15 Main Types of Advertising and How to Use Them

Advertising is the lifeline of any successful business, connecting brands with their audiences. However, the types of advertising available today have evolved significantly, offering businesses different ways to reach potential customers. 

From traditional approaches, like print and broadcast, to cutting-edge digital marketing strategies, each type has unique strengths and applications. 

By understanding each type, businesses can tailor their strategies to maximize reach and impact.

Traditional advertising vs digital advertising

Traditional advertising methods have been around for decades. These include print, broadcast, outdoor, and direct-mail advertising. Despite the rise of online media, traditional advertising methods remain relevant and highly effective in specific contexts.

Digital advertising refers to marketing through online channels, like your website or search engines. According to a market report from Statista, this type of ad spending is projected to reach $740 billion in 2024. 

Digital advertising offers various options, such as search engine ads, social media ads, display ads, and video ads. It also provides unmatched targeting capabilities, allowing advertisers to reach highly specific demographics, interests, and behaviors.

15 most effective methods of advertising

Understanding every advertising type is crucial for crafting a successful marketing strategy. Each type, from traditional print to digital campaigns, offers unique benefits and opportunities to reach and engage your target audience. Here are the most effective ones.

1. Print advertising

Print advertising includes newspapers, magazines, brochures, and flyers. It allows businesses to reach a local or national audience through tangible media. Despite the decline in print readership, print ads are still valuable for targeting specific demographics. 

Older audiences are more likely to engage with printed materials. These print advertising media have unique advantages and limitations, making them suitable for various advertising strategies. Common types of print advertising include:

• Newspapers advertising: Usually issued daily or weekly, newspapers have long been a staple of print advertising. They offer localized reach to a broad audience, making them perfect for businesses targeting specific geographic regions. Ads in newspapers can range from small classifieds to full-page spreads, providing flexibility in budget and design.

• Magazine advertisements: These ads cater to more niche audiences. By advertising in magazines that align with their target demographics, businesses can ensure their message reaches a more interested and engaged readership. This advertisement benefits from high-quality images and a longer shelf life, though the cost can be higher than that of other print media.

• Brochures: These multi-folded promotional papers are versatile, and can be distributed in various ways, like direct mail, events, or in-store. They allow businesses to provide detailed information about products or services. The main limitation is the cost of printing and distribution, especially for high-quality full-color brochures.

• Flyers: Commonly distributed by hand and fit onto one page, flyers are cost-effective and easy to produce, making them ideal for local advertising and promotions. Advertisers typically use them for short-term events or sales.

2. Broadcast advertising

Broadcast covers television and radio ads and effectively reaches large audiences quickly. TV and radio advertising can create a strong impact through audio-visual storytelling, making them suitable for brand awareness campaigns. Examples of broadcast advertising include:

• TV advertising: Television ads come in various formats, including 30-second spots, infomercials, and sponsorships. The different types of TV advertising leverage visual and auditory elements to create compelling narratives. Hence, they are highly effective for building brand image and conveying messages quickly.

• Radio ads: Broadcast advertising on radio can target specific demographics based on the station’s audience and time slots, such as a morning or evening drive. The lack of visual elements requires the creative use of sound and language to engage listeners.

Broadcast ads have extensive reach and can target both mass and niche audiences. Due to TV’s high production quality and broad viewership, ads here can leave a lasting impression. Radio ads can be equally effective, with repeated exposure and strong call-to-action messages. However, both forms can be expensive, with TV ads requiring significant investment in production and airtime.

3. Outdoor advertising

Outdoor advertising is among the popular types of advertising techniques. Also known as “out of home (OOH)” advertising, it includes billboards, transit ads, and posters. This highly visible media can capture the attention of commuters and pedestrians, making it ideal for promoting local businesses. The main forms of outdoor advertising include:

• Billboards: Also called Advertising hoardings, billboards are large format signs, strategically placed in high-traffic areas to ensure maximum visibility. Due to their size and prominent locations, they are ideal for brand awareness and reinforcing messages.

