As a business owner, you may have wondered about the difference between marketing & advertising. Sometimes the terms "marketing" and "advertising" are thrown around interchangeably. While they may seem similar, they're pretty different. Marketing is a long-term game plan that considers your business objectives and which marketing tactics are most helpful in helping to achieve these. 

Most importantly, it considers your target audience and the best way to communicate with them on the channels they frequent the most to gather information.

Advertising, on the other hand, is a more immediate tactic. It's important to understand the distinction between the two and prioritise your marketing efforts before investing in advertising. Often this starts with a marketing strategy. The crucial thing to remember is that if you don't nail down the marketing strategy and planning part of the bigger picture marketing 'stuff first, you risk shooting in the dark and just relying on hope to hit something.  

Marketing is your long-term game plan

Regarding marketing, it's important to think of it as a marathon, not a sprint. Sure, advertising can give you a quick boost of energy, like a shot of espresso in the morning, but marketing is the steady stream of coffee that keeps you going throughout the day.

It's the difference between short-term gains and long-term success. Marketing is about building a solid foundation for your brand and creating a sustainable flow of leads and sales over time. 

It's like training for a marathon - you can't just lace up your shoes and run 42kms without a plan - and plenty of training. You must set goals, create a training schedule, and gradually build endurance. The same goes for marketing.

Your marketing involves:

• Goal setting

• Developing a strategy

• Consistently executing that strategy to see long-term success.

It's important to remember that marketing is not a one-time event or a quick fix. It's an ongoing process that requires planning, execution, and measurement.

By developing a clear marketing strategy and implementing tactics that align with your business goals, you can create a long-term game plan to drive sustainable growth for your business. 

Don’t get me wrong; advertising is a useful tool to supplement your marketing efforts, but viewing the difference between a short-term fix and a long-term solution is important.

The key difference is that while advertising may give you a quick burst of traffic or sales, it's not a sustainable long-term game plan. What is sustainable is building a strong online presence and establishing a relationship with your audience using tactics which lay the foundation for long-term success. 

Advertising is a short-term tactic

Advertising, on the other hand, is a more immediate tactic that involves paying for ad space to reach your target audience. That may include traditional forms of advertising like print ads and digital advertising like social media ads and PPC campaigns. 

An advertising campaign might generate a spike in website traffic or sales for a limited time, but it will only lead to long-term growth if you have a strong marketing foundation. 

In fact, relying solely on advertising can hurt your brand in the long run. Consumers today are savvy and sceptical, bombarded with ads at every turn. If your brand is only visible through ads, it can be impersonal, inauthentic, or even spammy. This can lead to a lack of trust and, ultimately, a decline in sales.

Think about it - would you rather be known as the business that blasts ads at everyone and anyone, hoping to get some quick sales, or the business that takes the time to develop a unique voice and message, engages with customers on social media, and creates content that adds value to their lives?

While advertising can be flashy and attention-grabbing, like a firework in the night sky, marketing can be thought of like a warm hug - it feels genuine and welcoming and fosters a sense of trust and connection. And let's face it, in a world where we're bombarded with ads everywhere we go, a warm hug from a brand is a welcome relief.

Marketing strategy is essential for a business

Another key difference between marketing and advertising is that marketing is a strategic approach, while you might think of advertising as a 'quick fix'. 

Developing a marketing strategy is essential for any business looking to grow and succeed long-term.

Key components include:

• Defining your target audience.

• Understanding their needs and preferences.

• Developing a messaging strategy that resonates with them.

A strong marketing strategy will help you build brand recognition and loyalty, generate leads, and ultimately drive sales. Advertising is a part of this but not the sole focus.

You can liken your marketing strategy to a recipe for a delicious meal. You wouldn't just randomly throw a bunch of ingredients into a pot and hope for the best - you'd follow a recipe to ensure that the flavours and textures are balanced and that the end result is something people will love.

Similarly, a marketing strategy ensures that your marketing efforts are focused and effective rather than haphazard and disjointed. 

Take a small coffee shop as an example. Your marketing strategy might identify tactics like creating a blog to showcase your coffee expertise, hosting events to bring in new customers, and engaging with your audience on social media.

By building a relationship with your customers and creating a unique brand identity, you can differentiate yourself from competitors and establish a loyal customer base.

Without a marketing strategy for your business, it's easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer number of marketing tactics and platforms available and waste time and resources on ineffective or inefficient methods. Your marketing strategy keeps you focused and clarifies the best opportunities for your business.

Marketing tactics require planning

Once you've developed a marketing strategy, planning and executing identified marketing tactics effectively is important. That being said, remember that not all marketing tactics are created equal. Some tactics may work great for one business, while others may fall flat.

You can create a comprehensive plan for your marketing tactics by taking a strategic approach to your marketing efforts. That includes a mix of paid advertising coupled with organic opportunities that work in unison toward building a solid brand and generating consistent leads.

The key difference between planning marketing tactics and just focusing on paid advertising is that the former takes a more holistic approach to marketing.

Rather than relying solely on paid ads to generate leads, a strategic approach considers:

• your target audience,

• business goals

• available resources to create a customised plan

• leverages various tactics, from social media to content marketing to SEO

Taking the time to do some initial analysis ensures you create a targeted and effective marketing plan.

Your marketing plan will outline:

• The marketing tactics that will be most impactful for your business.

• Provide a comprehensive timeline of the marketing activities to implement

• The best platforms to be working on

• A mix of organic and paid advertising

While paid advertising can be valuable for reaching new customers, it's important to remember that it's just one piece of the marketing puzzle.

Another way to think of it is trying to hit a bullseye. You wouldn't just close your eyes and expect to hit the centre. Planning and prioritising your marketing tactics will make you more likely to hit the bullseye rather than wasting time and resources on ineffective methods.

Taking the time to plan your marketing tactics and focusing on the ones that will most impact your business is a strategic approach that will pay off in the long run.

Marketing is a long-term investment

Marketing is a long-term investment in the success of your business. While it may yield little results initially, it's essential to building a strong brand and establishing a loyal customer base.

By prioritising your marketing efforts and investing in your long-term success, you can set your business up for sustainable growth.

Think of that growth like planting a garden - if you want a bountiful harvest, you can't just throw some seeds in the ground and hope for the best. You must nurture your plants, water them regularly, and patiently wait for them to grow.

The same goes for marketing - you need to plant the seeds of your brand and consistently nurture them over time to see results.

While advertising may provide quick bursts of traffic or sales, marketing is a long-term investment that builds a strong foundation for your business.

Marketing differs from advertising because it focuses on building brand awareness, creating relationships with customers, and providing value to your audience, all of which take time to develop.

It's like building a house - you can't just slap some paint on the walls and call it a day. You must lay a strong foundation, build sturdy walls, and carefully craft each room to create a functional and beautiful space.

With marketing, you're investing in foundational elements like:

• Brand messaging

• Audience research

• Content creation

• Understand the pain points your customer faces

You're continuously building on those elements to create a strong and effective marketing strategy. 

While there is a place for the short-term gains that advertising produces, investment in the long-term success of your business through strategic marketing efforts is more sustainable and authentic to ongoing business growth and success. 

Need more marketing help?

Let's chat if you’re unsure where to start or your current online marketing solutions aren’t achieving the desired results. I’m keen to ensure business owners get the right solutions for their organisation and aren’t wasting time and resources.