Is online advertising more beneficial to businesses than broadcast and

print advertising?
Celina M. Wickham

Abstract
The research question I chose for my Line of Inquiry essay is Is online advertising more
beneficial to businesses than broadcast and print advertisement? This question simply discusses
whether or not it is more advantageous to use online advertisement or other ways to help
promote business products. I chose this question because it peaked my interest. I was intrigued
by how slowly but surely our universe is transforming into a more digital time period and what
advertising is most effective due to this? Also if so, why use other advertisement? This topic is of
importance to any of my peers that plan be future entrepreneurs and business leaders. Also
helpful to any businesses currently running because advertising plays a vital role in the overall
success of a company.

Did you know that business advertising comes in my forms yet some can be more
beneficial than the other options? According to randomhistory.com, More than $500 billion a
year is spent on advertising worldwide. It is practically essential to businesses success when it
boils down to choosing the best way to relay their message. Not only does it take up time and
money, advertising can create a certain status. For years, and years newspapers, magazines, and
radios were the number one way to transmit messages. Overtime, technology has improved,
shifting our world into a more electronic one. This has inevitably made online advertising
slightly more effective than broadcast and print advertising. The question remains Is online
advertising more beneficial for businesses than broadcast and print? In the midst of this debate
people have analyzed what exactly are the best ways to advertise. This research question is
important because how businesses plan to reach an intended audience about their products and
services can make or break them.
From the website stateofthemedia.org, a 2013 webpage is presented on the topic of
companies making the switch to digital advertising. Rick Edmonds, author of Newspapers;
Stabilizing but still threatened reports that companies are toying with different types of
advertising and online tends to accumulate the most revenue. Statistics are provided to show the
amount of newspaper companies beginning to make their papers available online. Also charts are
presented to provide evidence that as print advertising decreases, online advertising increases. He
even gets into detail about how the newspaper workforce is diminishing. The main idea is to
show exactly the effects of online advertising on print ads and why it is best for businesses to
utilize it sooner rather than later.

From the website inma.org a 2014 webpage offers research on the topic of newspapers
obtaining the highest ROI. Return on Investment. In Erik Grimms Cross-Media study shows
print advertising has the highest ROI he argues regardless of new ways to advertise that print is
still the best. Print, magazines, radio and television are all compared and contrasted to emphasize
print ads on the rise development. It is clear that he is in full support of investing in print ads
because it is a smart choice.
In Jong Uk Kims article, Consumer perceptions on web advertisements and motivation
factors to purchase in the online shopping, a study is conducted to illustrate consumers reaction
to online advertisement and purchasing willingness. Effects of product involvement, trust
towards websites, and costumer behavior are all factors observed in this study. Information is
gathered and the final conclusion was drawn from analyzation. It all came down to whether the
person was either less or more involved with online shopping.
Source 1, Edmonds Newspapers; Stabilizing but still threatened, the idea of converting
to digital advertising due to our worlds flourishing technology is being recommended. It is clear
that he is in full support of the transition. Edmond (2013) brings to attention Some of the bright
opportunities such as offering social marketing services to local businesses (p.1) in a
positive attitude, shows his vision of embracing advertising changes. As the article progresses, he
provides a chart that proves many companies all over have joined and started their own
computerized ads. Authors from Source 1 and Source 3 have looked at this in an optimistic way,
verifying that it is easier to reach people through things they are most interested in.
Source 2, Grimm Cross-Media study shows print advertising has the highest ROI stands
strong on his idea of keeping the newspaper industry alive. He provides charts and graphs in
order to prove his claim similar to Source 1 yet it does not justify his inaccuracy. All of the