• Transit ads: Advertisements on public transportation appears on buses, trains, and taxis, reaching commuters and pedestrians. This type of advertising is particularly effective in urban areas where people heavily use public transportation.

Outdoor ads are hard to ignore, providing constant exposure. They work well for brand recall and can complement other advertising efforts. However, they are unable to provide detailed information and are best suited for short, impactful messages.

4. Direct-mail advertising

Direct mail involves sending promotional materials straight to consumers’ mailboxes. Direct mail can be personalized, so it is practical for driving specific actions, such as redeeming a coupon.

Marketers can customize the materials to the recipient’s preferences and past behaviors, increasing the likelihood of engagement. This can range from addressing the recipient by name to personalizing the content based on their interests.

Direct mail can achieve high targeting accuracy by using customer data and analytics. This precise targeting can lead to better conversion rates than less targeted advertising methods.                     

5. Pay-per-click advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) ads are a cornerstone of digital marketing. Search engines like Google display PPC ads when users enter specific search queries. Advertisers place bids on relevant keywords and incur costs whenever someone clicks on their ad. PPC ads are those on Google you see under the “Sponsored” header on a search engine results page. 

Search advertising is highly effective because it targets users searching for specific information, products, or services. This form of advertising ensures that the audience is already interested in the content, leading to higher conversion rates. 

The key to successful PPC advertising lies in keyword research and bid management. By selecting the right keywords and optimizing bids, businesses ensure their ads appear prominently on SERPs, driving valuable website traffic.

6. Email marketing

Email marketing uses personalized communication to engage audiences directly through their inboxes. Unlike other types of advertisements, email marketing allows businesses to communicate with their customers directly.

The emails feature a variety of content, including newsletters, promotional offers, product announcements, and personalized recommendations. The secret to its success lies in segmentation and personalization. Businesses can customize their messages by dividing the email lists based on customer behavior to address their needs and interests.

🧠 Learn: How to Do Email Marketing: A Complete Guide

7. Social media advertising

Social advertising reaches people while they’re scrolling through their feeds. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X provide robust alternatives, allowing businesses different approaches to reach a wide and engaged target audience.

• Instagram Ads: Owned by Meta, Instagram provides diverse advertising options, such as photo, video, and Stories ads. Instagram ads are visually appealing and ideal for brands with strong visual content.

• X (Twitter) Ads: With X for businesses, you can run ads with promoted tweets, accounts, and trends. These ads are effective for engaging with users in real time and driving conversations.

• Facebook Ads: Also owned by Meta, Facebook advertising includes images, videos, carousels, and sponsored posts. Marketers target these ads based on user demographics, interests, and behaviors. Fun fact: Facebook ads also show up on Instagram as they both use Meta’s advertising network.

• TikTok Ads: Owned by ByteDance, TikTok offers various ad formats, including In-Feed ads, TopView ads, Branded Hashtag Challenges, and Branded Effects. TikTok ads are short-form, highly engaging, and particularly effective for reaching younger audiences with creative, trend-driven content.

• YouTube Ads: Short video commercials or promotional content that play before, during, or after videos on the platform, allowing advertisers to reach YouTube's massive audience. These ads come in various formats, including skippable and non-skippable video ads, banner ads, and sponsored cards, with advertisers paying based on factors like ad views, clicks, or impressions.

8. Display advertising

Display advertising usually involves placing visual ads, such as banners and pop-ups, on websites across the internet. These ads attract attention and direct traffic to the advertiser’s site.

• Banner ads: These rectangular image or text ads appear on various parts of a website. They are ideal for brand awareness and can include animations to capture attention.

• Pop-up ads: A window or banner that suddenly appear over or under a webpage. While they can be intrusive, they are highly noticeable and drive significant traffic if used sparingly and strategically.

9. Video advertising

Most types of video advertising excel in storytelling, allowing brands to connect emotionally with viewers. They are also effective for product demonstrations, showing the product in action and highlighting its benefits. Some of the most popular forms of video advertisements include:

• Pre-roll ads: These ads play before the main video content. They can sometimes be skippable or non-skippable.

