How to Combine Print and Digital Marketing into a Goldmine
We live in an increasingly digital world, yet the power of print continues to strengthen. While the two forms of marketing are often pitted against one another and viewed as either/or, integrating print with digital marketing can create a multi-channel approach that amplifies brand visibility and engagement, bridges the gap between the physical and digital worlds, and presents great opportunity for today’s commercial printers.
Print materials offer a tangible and proven connection that digital formats lack. According to Officedasher.com, 82% of consumers trust print ads the most when making a purchase decision. However, it’s what’s possible when businesses combine the tangible, trustworthy nature of print with the flexibility, reach, interactivity, and measurability of digital marketing that is the goldmine opportunity that commercial printers have access to today.
Businesses can experience powerful marketing results, enhance customer engagement, build long-term brand loyalty, and strategically drive conversions—read on to learn more about how your business can integrate print with digital efforts for maximum impact.
The Power of Print in a Digital Age
Where digital marketing reigns supreme in immediacy and precision, print dominates in providing a tactile, personal connection that relays trustworthiness. A recent study by Sappi North America reports 56% of customers consider print marketing to be the most trustworthy form of marketing communication. This is due, in part, to the physical presence of print materials—whether a well-designed brochure, a direct mail piece, or a high-quality catalog—which offer a break from today’s constant barrage of digital ads. Print materials also hold a unique way of creating lasting impressions because they engage multiple senses, from the touch of the paper to visual design.
The power of print grows even stronger in today’s digital landscape with print’s ability to complement and enhance digital strategies. A multi-channel marketing approach that integrates both print and digital channels can create a more engaging and cohesive customer journey. Print remains a key tool for storytelling, building brand awareness, and fostering customer loyalty, and when integrated with digital marketing, it can also help businesses tap into the measurable, data-driven insights and strategic conversion.
The Synergy of Print and Digital Marketing
Integrating print with digital marketing effectively includes leveraging technology to bridge the gap between the two mediums with popular tools including QR codes, augmented reality (AR), and personalized URLs (PURLs). By adding a QR code to a printed mailer, for example, a business can instantly guide a customer to an online landing page, promotional video, or social media account. This hybrid approach not only enhances customer interaction but also provides businesses with valuable data on customer behavior and preferences. According to the Direct Marketing Association, direct mail response rates increase by up to 28% when integrated with digital channels.
PURLs are another powerful way to integrate print with digital. PURLs provide a customized web address for each recipient, often featuring their name which drives higher engagement. These personalized landing pages create a seamless transition from print to digital, offering a more personalized customer experience and a higher likelihood of conversion.
Print’s Role in an Omnichannel Strategy
Print has proven particularly effective in an omnichannel marketing strategy, where the goal is to create a consistent brand experience across multiple touchpoints. According to a report by the USPS, consumers are 70% more likely to remember a brand after receiving direct mail compared to digital-only interactions. The power of print as a brand reinforcement tool becomes invaluable, extending the reach of digital campaigns and building stronger customer connections.
For example, a business could launch a promotional campaign that begins with digital advertising—but is also supported by direct mail, catalogs, or even printed event invitations. The physical materials provide a tangible reminder of the digital content the customer has seen online, reinforcing the message and encouraging them to take the next step. By creating a consistent experience across all channels, businesses can build trust and familiarity with their audience, which is key to driving conversions and repeat business.
The Personalization Advantage: Variable Data Printing
Personalization is a key driver of marketing success, and print is no exception. Variable Data Printing (VDP) allows businesses to customize print materials at scale, delivering highly targeted messages to individual recipients. VDP enables the customization of various elements, such as the recipient’s name, address, images, and even promotional offers, making each piece of print unique and relevant to the recipient.
This level of personalization is especially powerful when combined with digital channels. For example, a personalized direct mail piece can direct the recipient to a custom landing page that offers a tailored experience based on their previous purchases, location, or interests. This integration of print and digital creates a seamless, cohesive customer journey that feels highly relevant and engaging, ultimately increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Measuring Success: Data-Driven Results
One of the greatest advantages of integrating print with digital is the ability to track and measure the success of campaigns more effectively. With digital marketing, businesses can easily gather data on metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, and customer behavior. By incorporating digital elements such as QR codes and PURLs into print materials, businesses can extend these tracking capabilities to their print campaigns.
For instance, when a customer scans a QR code on a mailer or catalog page, businesses can track which customers responded, what actions they took after visiting the landing page, and whether they made a purchase. This data allows marketers to refine their strategies, optimize future campaigns, and allocate their marketing budget more effectively. As a result, businesses can make data-driven decisions that improve ROI across both print and digital channels.
IKEA’s Success with Integrated Print and Digital Campaigns
Known for its iconic catalog, IKEA seamlessly integrated print with digital technology, leading to significant growth in engagement and sales. IKEA transformed its traditional print catalog into a digital hybrid experience by incorporating AR. The catalogs featured QR codes, which, when scanned using the IKEA app, allowed users to visualize how specific furniture would look in their homes. This interactive experience enhanced customer engagement by bridging the gap between physical print and digital media, making the shopping process more immersive.
This integration strategy proved highly successful. According to a case study published by Ad Age, IKEA saw a 50% increase in catalog engagement after launching the AR-enhanced catalog. Additionally, IKEA’s app downloads increased by 8.5 million following the campaign's launch, further driving in-store visits and online sales.
Combining Print and Digital Marketing Is a Goldmine
By blending the powers of print and digital, businesses today have unprecedented opportunity to deliver impactful, memorable campaigns that drive measurable results. With emerging technologies like QR codes, PURLs, and AR pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and data insights allowing marketers to refine strategies, optimize future campaigns, and allocate marketing budgets more effectively—print’s ability to provide a tangible, personal connection while enhancing digital efforts is an invaluable asset for marketers and a goldmine opportunity for today’s commercial printers.
By: Jen W. O’Deay
If your business is interested in integrating print and digital marketing efforts, Millcraft is here to help. Just ask.
Sources:
Direct Marketing Association: "The Future of Direct Mail"
Sappi North America: "Print vs. Digital: The Importance of a Multichannel Strategy"
DMA Research: "Impact of Integrated Marketing on Response Rates"
https://earlystagemarketing.com/print-advertising-statistics/
https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/direct-mail-statistics/
https://www.officedasher.com/print-advertising-statistics/