When conducting marketing, we may disseminate information or run advertisements on the Internet. Media are essential for disseminating information and advertising.
In recent years, there may be many people who submit advertisements to Internet-related media, but the types of media are not limited to the Internet, but include paper media, transportation media, and many other media.
In this article, we will explain what a medium is, its meaning and types, and points to consider when selecting a medium for marketing strategies.
What is a medium?
Media refers to “media” in the information field, and is a general term for the intermediary means necessary to convey advertising materials and information to consumers. In short, it is something that serves as a medium for information.
In general, sales promotions include mass media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television, Internet media such as search engines, newspaper column sites, social media, outdoor and transportation, POP, DM, posters, and flyers. (SP) Divided into three types of media.
It can also be translated as “transmission means” as a synonym for information media.
In fact, a medium can be used as a vehicle for conveying some information. With the development of the Internet and digital technology, the variety of communication methods has increased tremendously. Furthermore, the scope of information transmission has expanded from a small portion of people in Japan to people living all over the world.
Therefore, in modern times, the term “medium” covers a wide range of things.
Characteristics of each of the three types of media
First, let’s understand the characteristics of the three types of media: mass media, Internet media, and sales promotion (SP) media.
mass media
The word “mass” in mass media means “mass” in English, and it means “the masses” or “the majority.” In Japan, the word “mass” is also used to refer to mass media and mass media.
In other words, “media sent to the masses” is called mass media. Mass media has traditionally referred to four media: newspapers, magazines, radio, and television.
Mass media is the position of mass communication that conveys information to an unspecified number of people. When we think of mass media, we often associate it with news reporting, but they also play a role in enlightenment, education, entertainment, and advertising, and have a great social influence.
Mass media, such as television and radio, can overwhelmingly communicate information to an unspecified number of men and women of all ages. Therefore, it is worth using if you want to spread information to many people.
However, in recent years, it is said that young people are turning away from television and newspapers, and it is important to understand that Internet media is attracting more attention.
Furthermore, among the four mass media, the target audience and number of people differ depending on the medium, so it is necessary to choose a medium depending on the target and cost.
internet media
Internet media literally refers to all media on the Internet.
For example, official websites of newspaper companies, magazine companies, television stations, and radio stations are typical Internet media.In addition, Google and Yahoo! Search engines such as Google also handle advertisements, so they can be considered media.
In addition, product sales EC platforms such as Rakuten Market also handle advertising, so they can also be used as a medium.
In addition, social media is becoming a major Internet medium in recent years. You can place advertisements on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LINE, TikTok, etc., and influencer marketing, which involves operating your company’s official account and asking celebrities to spread information and make introductory comments, is also effective as an advertisement. is.
Recently, video sites such as YouTube are also being treated as a major medium. Affiliate sites, which have become popular in recent years, are also a type of media.
An affiliate site is a system in which general users introduce products on their personal blogs, websites, SNS, etc., and when they click on the product link and purchase it, they pay advertising fees as a performance fee.
There are various types of Internet media, and currently, Internet media is expanding in the advertising field.
According to Dentsu’s “Advertising Expenditures in Japan,” Internet advertising media expenses in 2021 are expected to total 1,891.2 billion yen, 107.7% from the previous year.
Although the impact of the new coronavirus infection is still continuing and it is difficult to predict the future, Internet advertising media is expected to continue to grow.
Sales promotion (SP) media
Sales promotion media, also called SP media for short, is also an old media.
This includes the inside of transportation vehicles such as trains, buses, and taxis, newspaper inserts, free newspapers, outdoor signs and banners, direct mail, and in-store POP.
It is also possible to hold events and exhibitions and declare information there, so it can be considered a type of medium.
In recent years, digital signage, which distributes digital content on LCD displays, has been installed outside of facilities such as train stations and stores, and inside stores. This is also a typical sales promotion medium.
We have explained the three main types of media. From here, we will explain each type of media in detail.
