If marketers don't take advantage of cross-channel and omni-channel strategies, they are liable to fall behind.
Cross-channel advertising lets advertisers take advantage of multiple channels in order to give consumers a personalized, holistic experience. The customer experience is considered and executed simultaneously across different mediums and platforms.
This approach to marketing is an essential part of journey advertising – it lets marketers specify creatives and conditions for each and every touchpoint. From mobile, email, web, apps, SMS, in-store, to direct mail, and more, advertisers can adjust conditions and messaging to best target each specific audience at every step of their journey.
As technology evolves, so do the mediums in which customers consume content, and therefore, ads. Customers now consume media on a wide range of services and platforms and a strong strategy should take all of these touch points into consideration.
Cross-channel advertising is a necessity in today’s competitive landscape; it lets marketers control their ad frequency, prevent ad fatigue, and impactfully communicate with audiences on emerging platforms.
What are multi-channel and omni-channel marketing
When looking into cross-channel marketing, advertisers are likely to encounter a couple of similar, but different, terms – multi-channel and omni-channel.
Multi-channel marketing is a strategy in which multiple channels are used to communicate with customers. However, these channels often operate independently and are not seamlessly connected, making it difficult for customers to switch between them.
Omni-channel marketing, on the other hand, refers to the integration of all channels and the elimination of communication barriers. This, like multi-channel marketing, leads to increased consumer engagement and higher levels of customer satisfaction by addressing consumers across platforms and enhancing their overall happiness.
Cross-channel is similar to both of these approaches, but is distinct. Cross-channel marketing involves connecting all marketing channels to ensure that no customer queries or interactions are overlooked or excluded.
Learn more in our guide to cross-channel advertising.
Why Cross-channel advertising is necessary
Currently, there is an abundance of programmatic platforms available for audiences and advertisers to choose from. Additionally, users frequently switch between different devices to discover new entertainment and avoid unappealing ads.
This isn’t entirely new; previously, viewers would change channels during commercial breaks, but now they navigate between devices as well. Users can swap between their phone, tablet, laptop, and TV in order to find the best entertainment for the moment. This means its essential that in addition to TV advertisements, marketers must also consider CTV advertisements, social advertisements, and any other channel that their target audience is likely to choose.
Choosing a single-channel approach for advertising in today’s environment makes it challenging, if not impossible, to properly reach and target consumers.
Additionally, receiving repetitive information across multiple touch points can frustrate consumers. This is also resolved by implementing a cross-channel approach.
A well-planned, cross-channel strategy ensures that customers do not encounter the same ad, at too high a frequency on different platforms. This not only reduces customer frustration but also allows marketers to implement journey advertising more effectively.
Cross-channel advertising opens doors
Cross-channel marketing opens the door to stronger strategy and impactful messaging. These are just some of the ways that cross-channel marketing helps advertisers:
Journey Advertising
Cross-channel marketing makes journey advertising possible. By utilizing cross-channel marketing, businesses have the opportunity to create a customer journey that is both engaging and effective in building trust, loyalty, and driving sales.
Marketers can personalize messaging – customizing ads to each audience’s needs and interests. This allows brands to engage customers at each stage of the funnel in a creative way without being intrusive.
Unified messaging to consumers
Unified messaging is important for success and cross-channel marketing makes it easier. Consistent and clear messages across all channels build trust and loyalty with customers.
It also allows for personalized experiences, since marketers can tailor messaging to fit the needs and preferences of each target audience. Unified messaging also prevents customer frustration from receiving the same message repeatedly.
Increased interaction
Advertisers can also use cross-channel marketing to increase engagement and interaction with customers. By utilizing more than one channel of communication, customer relationships can be fostered more easily. Increased interaction also allows customers to learn more about products and make informed decisions.
Cross-channel advertising is important in today’s competitive landscape because it allows marketers to control their ad frequency, prevent ad fatigue, and effectively communicate with audiences on emerging platforms. Marketers who do not utilize cross-channel strategies are likely to lose customer interest, overspend, and fall behind.
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