Web Design and Development Vs. Paper Media Advertisements

Within the constructs of the company you work for right now, which do you think is more important – web design and development or paper media advertisements? There may not be a clear answer, depending on your industry, but it is still a question that you should ask as you are making advertising decisions. If your primary demographic is made up of people who will see your site though online services, you would tend toward that direction. If advertising is more effective through physical means like posters and billboards, then the other will be true. To make this individual decision, though, consider education and resources management as well.

Similarities in Educational Backgrounds

Print and online media will have some basic similarities in the education required to produce and apply them properly. For instance, you will definitely have to go through some of the same art and businesses education programs, whether they are through a college program or some type of training internship. The core knowledge of certain vocabulary or other artistic techniques is going to help you produce your work, and also help when you want to collaborate with other individuals or companies.

Common Software Programs Represented

The core Adobe programs – Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign are used extensively regardless of end type, and can be used anywhere, anytime.  Many thoughts will begin in these three programs, and only after you decided whether they will be for print or for web design and development will they be converted into their final formats. This common program coordination helps advertisers and artists effectively put together campaigns without some of the adversity of the past, and also allows for consistency between overall branding processes. Attention to detail in the early stages of project planning is also key, which is one of the reasons the common programs have developed the way they have.

A Simple Matter of Resources

One point that is important to mention when making the decision to use online or print media is resource management. Print media needs actual paper and actual ink. These resources have to be managed properly to prevent waste. When it comes to online design elements, since everything is virtual and digital, the only thing you can really waste is time! Sometimes it is absolutely necessary to have some stock of physical advertisements available, but in many cases nowadays, consumption is largely limited to what people see on their mobile phones and in web browsers.

Overall, the design elements of print and virtual media are much the same, but there are pros and cons of the different ways to use them effectively. When mounting an advertising campaign, take all of these factors into consideration before making a big decision one way or another.