14 different types of advertising
1. Print advertising
Print advertising refers to printed advertisements, often seen in newspapers and magazines. However, this category also includes other printed materials, such as brochures, directories and flyers. Companies can place advertisements in local newspapers–whether throughout the paper or within the classifieds section—to target consumers within a geographic location.
2. Direct mail advertising
Direct mail is a type of print advertising that sends advertisements to customers through the mail. Examples include brochures, catalogs, newsletters and flyers. This approach enables companies to identify an even more targeted market than other print advertising formats because it distributes ads via a direct mailing list.
3. Television advertising
Television advertising is a type of broadcast advertising where companies advertise their products or services through 20-, 30- or 60-second TV commercials. It can be costly but enables companies to repeat their advertisements regularly. The costs to air television commercials can vary due to the following factors:
The ad length
The time of day
The television show
Frequency of airing
The geographic reach
The number of networks
4. Radio advertising
Radio is another form of broadcast advertising that plays ads during programming breaks. Customers can listen to radio advertisements while conducting other activities, such as driving or doing household chores. Like television, radio enables the repetition of advertisements, which can give companies more recognition with consumers
5. Podcast advertising
In podcast advertising, companies can sponsor podcasts or have advertisements for their products or services played during the episodes. Typically, podcasts play ads at the beginning, middle and end of episodes. Similar to radio advertising, companies can research which podcasts are most popular with their target audience.
6. Mobile advertising
Mobile advertising reaches consumers through any mobile device with internet connectivity, such as a cellphone or tablet. These advertisements may appear to consumers through social media, on web pages or within apps. For example, a customer playing a mobile game may receive ads for similar games between gameplay rounds. The benefit is that these advertisements can reach consumers no matter where they are. If individuals enable location settings, companies may even be able to target them via geographic location.
7. Social media advertising
Companies use social media advertising to promote their products or services on various platforms. Social media advertising, like other digital advertising, enables companies to target specific audiences. They may focus on reaching customers based on their geographic location, age group or buying habits. They can either pay for the platforms to promote their advertisements, or they can use more organic methods.
8. Paid search advertising
Paid search is a type of online advertising, sometimes referred to as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Companies that use PPC advertising only pay a fee when users click on their ad. They bid on specific keywords, usually related to their business, along with the placement of their ad on the search engine. For example, a company that sells folding bicycles includes the keyword “foldable bikes” in its bid. When users search that phrase, the company’s products appear as an ad within the search results—typically at the top of the page
9. Native advertising
Native advertising is a type of digital advertising in which ads look similar to the rest of the page content. Pay-per-click advertisements can serve as a form of native advertising because the advertised product often blends in with the other results. Businesses enjoy using this format because it does not interrupt the user experience, unlike display advertising.
10. Display advertising
Display advertising is a type of digital advertising that uses identifiable ads. These may include banner ads at the tops or sides of web pages and pop-up ads. Another example would be the video ads that appear before or during streaming video content. Display advertising encourages users to click on them to move to the company’s website, often to make a purchase. These advertisements are very prevalent online, though sometimes that can make them easy for consumers to ignore.
11. Outdoor advertising
Outdoor advertising refers to advertisements that consumers see outside their homes. As a result, this type of advertising is sometimes called out-of-home advertising. Examples include billboards and advertisements seen in public places or transit vehicles, such as on the sides of buses or inside subway cars.
12. Guerrilla advertising
Guerrilla advertising refers to less conventional methods that are generally low-cost and employ creative techniques to draw attention. A common strategy in this category is ambient advertising, in which a company places ads in public places but uses an unconventional manner. For example, rather than advertising on a bus stop, a company may paint a mural on the sidewalk advertising their services.
13. Product placement advertising
In product placement advertising, a company pays to have their product embedded in media content, such as a television show or movie. The content sometimes does not explicitly mention the product, but it is viewable by the audience. This method can help companies reach targeted groups more discreetly.
14. Public service advertising
Public service advertising refers to advertisements that promote a cause or initiative rather than a product. Often called public service announcements (PSAs), these ads aim to inform the public about a topic in a way that benefits them or others. Organizations can use public service advertising in various formats, such as television, radio or online video advertising. Providers will donate airtime to these ads, though they must meet particular requirements to qualify as a PSA.