• Mid-roll ads: These ads show in the middle of longer videos, ensuring engagement from viewers already invested in the content.

• Post-roll ads: These ads play after the main video content, which is suitable for reinforcing brand messages.

10. Mobile advertising

Mobile advertising has become critical as more and more people rely on them to connect to the internet. Carefully crafted mobile ads help your brand connect with consumers on the go.  Just like display advertising, there are several different formats to connect with your target audience: 

• In-app ads: These digital ads appear within mobile applications, offering seamless integration with the app content. They can be banners, interstitials, or rewarded videos.

• Mobile search ads: These appear on mobile search engine results pages, targeting users searching for information on their mobile device.

• SMS marketing: SMS Marketing sends promotional messages to users’ mobile phones. It is highly effective for immediate communication and driving instant responses.

These types of mobile product advertising allow businesses to reach users wherever they are, providing constant connectivity. The personalized nature of mobile ads, combined with location-based targeting, ensures high relevance and engagement.

11. Podcast advertising

Podcast advertising leverages the growing popularity of audio content to reach engaged audiences. Podcasts cover diverse topics, attracting loyal listeners who trust the host’s recommendations. Businesses can utilize several types of podcast ads:

• Pre-roll ads: Played before the podcast episode starts.

• Mid-roll ads: Inserted during the podcast episode.

• Post-roll ads: Played at the end of the podcast.

Podcast ads are effective due to their targeted nature and the personal connection between the host and the audience, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.

12. Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing has emerged as a powerhouse in the digital age. Brands can partner with influencers to create authentic, relatable content that speaks to their audience. This can include showcasing the product directly or creating engaging content that subtly promotes the brand, increasing awareness and credibility.

Influencers can help brands reach specific audiences that may be challenging to target through conventional advertising. Businesses can relay their message to the right audience by selecting influencers whose followers and advertising lists align with the brand’s target market. This drives more meaningful engagement and conversions.

13. Product placement

Product placement is an old-school television advertising concept. It involves naturally integrating products into movies and TV shows. It subtly promotes products within the storyline, making the advertisement feel less intrusive.

Today, product placement also happens in YouTube videos and social media. Creators and influencers incorporate products into their content authentically. Using product placement can build credibility with a creator’s audience, as it doesn’t feel like too much.

14. Programmatic advertising

Programmatic advertising’s precision targeting capabilities are a standout feature. Advertisers can pinpoint users based on various data points, including demographics, interests, online behavior, and location. This level of precision ensures that ads reach the most relevant audience, enhancing the campaign's effectiveness. 

Programmatic advertising automates the ad-buying process, reducing the need for manual negotiations and human intervention. These ads use real-time bidding (RTB) to purchase ad impressions on digital platforms, ensuring that advertisers get the best possible prices. 

15. Native advertising

Native ads match the look and feel of the media format in which they appear. These ads can take various forms, such as sponsored articles, videos, or social media posts. They also integrate naturally with the platform’s content. 

The user is at the heart of native ads. Their seamless integration into the platform’s content makes them less intrusive and more attractive to users, who don’t perceive them as traditional advertisements. By delivering valuable and relevant content, these ads effectively engage users without disturbing their browsing experience.

Advertising use cases and examples

To illustrate the effectiveness of these strategies, here are some good examples:

Compelling TV and radio ads

TV and radio ads continue to be powerful tools for reaching broad audiences. An example is Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign, which used humor and unique visuals to leave a lasting impression.

Engaging social media campaigns

Effective social media campaigns leverage platform-specific features and user behaviors. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge stands as a shining example of this advertising. It harnessed user-generated content to spread awareness and drive donations virally, inspiring countless other campaigns to follow suit. 

Another successful campaign is Airbnb’s #WeAccept, which used powerful imagery and user stories to promote inclusivity and attract global attention.

