a digital aspect that allows you to learn about a business.

You can use QR codes on so many things – think postcards, posters and some people have even taken the digital on digital aspect where they put a QR code on a tv commercial.

Business cards

This mash up of digital and print together is a little less in your face, but still a great way to combine the two. When you’re printing business cards you always have your information, such as name, business address, phone number. But don’t forget that you can make this a digital connection by adding your LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook.

Postcards

Postcards are a great way to let clients know about upcoming events, sales or announcements. A way to include digital in this is to use your website on the postcards. If you're using it for an upcoming sale,include a discount code and you'll get the full omnichannel experience by being able to track return on investment.

The takeaway

Combining print and digital allows businesses to create powerful, omnichannel marketing campaigns that allow for greater reach. If you aren’t combining both digital and print you might be missing people you’d only reach if you used one or the other. Don’t shorten your reach by thinking print or digital is better.

Use the strength of both digital and print and maintain your brand identity to create more impactful experiences for your customers.