The purpose of advertising is to promote a product or service in order to increase sales and create a branding of the product so that a customer loyalty base will be established. Without effective and targeted advertising, a business cannot succeed. There are many types of advertising a business can utilize in effort to increase their sales.

The following lists a number of types of advertising available to businesses:

Television and Radio

Since television was first introduced, businesses have had tremendous success using it as an advertising medium. This is due to the increase in consumers watching television. The cost of television depends on the time of day or night one advertises, the popularity of the television show (how many viewers,) and the length of the advertisement. Television advertising can reach millions of people. Radio advertising is a traditional advertising format that uses voice and jingles.

This includes newspapers, magazines, fliers, brochures..etc. Placing advertisements in magazines and newspapers is an age old method of advertising. Newspapers and the magazines sell the advertising space. Prices depend on location, size, graphics, and color. Advertising success often depends on the number of subscribers. Print advertising allows a business to target a specific demographic. Fliers and brochures are a great way to advertise sales and launch special product promotion programs.

Internet Advertising

Online advertising consists of small ads, banner ads, text ads, video ads, pay-per-click advertising, and reciprocal linking to other websites. The effectiveness of online advertising depends on exposure and how many people actually view the advertisement. Internet advertising allows the advertiser to track the number of impressions an ad gets (how many people see it), and how many visits their business website receives from particular ads, making it simple to find out what kind of conversion rates the advertisers are obtaining. Online advertising does not have any time restraints and can be viewed day and night throughout the world. Businesses also have their own websites as an advertising tool. A well-designed and well-promoted website can provide a world of customers.

Out-of-Home Advertising

This can include digital signage, billboards, kiosks, tradeshows, and out-of-home advertising. This is advertising that takes place outside of a customer's home. This form of advertising has become very popular because it provides a new way to reach targeted customers. Billboards, kiosks, and tradeshows have been extremely successful advertising tools because you can take your product or service directly to the consumer. Digital signage is a newer method of advertising that is growing in popularity. Digital signage is where monitors/plasma TVs are placed in strategic locations and display advertisements directed at their targeted customer. Digital signage can deliver messages in the form of text and digital video. Advertisers have the ability to up date content from a remote location. You can find digital signage in such places as sports arenas, retail stores, department stores, malls, schools...etc.

Regardless of the state of the economy, businesses have to keep advertising to stay successful. Because of the broad range of advertising methods now available, businesses now have the ability to reach their targeted customers at very affordable costs.