Print Marketing vs Digital Ads: How to Make Them Work Together

TLDR

Print gives you trust, attention, and a physical reminder. Digital gives you reach, speed, and precise tracking. In this article, I’ll walk through why you should stop choosing one or the other, and show practical ways to connect stickers, flyers, and other print pieces directly to your online campaigns.

Table of Contents

People love to argue about print vs digital. “Print is dead.” “Digital doesn’t stick.” The truth is simple: when you use them together, they work better.

Why print still matters in a digital-first world

Digital ads are everywhere: feeds, inboxes, search results, YouTube, and more. That volume is both a strength and a weakness.

Print sits in a different space:

  • It is tangible. People can hold it, stick it, save it.
  • It faces less competition in the physical mailbox or on a fridge than in a busy inbox.
  • It is often seen as more trustworthy than digital ads.

Studies on direct mail and print show:

  • Print ads and direct mail often get much higher response rates than typical digital channels like email and display ads.
  • Many consumers say print ads feel more trustworthy and memorable than purely online ads.

This doesn’t mean “go back to only print.” It means print gives you attention and trust that digital alone can struggle to earn.

What digital ads are good at

Digital ads and online campaigns have a different set of strengths:

  • Speed: you can launch a new campaign in hours, not weeks.
  • Targeting: you can focus on specific audiences, interests, or behaviors.
  • Testing: you can A/B test headlines, creatives, and offers quickly.
  • Tracking: you can see clicks, conversions, and ROAS in detail.

Digital is perfect for scaling what works, retargeting people who already know you, and keeping a steady stream of messages in front of your audience.

Print is slow to change but hard to ignore. Digital is fast but easy to scroll past. Together, they cover each other’s weaknesses.

Why combining print and digital works better

When you connect print and digital, you do two big things:

  1. Use print to drive people into your digital world
  2. Use digital to extend the life of your print pieces

Research on integrated campaigns shows that:

  • Campaigns that combine print and digital can have much higher effectiveness than digital alone.
  • Adding direct mail or print to an online campaign can increase response rates and conversion rates.

You don’t need a giant budget to do this. Stickers, flyers, and basic online tools are enough to get started.

Practical ideas: stickers that power online campaigns

Stickers are one of the easiest places to start. They’re cheap, fun, and people actually keep them.

1. Stickers as “physical entry points” to your funnel

Instead of just a logo, design stickers that push people to a simple action:

  • “Scan for 10% off your first order”
  • “Join the sticker club – scan me”
  • “Share this sticker on IG with #YourBrandTag for a chance to win”

Add:

  • A QR code that goes to a dedicated landing page
  • A short URL (easy to type) as backup
  • A clear call to action printed right next to the code

This turns every sticker on a laptop, water bottle, or car into a permanent ad that points directly to your website, email list, or shop.

2. Stickers that create social proof

You can also use stickers to feed your social channels:

  • Ask customers to share a photo of where they placed your sticker and tag you
  • Feature those photos in your stories, emails, or on landing pages
  • Occasionally do a small giveaway for the best or funniest sticker placement

This creates a loop:

  1. You send out stickers with orders or at events
  2. People place them and share photos
  3. You repost, which encourages more sharing
  4. Each photo becomes a mini ad for you on social

Some city and tourism campaigns have gone viral using simple stickers plus social sharing, proving how far this combo can go.

Practical ideas: flyers that connect to digital

Flyers are still useful, but they can do more than just “announce a sale.”

1. QR codes to specific landing pages

Instead of sending people to your homepage, use flyers to drive to specific landing pages:

  • “Scan for today’s menu and online ordering”
  • “Scan to RSVP for the event”
  • “Scan to download the guide / coupon / playlist”

On the landing page:

  • Match the design from the flyer so people know they’re in the right place
  • Repeat the offer and make the next step obvious
  • Use tracking (UTM parameters) so you can see how many visits and sign-ups came from that flyer

This makes flyering measurable, not just “spray and pray.”

