An introduction to omnichannel marketing

The increase in online consumption by consumers. Has influenced almost all businesses to have a digital presence. So that the company can create better relationships with consumers. Companies have added websites, social media accounts, and apps to their digital marketing strategy. In meeting increased online consumer demand.

As businesses put in place more digital platforms. Alongside pre-existing forms of traditional and digital marketing. To meet increasing consumer behaviour online. Omnichannel marketing is about pulling together digital marketing with other parts of the business for the consumer’s benefit. For example, mixing marketing and customer service to create a better experience. In short, the customer-facing areas of the business need to have an amount of connection and integration. This connection or integration is omnichannel marketing.

When mentioning omnichannel marketing. We should not confuse it with any other similar-sounding marketing concepts. Such as multi-channel or cross channel marketing. The difference between multi-channel marketing. It is when for example, a website or another channel is used alone. Cross-channel marketing is media used together. For example, an email and a website. Running a promotion campaign linking to a landing page on a website.

An example of omnichannel marketing: a nuance that could hinder the business.

The restaurant business has recently expanded its digital presence. For example, it has launched a booking new app for customers.

To begin to achieve omnichannel marketing. The restaurant will need to ensure that customers can integrate with the new app in the longer term. So that it becomes part of the digital marketing offer. As successfully as they with using the website in the past.

The restaurant company’s new app has the functionality to book tables and order food. The functionality is in place ahead of launch to customers. So now is the time to think about omnichannel marketing and how to integrate the app with customers. Restaurants can differ widely, and this restaurant is no different. It has specific information about the service that needs to be made clear.

All vital information is made clear on the app. Important information is also part of reaching an omnichannel marketing approach. For customers to read and understand clearly to help integrate with the app and the restaurant’s service. Customer service options and links to the website are part of omnichannel marketing.

If important service information is not made clear to the customer when booking a table or ordering food on the app. The customer could become unhappy. Not including this essential information when using the app is fraught with creating issues. If vital parts of information are missing.

At this point of the consumer journey, the converting stage, displeasing customers can damage the business reputation. In addition, creating the potential of losing customers because of not correctly communicating through the app.

An omnichannel approach aims to stop the loss of customers by having a holistic view of the consumer journey throughout all the business marketing platforms. For example, in the case of the restaurant, there is business-specific information about booking tables that need to be made clear to the customer on every digital marketing platform. Not communicating this information on all digital media will frustrate the customers and harm the business.

Omnichannel and the consumer journey

How customers find you, buy from you and recommend you are all through decisions.

What is key to understanding it is not an exact science and how customers come to buy from you. Yet, most customers will follow a similar pattern in a consumer journey when using the business service.

Understand how consumers will come to use your businesses. Then plan to deliver omnichannel marketing with relevant content such as feedback forms and FAQ. Decisions are made leading up to and after they buy. Having the right content to support these decisions made by the consumer helps the company.

Adding content and developing a digital presence to help support consumers’ decisions. To benefit the consumer will close the gap between gaining customers with omnichannel marketing.

Five omnichannel experience tips

1. Carry out an audit were content that adds to the user journey.

Informational content is significant to the consumer journey. List the parts of the business operations that the consumer needs to be aware of, such as queuing systems or refund policies. Those are vital to the consumer journey. Add where necessary extra informational content. Also, check if informative content around these matters, such as phone numbers and web links, are correct. Finally, consider automated chatbots help uphold customer between digital media.

2. Grow digital capabilities by combining an omnichannel marketing strategy.

A company with many digital platforms can have an omnichannel strategy. This will help grow a stronger brand. Integrating an omnichannel strategy into the company’s digital media provides consistent messaging and better customer service. Throughout the consumer journey.

3. Integrate channels and content as you grow a digital presence.

When content is produced in a multi-platform or a cross channel way for a campaign. Consider asking yourself if the content is optimised to serve as omnichannel content.

The content could target specific seasonal and discount offers with search engine PPC ads channels. Taking the latter is used. The bulk of the ad will communicate whatever the offer is. But does the ad funnel aid the consumer in finding vital information they need to know in an omnichannel approach? Are there any terms and conditions the consumer should know when involved with the ad funnel?

It may seem oblivious, but to make clear, all information about the offer is within the ad funnel. But it is essential to consider the user journey with this side of running campaigns.

4. Do not forget the bigger picture.

Sparing a thought about the bigger picture could make some more challenging decisions easier for marketing. For example, there may be a specific service or product you want to market. Keeping to familiar names and marketing practices so that customers can understand. Is a form of omnichannel marketing. Calling pizza night or curry night slightly different names will confuse customers. This is not a seamless experience. 

5. The consumer journey.

The consumer journey changes from time to time, and omnichannel marketing sets out to benefit the customer. So, keeping an up-to-date consumer journey for the business is essential. Additionally, the consumer journey changes for business as some are footfall led or a niche business could be discovery led.

Keeping up to speed with how your customer finds you is essential. Understanding the type of a decision they make to up and after the buy needs to be factored in. So that business can affect the consumer journey positively through having the content to support these decisions.

Summary

How well can a business deliver upon an omnichannel marketing strategy? The more chance they have of retaining customers and increasing return on investment on marketing spend. Taking a holistic view of marketing is critical. First, pack together what the customer needs to know in making the first steps in implementing an omnichannel marketing strategy into the business. After that, developing a digital presence with content that helps support decisions. Finally, the consumer can benefit from using your company.