writers so far are convinced to have found the solution to the most efficient advertising choice.
Grimm mentions that radio is the most behind in this race, as well as Source 1 and 2 dont even
give it thought because it has become more old-fashioned. He gives reasonable thoughts but
disputes newspaper, no matter what has the highest ROI.
Source 3, Kims article, Consumer perceptions on web advertisements and motivation
factors to purchase in the online shopping, examine consumer behavior which perfectly fits
source 1s cause. If they were to be combined in this article would serve as the data for business
advertising results. An important part is announced in this article From the perspective of the
users, websites can be used to meet ones needs and requirements, such as the acquisition of new
product information (Li, Browne, & Wetherbe, 2006). If the advertisement is successful then the
consumers will carry on being interested and engage in further interest. It is a domino effect and
learning about consumer behavior can better advertisement. Business can benefit just by learning
what people favor.
Source 1, is obviously is in full motion of online advertising but makes some statements
that differ from the rest. Rick Edmonds elaborates on how instead of advertising online
completely newspaper companies should just make their newspapers available online. So
basically its still in newspaper form but you can just pull it up on your computer or cellular
device which is more convenient. This allows businesses, in a way, to still keep their original
ideas. Newspapers have responded, as they more or less must, by making their content available
in mobile formats (Edmond, 2013, p. 35), declares that companies are catching on. Edmond
also uses the workforce rates of newspaper businesses to show the effects of online advertising
unlike Source 2 and 3.

Source 2, tends to be the most contrasting to the research question than the others. Grimm
refuses to accept the fact that digital advertising is more beneficial. His claim is supported by
evidence but has holes in his argument. Yes newspapers may be better sometimes but not the
majority and he does not provide any of this outside information in his article. Source 1 and 3
analyze every area so nothing can be questioned but Grimm does not. Source 2, tends to be a bit
more opinionated while the others give strictly facts which allow the reader to come up with their
own conclusion.
On the other hand, Source 3, conducts an actual study of consumers behavior towards
online advertising. Kims article, Consumer perceptions on web advertisements and motivation
factors to purchase in the online sopping reveals positive feedback that consumers give when
well-developed online ads are created. Source 3 is not an article like the other two but does
deliver real evidence from responses that support the digital advertising transition. Kims
concludes perceived informativeness and perceived entertainment are the key attributes of web
advertisements. (2010, Last paragraph)
As for evaluations, all of the sources I have chosen have credibility, either being from a
.org or a scholarly article. To start off, I retrieved Source 1 from a credible website. I will say
that the evidence provided in this article seems like adequate data and is an annual report from
the news media. This means it is updated yearly with the most current information. Numbers are
always an attention-grabber and they illustrated the overtime steady growth of online advertising
from businesses. This was a definite strength and I id not notice any particular weaknesses.
In addition, Source 2, gives evidence in detail to support its claims of newspapers being
better. I think a major weakness of this article is its failure to be specific. I makes a claim but
does not specify everything needed like a timeframe and where? Why?

The last source appears to be the most credible. Source 3, collects data and conducted a
well-develops study by researchers. It supports the worthiness and good effect of advertising
well. This Source even contains experiment qualities so not many weaknesses are present.
I have learned a great deal of useful information about business and their advertising
world through all of my research. I havent had much of a change in view point on the topic
mainly because my generation is glued to technology so it is only logical to online advertise. As
for questioning it, I think its way better to advertise this way because I know not many teenagers
are picking up newspapers. Doing this research made my opinion more justifiable. My final
conclusion is that each generation pays attention to advertising in their own ways. Elders being
more interested in the neighborhood newspaper and adolescents through continuous use of
cellphones and laptops. Any additional research I would do for this research question would be
why does everyone advertising differently? In a world thats currently changing, business must
find ways to adapt the best they can.

Reference List
Rick Edmond (2013). Newspapers; Stabilizing but still threatened. Retrieved from
http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2013/newspapers-stabilizing-but-still-threatened/
Erik Grimm (2014). Cross-media study shows print advertising has the highest ROI Retrieved
from http://www.inma.org/blogs/research/post.cfm/cross-media-study-shows-print-advertisinghas-highest-roi
Jonk Uk Kim (2012). Consumers perceptions on web advertisements and motivation factors to
purchase in the online shopping. Retrieved from http:// jmu.lib.edu