Compelling video ads

The Dove Real Beauty Sketches campaign used real women and emotional narratives to challenge beauty stereotypes. It generated massive engagement and shares. 

Nike’s Dream Crazy featuring Colin Kaepernick, effectively used inspirational storytelling to align with its brand values and spark widespread conversation.

Innovative mobile ads

Innovative mobile ads capitalize on mobile devices’ unique features. IKEA’s augmented reality (AR) app allows users to visualize home furniture, enhancing the shopping experience and driving sales.  

Influencer marketing success stories

Daniel Wellington’s partnership with Instagram influencers helped the brand grow significantly by leveraging the influencers’ authenticity and reach. 

Programmatic advertising wins

Programmatic advertising allows for automated, data-driven ad placements. A case in point is Procter & Gamble’s use of programmatic to optimize its digital ad spend. This strategic move resulted in higher efficiency and better-targeted ads, showcasing the potential benefits of programmatic advertising for businesses. 

Native advertising best practices

Best practices for native advertising include creating relevant, high-quality content that blends naturally with the platform they are featured in.

Spotify’s partnership with content creators to produce sponsored playlists that match users’ tastes is an example of effective native advertising.

Another example is The New York Times’s T Brand Studio. It creates branded content that aligns with the publication’s editorial content style. It generally provides value to readers while promoting brands.

How can your business benefit from advertising?

Advertising is fundamental to the success of any business. Regardless of the advertising techniques, ads connect a brand to its potential customers. They also help build brand awareness, attract new customers, and retain existing ones. 

Businesses can effectively communicate their value propositions by strategically utilizing various tactics, while also differentiating themselves from competitors in the marketplace. Here are some of their benefits:

Targeted audience reach

One of advertising’s key benefits is its ability to target a particular audience. Whether through traditional means or modern types of digital advertising, it enables businesses to focus on specific demographics and geographic areas. 

This targeted tactic ensures that the right message reaches the right people at the right time, increasing conversions.

Credibility and trust

Advertising plays an essential role in building brand credibility and trust. Consistent and high-quality advertisements help create a strong brand image, which is crucial to building long-term customer relationships. 

Effective tactics also contribute to brand recall, ensuring customers remember and choose the brand when purchasing.

Revenue and growth

At its core, all types of advertising techniques are meant to drive sales and revenue growth. They stimulate consumer interest and encourage action by highlighting promotions, new products, or unique selling points. 

In a competitive business landscape, leveraging the appropriate approach is essential for sustaining growth and achieving business objectives.

Brand awareness

Advertising is important for making your brand memorable with your target audience. It’s not just about being known, but about being remembered. A good advertising campaign will keep you at the top of customers’ minds and generate positive feelings about your brand.

Take Coca-Cola, for example. Although it’s a strong brand and a household name, its continuous advertising, such as its iconic Christmas campaigns, still significantly increases brand awareness, perception, and recognition.

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Various advertising strategies, from traditional print and broadcast advertising to digital and influencer marketing, suit every business need. By leveraging the right mix of techniques, they can maximize their reach and impact on their target audience.

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Types of advertising FAQ

What is an advertising strategy?

An advertising strategy is a planned approach to promote a product, service, or brand to a target audience. It involves selecting specific methods, channels, and messaging to reach and influence potential customers.

What types of advertising strategies are there?

There are various types of advertising strategies, including online advertising, traditional media advertising, influencer marketing, and experiential marketing. Each strategy has its strengths and is suited to different goals and target audiences.

How do you choose from different types of advertising strategies? 

Choosing from different types of advertising strategies involves considering factors such as your target audience, budget, marketing objectives, and the nature of your product or service. Analyzing the potential return on investment and aligning the chosen strategy with your overall business goals is essential.

How does native advertising differ from display advertising? 

Native advertising is designed to blend seamlessly with the platform or content it appears, often mimicking the form and function of editorial content. In contrast, display advertising is more overt, typically appearing as banners, pop-ups, or other ad spaces on websites or apps.