LAB5

Do your research and answer the following question:

=**What is the difference between advertising methods used in the real world and the virtual world. Please explain.**   = In the virtual world - the Web - information and audience is ever increasing, as opposed to old media. This growth in return generates a market for web advertising. As all advertisement is targeted at a certain group, internet advertising provides more guaranteed results in targeting who sees these ads, directed to those who are most likely to buy those products or services. For example, Google matches up advertising companies with content that their audience visit regularly. In addition, while it is impossible to track the progression of how people are receiving these ads in traditional advertising - how many people are coming across my ad? - virtual advertising allows for checking of the number of clicks left on their link. From being able to do so, companies can track the number of visitors to their business web site, making it easy to determine the effectiveness of their ad. Thus, virtual advertising is direct, managed, and targeted in a way that print media cannot be. In addition, these features create a cheaper advertising sphere, at a much less conversion rate and a controlled cost. Take Google, advertising spots on this search engine website only charge companies when visitors click on the advertising link - you pay for what you get. This is a much wiser method compared to throwing out a piece of advertisement in print, paying several hundred dollars, and blindingly hoping people will come across it. There is no doubt that internet advertising reaches out and has a greater range as opposed to traditional advertising. The internet spans the globe - people are targeted all at once. Real world advertising methods include but are not limited to: newspaper/magazine ads, billboards, TV, movies and commercials. By these methods, to target people with the same scope, they would have to try to find different publications, radio stations and television stations that cater to a particular geographical area.

In conclusion, advertising in old media tends to be more expensive, timely, without the knowing of how effective it is. However, print media is still essential. Take into consideration, for example, the digital divide - not everyone can access the internet, or perhaps the older generation who don’t have internet or don’t use it. Thus, it is apparent that internet advertising is more convenient and cost-effective, but there are advantages in both methods and its differences.