Types of mass media
There are four types of mass media: newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. Each has been widely used as a powerful means of advertising even before the Internet became widespread, and is an indispensable part of marketing strategy.
Below, we will explain the four representative media.
Features of newspapers
Each newspaper company has its own history, and since ancient times they have continued to use paper media to convey a wealth of information to all citizens.
Japan’s first daily newspaper, Yokohama Mainichi Shimbun, was launched in January 1871 (December 3rd year of Meiji in the lunar calendar), followed by Yomiuri Shimbun three years later in 1874, and Asahi Shimbun in 1879. , one after another, newspapers appeared in the world.
Due to this long-standing historical background, the editorial department structure tends to be more established than that of web media. It also has specialized and comprehensive information, and is characterized by high authority over the public.
Newspapers have conveniences that digital media do not have.
By expanding the newspaper page and viewing it, you can see important articles and articles that are of interest to you at a glance. The key point is that you can get a general idea of the content by skimming the headlines, so you can gather information more quickly than scrolling through it on your PC or smartphone.
It also has an excellent ability to convey information to a generation that has difficulty viewing a PC monitor due to visual acuity or is unfamiliar with digital devices. Although we live in the digital era, in an aging society, it can be said that its position as an information transmission medium is unshakable.
Inserted flyers are an excellent medium for conveying information.
Newspaper insert flyers are an indispensable information transmission medium. Customers can obtain promotional information from companies and stores all at once using flyers.
Unlike media such as the Internet, where information cannot be found without searching, companies can quickly provide information through flyers to all customers who subscribe to newspapers.
For example, you can send information about today’s special sales to your customers this morning, and encourage them to take action on the same day. This speed of information transmission is also a feature unique to insert flyers.
Features of the magazine
Magazines are one of the four major mass media, along with television, radio, and newspapers, and have a position as a powerful information transmission medium.
Magazines are a medium with a limited readership, so it is easy to develop advertising strategies.
Even though they are both paper media, magazines differ from newspapers in that they have a limited readership. Magazines are a medium that is acquired for the purpose of “obtaining information,” so there are certain restrictions on age, gender, hobbies, etc.
In other words, since the readers of the magazine have already been targeted (narrowed down), it is possible to quickly determine what kind of advertisement should be published.
When inserting a flyer into a newspaper that is intended to be widely read by people of all ages and genders, there is no telling what kind of content will be received by many readers. However, if you place an ad in a magazine that has a narrower readership, you will have a better idea of what kind of content will be received, and it will be easier to plan your advertising strategy.
Magazines are also a medium that is likely to remain with you forever.
Another advantage of magazines is that they are likely to remain in the hands of readers forever. For example, you may have information from several months or even years ago, and you may be able to attract customers using that information.
In addition, there are collectors and enthusiasts who collect old magazines, and it is possible to deliver information to such people across eras.
Features of radio
Radio listeners are narrowed down to a certain extent by time of day, program taste, and type.
If the broadcast time is morning or evening, you can imagine the corresponding customer group to some extent for each time period, such as commuters and school commuters, truck drivers and taxi drivers, telecommuters, and self-employed people during the day, and students taking entrance exams late at night. can.
For these reasons, radio advertising strategies are relatively easy.
The only medium among the four mass media that does not rely on “visual information”
Among the four mass media, radio is the only information transmission medium that does not rely on visual information. While there are disadvantages such as the difficulty of conveying detailed information, audio allows the listener to freely expand their imagination.
Radio advertising tends to have a recency effect (described later), and if you utilize this effect in your advertising strategy, you can successfully promote purchasing behavior without relying on visual information.
The recency effect is a marketing strategy that makes good use of auditory information.
The recency effect is the effect that influences purchasing behavior after acquiring information through advertisements, etc.
For example, if a person says, “I suddenly heard a commercial on the radio that I was listening to while driving, and I can’t help but wonder about the hair growth product.” When that person gets out of the car and goes shopping, they find the hair growth product in front of a store. There is a high possibility that you will buy it immediately.
