Integrating both print and social media into one campaign can substantially increase your brand’s reach and frequency.  Directing people to your social pages via your printed messages can be effective, but incorporating an easy transition to bridge your print and social media together can increase the amount of people who will take the time to visit your social sites.

QR codes allow users to instantly download information to their smart phones and can easily be included on business cards, brochures, direct mail, or other print pieces. Using QR codes will allow your target audience to engage with your social sites with one simple scan via their smartphone.  Once they’re on your social sites and begin to follow or like your page you’re able to continue to communicate and engage with that audience in the future.

Furthermore, when asking your target market to follow your social pages, be selective.  Don’t over-clutter the printed message with multiple calls-to-action.  Ask your audience to find you on only one of your social sites.  Once they begin to follow you on one social site, you can use the site to direct them to your other sites — increasing the engagement between brand and consumer.

Integrating social with a print campaign doesn’t mean that your print marketing has to feed into your social marketing. Use your social sites to keep track of what your consumers are searching for online and what they Like on Facebook and use that information to create more targeted printed messages in the future — by doing so, you’ll reach your customers with more frequent and more targeted messages.

The increased use of social media marketing has not decreased the value of traditional marketing methods.  On the contrary, social media can enhance your other marketing methods, such as print marketing, and allow your brand to increase its reach and frequency.

Timothy Freeman
President
Print & Graphic Communications Association