2. Flyers for email and SMS list growth

You can use print to build your email or SMS list:

  • “Join our insider list: scan to get 15% off your next order”
  • “Text STICKERS to 555-123 for a free sample pack”

Make it clear:

  • What they get (discount, early drops, free sample, etc.)
  • How often you’ll contact them
  • That they can opt out anytime

Now that stack of flyers in your shop or at an event becomes a list-building machine that feeds your digital marketing.

3. Flyers for retargeting

If you have physical locations, you can retarget people who visit your site with print:

  • Run a campaign that captures addresses when people sign up for something online
  • Send a small, well-designed flyer or postcard with a code that matches the online ads they’re seeing

Digital might introduce you. The flyer closes the sale with a tangible reminder.

Connecting campaigns: simple structures that work

Here are a few simple campaign structures that mix print and digital in a practical way.

Campaign 1: Sticker + social + email

  1. Add a free, branded sticker into every order.
  2. On the sticker, include a QR code that leads to a “VIP sticker club” landing page.
  3. On that page, ask for an email in exchange for:
    • A small discount
    • Access to early drops
    • Occasional free sticker or wallpaper downloads
  4. In your welcome email, ask them to share a photo of where they placed the sticker and tag you.

Result:
The sticker keeps working long after the package arrives, feeding your email list and your social content.

Campaign 2: Local event + flyers + retargeting

  1. Before an event, distribute flyers in nearby cafés and shops.
  2. Each flyer has:
    • A QR code to an event landing page
    • A simple “Add to calendar” button
    • A field to join your email list for event updates
  3. Use that list to send reminders, then retarget visitors with social ads after the event.

Result:
Print drives attendance and list growth; digital keeps the conversation going after the event.

Campaign 3: Launch campaign with mailer + ads

  1. For a new product, send a small postcard or folded mailer to your best customers.
  2. The print piece includes:
    • A QR code to a product launch page
    • A unique discount code or free bonus
  3. At the same time, run social and search ads using the same imagery and offer.
  4. On the landing page, use a separate UTM parameter for the QR code so you can see how many visits came from print vs ads.

Result:
You surround your best customers with a consistent message. The mailer adds trust and attention; the ads add reach and repetition.

How to measure an integrated print + digital campaign

Tracking print can feel tricky, but you have more tools than you might think.

Use:

  • Unique discount codes printed on stickers or flyers
  • QR codes that go to specific landing pages
  • UTM parameters on those URLs so analytics shows “flyer_spring24” vs “sticker_fanpack”
  • Custom phone numbers (if calls matter)

Watch:

  • How many scans or visits each print piece drives
  • How many of those visitors subscribe, buy, or take the next step
  • How results change when you tweak designs and offers

You will never track print as perfectly as a click, but you can get close enough to know what’s working.

Common mistakes to avoid

A few pitfalls show up again and again:

  1. Sending print to your homepage
    People land, get lost, and bounce. Use focused landing pages.
  2. Tiny QR codes or cluttered layouts
    If people can’t scan quickly, they won’t try twice.
  3. No clear call to action
    “Visit our website” is weak. “Scan for 15% off” is clear.
  4. Inconsistent messaging
    If the offer on your flyer doesn’t match the offer in your ad, you break trust.
  5. No plan to follow up
    Print can start the relationship, but you need email, SMS, or retargeting to keep it going.

Conclusion

Print marketing and digital ads are not rivals. They are different tools for different jobs.

Use print—especially stickers, flyers, and postcards—to grab attention, build trust, and give people a physical reminder. Use digital ads and campaigns to scale, test, and track what works. When you connect the two with clear calls to action, QR codes, dedicated landing pages, and shared offers, you get more than either can do alone.

You do not need a big budget or a complicated tech stack. Start small: one sticker campaign tied to a landing page, one flyer with a real offer and QR code, one launch that uses both a mailer and ads. Then watch the numbers, tweak, and repeat what works.