The brain tends to decide that it wants to process information that it feels is useful before it is forgotten, which tends to lead to purchasing behavior of “getting the product or service you’re interested in as soon as possible.” It seems that it is. In this way, audio-only radio commercials have the characteristic of being relatively easy to lead to purchasing behavior.
TV features
Television is the largest information transmission medium among the four mass media. The advertising effectiveness is outstanding, and information can be provided to most households and all age groups throughout Japan.
Since information can be provided both visually and audibly, it is possible to make a strong impression on viewers and greatly improve recognition.
Trust unique to television
Television commercials have a “trustworthiness unique to television” that is not found in other four mass media. It can be said that it is worth running a TV commercial because of trust.
Please note that TV commercials have examination criteria, and if you do not pass them, you will not be able to appear in a TV commercial. This is because television is a government-licensed business, and it is essential to provide accurate information.
Against this background, advertisers who are able to place commercials on television naturally have the ability to gain the trust and trust of the public. It can be said that there is a high possibility that products and services will be sold by advertisers with trust and credibility due to the synergistic effect.
Demonstrates the bandwagon effect of selling from people who are trusted and trusted.
In the world of marketing, the phenomenon in which products are sold by people who are trusted and trusted is called the bandwagon effect.
If the product, service, or advertiser already has credibility and trust, or if it is supported by a large number of people, the product or service will sell even if it is silent. Many customers jump on the bandwagon, thinking, “If this product is supported by so many people, it must be good,” and a trend is created.
Television commercials require high advertising costs.
There are also disadvantages to TV commercials. That’s because advertising costs are high.
The production cost for a typical TV commercial is around 1 million yen to 5 million yen, and high-quality ones can cost as much as 30 million to 50 million yen. Therefore, television can be said to be a difficult medium to advertise in unless you have a certain level of corporate strength.
There are also disadvantages that make it difficult to measure cost-effectiveness.
Although not limited to TV commercials, mass advertising also has the disadvantage that it is difficult to measure the cost-effectiveness.
Since customer information and access analysis data that can be easily obtained on the Web are not available, it is difficult to measure effectiveness and can only make rough judgments.
For this reason, it is necessary to try to place advertisements after having surplus funds, while taking into account that some amount of budget will be wasted.
TV viewership has been on the decline in recent years
Television viewership has been on the decline in recent years. The decline in TV viewership is particularly noticeable among young people, with the percentage of people who watch TV per day falling below 50%.
According to the ”
National Time Use Survey 2020
” released by NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, the percentage of people watching TV as a whole was 85% in 2015 and 79% in 2020, so it is decreasing year by year. It seems so.
Given this current situation, it may be better to consider other media when developing a marketing strategy, especially for young people.
TV commercials are often skipped
In addition to watching TV in real time, you may also record it. Commercials of recorded programs are often automatically skipped using the skip function, increasing the possibility that the commercial will not be seen. Some recording devices have commercial cut functions, so commercials may not be recorded in the first place.
The movement to eliminate advertising due to the advancement of digital technology can be said to be one of the disadvantages of the current TV commercial situation.
Types of internet media
Next, we will introduce the types of Internet media.
Digital version of newspaper
These are the digital versions of the so-called major newspapers, such as Asahi Shimbun Digital, Mainichi Shimbun Digital, and Nikkei Shimbun Digital Edition. Similar to print media, the readers are of an older age group.
Digital version of magazine
The digital version of a magazine is what is called an e-book.
There are a variety of books that have been previously published in print that have been remastered or remade so that they can be viewed electronically, as well as books written exclusively as e-books.
Similar to print magazines, the number of viewers is limited to a certain extent, making it easy to narrow down the target audience.
digital version of radio
Radio Digital is an Internet media service mainly provided by radio broadcasting stations. There are official websites for Tokyo’s FM radio stations such as TOKYO FM and Nippon Broadcasting System.
