Which tube are you glued to?

MoreVisibility - March 12, 2008

Recently I was reading a blog that confirmed a concept I had believed on the subject of marketing, and how the channels of media have been interacting with each other. The article was geared toward teenagers and their behavior in utilizing various media channels.

Teenagers are still watching TV, but that isn’t the only thing they are doing. Approximately 65% of youth aged nine through seventeen are splitting their TV time with the internet. They are actively engaged in online polls, contests and posting opinions on their favorite TV shows in forums. One statistic I found very interesting in the Search Engine Watch blog was, “once a kid is online, the Internet begins to dominate their attention: 47 percent said that the Internet becomes the primary focus, while 42 percent said their attention is split equally between the Internet and TV.”

This conjures up another statistic I found a few months ago that addressed the transition of TV viewers watching their shows on the Internet rather than on the tube. More and more people are watching their shows on You Tube and the like. So, in some cases TV viewers have already made the switch from the old school tube to the new school tube- the internet. While they are there…bring them to your website!

The data is compelling. It is certainly advantageous for advertisers who use TV to reach your audience to further that engagement by driving your audience to your website. The longer you engage them the more likely will recognize your product or service versus someone else’s. So, add creative activities to website, whether it is a contest, or just a fun activity. Give your audience another way to interact with you.

There are other benefits to adding such features to your website. If the activities you create are innovative and fun enough, visitors to your website will talk about it, share it, and in turn drive even more visitors to your site.

The channels of marketing have been in a state of transition since the emergence of the internet and it is very important for advertisers to recognize and utilize the power of this blended media. By incorporating Internet Marketing into your advertising repertoire you’ll create a stronger image and capture an audience you might already be missing. This trend is going to continue as teenagers become adults with greater spending capabilities. No matter who your audience is… it’s time to look at the other tube!