For example, the Nippon Broadcasting System website has a lot of information such as information on programs currently being broadcast and information guides for each program.
There are also radio stations that distribute radio programs as podcasts at a later date, and it is also possible to run commercials specifically aimed at podcast users.
digital version of tv
This is an Internet media service mainly provided by television broadcasting stations. NHK, Fuji Television, Nippon Television, etc. have published their official websites.
In addition to program information, these sites also distribute news content and live videos, and function not only as TV program information but also as the latest news media.
Nowadays, services such as TVer, Paravi, FOD, TELASA, and Hulu that distribute TV programs in real time or in case you miss them have become popular. TVer’s app does not allow commercials to be shown, so it may be worth considering as a place to advertise.
Product sales EC platform
To put it simply, product sales EC platforms refer to Rakuten Market, Amazon, etc.
For example, on Amazon, if you open a store or sell products on Amazon, you can advertise on Amazon. In addition to selling products, you can publicize your store and products through advertising.
Search engine (listing advertisement)
A search engine is a system that returns “answers = search results” to “questions = searches” by users from among the countless amount of information that exists on the Internet.
When a user performs a search on a search engine, the advertisement that is displayed at the same time is called a listing advertisement.
Listing ads display ads related to the keywords searched for, making it easy to approach users with a high purchase intent.
If you want to know more about listing ads, please refer to the article below.
social media
Social media (SNS) is a medium that allows anyone to send information and interact with each other online.
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. are famous around the world, but in Japan, LINE etc. are also popular, and TikTok is also a well-known SNS medium among the younger generation.
Please refer to the detailed explanations below regarding various types of SNS advertising.
Video site
Video sites are also SNS in a broad sense, and are mainly referred to as video SNS. Typical video services include YouTube and Nico Nico Douga.
You can reach a large number of users, target people with various attributes, easily verify effectiveness, and understand the scenes that are well received.
For more information on video advertising, please refer to the page below.
affiliate site
An affiliate site is an advertising medium where users introduce products and services on blogs, websites, social media, etc.
In order for advertisers to start placing affiliate ads, they must first register with an ASP (Affiliate Service Provider). After passing the ASP review, we prepare advertising materials and ask users to send out information.
The advantage of an affiliate site as a medium is that it allows users to review your company’s products and services. This makes it possible to reach targets that cannot be covered by direct advertising.
owned media
Owned media is web media that is operated by a company. Unlike corporate sites and service sites, it generally refers to media that distributes blogs and columns.
The key to owned media is to cultivate and establish your own products, brands, and fans.
Owned media can increase customer loyalty. By continuing to provide useful information to prospective and existing customers, we aim to encourage them to continue using our products and services in the future.
Since it is our own media, another advantage is that we can promote our products and companies without spending advertising costs.
Related articles on owned media
Owned media construction service information:
Types of sales promotion (SP) media
Let’s take a look at the types of sales promotion media.
Transportation (train, bus, taxi)
Among transportation systems, trains, buses, taxis, and airports are media called transportation advertising.
Trains and buses are often used at the same times and at the same stations every day when commuting to work or school, so they are seen repeatedly and tend to be memorable.
For trains, advertisements can be placed inside the station, inside the station, on door glass stickers, on digital signage, etc.
Transportation advertising is also characterized by its closeness to the local area, making regional branding possible.
flyer
These include flyers folded into newspapers, enclosed with membership magazines, etc., and flyers posted in mailboxes.
Although flyers are relatively easy to read by subscribers to newspapers and membership magazines, posted flyers are difficult to read, so it is common to post a large number of them.
free paper
Free papers are paper media distributed free of charge based on advertising revenue. There are various distribution locations, but the main ones are on the street, inside stations, supermarkets, and convenience stores.
It is characterized by its community-based nature, and is good at disseminating information in specific areas. You can also narrow down your target audience by age, gender, etc.
Outdoors (signboards/banners)
Billboards and banners are also a type of outdoor advertising media. In addition to regular signboards, conspicuous signboards such as neon and LED signs are also becoming more popular.
The advantage of billboards and banners is that they are highly visible and have a high advertising effect depending on where they are placed. However, in order to preserve the scenery, it is necessary to devise expressions while taking legal regulations into account.
Direct mail (DM)
Direct mail, also known as DM, refers to paper letters sent to existing customers. It is used to announce campaigns, provide discount coupons, and communicate the latest information. Since they provide information and benefits to existing customers, they are more likely to be opened.
In-store POP
In-store POP refers to in-store promotional materials.
In the product section of a store, by adding handwritten or printed text or illustrations with product recommendations, product reviews, store staff’s comments, etc. as POP, it provides necessary information and has the role of increasing purchase motivation. .
Some are produced by manufacturers or distributors and distributed and installed in stores, while others are produced by each store.
Events/Exhibitions
Events and exhibitions refer to venues such as promotional campaigns, pop-up stores, sporting events, PR events, exhibitions, and expositions. These can also be used for advertising and disseminating information.
For example, events can be used to promote corporate branding and disseminate information about new products.
Online events are on the rise, but events that bring potential customers together at a physical venue are a great opportunity.
digital signage
Digital signage refers to electronic signage, and is used for advertising, sales promotion, information guidance, production, and lighting.
Displays come in a variety of sizes, but can provide information in real time, from large outdoor displays to medium-sized displays for hotels and facilities, show windows for financial institutions, and more.
They have been attracting a lot of attention in recent years because they have more appeal and impact than static billboards.
Essential points when choosing a medium
We have introduced a variety of media, but you may choose one for a variety of purposes, such as advertising or disseminating information. When selecting a medium, it is essential to first understand the characteristics of each medium.
There are various formats and media such as paper media, web media, and electronic media, and each media has a different target and range of appeal.
Therefore, when selecting media, be sure to keep the following points in mind.
Know your target
Especially when placing advertisements, it is important to first clarify the target you want to pursue, as this will affect the effectiveness. Then, choose your medium. As explained above, each medium has a different target.
Understand the number of people and scale that can be appealed to
Along with your target audience, it is also important to understand the number of people you can appeal to. Even with the same target, results can vary greatly depending on the number of people and scale.
For example, TV commercials aimed at the masses have a wide range of appeal, but they also have a wide range of targets. On the other hand, social media only communicates information to the users who use it, so it may not be enough to widely disseminate information.
Understand the characteristics of the medium
In order to choose the appropriate medium, you need to understand the characteristics of each medium. By deepening your understanding of the characteristics of media, you can avoid mismatches in media selection. Each medium has its advantages and disadvantages, so be sure to check them carefully.
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What is a medium? We will explain the meanings and types that you may not be able to hear about now! summary
- Media refers to “media” in the information field, and is a general term for the intermediary means necessary to convey advertising materials and information to consumers.
In short, it is a medium of information. Mass media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television, Internet media such as search engines, newspaper column sites, social media, sales promotion (SP) media such as outdoor and transportation, POP, DM, posters, and flyers. Divided into 3 types.
- The mass media is four media, newspapers, magazines, radio, and television, which is a mass communication that transmits information to an unspecified number of people.
- Internet media literally refers to all media on the Internet. Official websites of newspapers, magazines, television stations, radio stations, Google and Yahoo! There are search engines such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LINE, Tiktok, and video media such as YouTube.
- Sales promotion media is also called SP media for short. There are traffic, buses, taxi, etc., such as in the interior of transportation, newspaper insertion advertisements, free paper, outdoor signboards, drills, and store POPs.
- Precautions when selecting media
There are various media, but it is indispensable when choosing a medium for various purposes, such as advertising and information diffusion, first of all, to obtain the characteristics of each medium. On top of that, it is a good idea to consider the target and scale that suits your company well. It is also important to understand the characteristics of each medium well.