In today’s digital age, it’s very common for customers to interact with brands across multiple channels such as websites, social media, email, mobile apps, and physical stores. Research by Harvard Business Review reveals that a remarkable 73% of customers use multiple channels throughout their shopping journey. For example, a customer may research a product online, browse for discounts on shopping sites, and then decide to later pick it up at the store.
Omnichannel marketing is a strategy that integrates all of these channels to provide a seamless and consistent customer experience. In this blog, we’ll discuss what omnichannel marketing is, the benefits of using this approach, and proven omnichannel marketing strategies. We’ll also look at some of the latest trends in omnichannel marketing and industries that are applying omnichannel tactics.
What is Omnichannel Marketing?
Omnichannel marketing is a strategy that creates a seamless and consistent customer experience across all channels. It allows customers to interact with a brand through various channels and devices, such as mobile, desktop, tablet, social media, email, and in-store. Omnichannel marketing is customer-centric, meaning it focuses on the customer’s needs and preferences, rather than the channels or devices they use.
With omnichannel marketing, customers can start their journey on one channel and continue it on another without feeling disconnected. For example, a customer might browse products on a brand’s website and then receive personalised recommendations via email. They might also see ads for the same products on social media or receive notifications about in-store promotions via a mobile app. With omnichannel marketing, customers have a seamless and consistent experience across all channels, which helps to build brand loyalty and increase customer retention.
Multichannel vs. Omnichannel Marketing
Multichannel and omnichannel marketing are two different strategies that brands can use to reach their customers. While both approaches use multiple channels, these terms cannot be used interchangeably.
Multichannel marketing refers to the use of multiple channels to reach customers. It might include a website, social media, email, mobile apps, and physical stores. However, the channels are treated separately, meaning they do not necessarily work together to provide a consistent customer experience. Customers might have different experiences on different channels, diminishing the sense of personalisation and connection they’ve come to expect.
Omnichannel marketing, on the other hand, integrates all channels to provide a seamless and consistent customer experience. It takes into account that customers might interact with a brand across multiple channels and devices and creates a cohesive experience across all of them. With omnichannel marketing, customers feel like they are interacting with one brand, regardless of the channel they are using.
For example, a customer can start a purchase on their desktop computer, add items to their cart, and then complete the purchase on their mobile device without any hiccups in the process.
The Benefits of Using an Omnichannel Approach
There are many benefits to using an omnichannel approach with a leading b2b marketing company, including:
- Better customer experience: Omnichannel marketing allows customers to interact with a brand in a way that is convenient for them, making for a better overall experience.
- Increased customer loyalty: By providing a seamless and consistent experience across all channels, customers are more likely to feel a connection to the brand, which leads to increased loyalty and retention.
- Increased sales: Omnichannel marketing can help to increase sales by providing customers with personalised recommendations and offers based on their behavior and preferences.
- More word-of-mouth referrals: A seamless and personalised experience through all channels can lead to positive word of mouth, resulting in more references and recommendations for a business.
- Improved data collection: With omnichannel marketing, brands can collect data on customer behavior and preferences across multiple channels. This results in more targeted marketing campaigns to reach the right customers with the right message at the right time.
- New market opportunities: Omnichannel marketing allows businesses to reach new customer segments that may not have been accessible through traditional marketing channels.
- Better operational efficiency: By using an omnichannel approach, businesses can streamline their marketing efforts and make them more efficient, reducing costs and improving their bottom line.
What is Omnichannel Attribution?
One of the biggest challenges of omnichannel marketing is measuring the effectiveness of each channel in a customer’s journey. Omnichannel attribution aims to solve this problem by providing a holistic view of the customer journey across multiple channels and touchpoints.
Omnichannel attribution considers all interactions a customer has with a brand, both online and offline, and assigns a value to each touchpoint based on its influence on the final purchase. This allows marketers to optimise their campaigns and allocate their budgets more effectively.
Some common models for omnichannel attribution include:
- First-touch attribution: Assigning all credit to the first touchpoint the customer had with the brand.
- Last-touch attribution: Assigning all credit to the last touchpoint the customer had with the brand.
- Linear attribution: Assigning equal credit to each touchpoint the customer had with the brand.
- Time decay attribution: Assigning more credit to touchpoints that occurred closer to the time of purchase.
- Custom attribution: Creating a custom model that takes into account the unique customer journey and touchpoints for a particular brand.
Steps for Leveraging Omnichannel Marketing
Now that we understand the importance of omnichannel marketing and the benefits it can bring to businesses, let’s dive into the steps for leveraging it effectively.
#1: Define the buyer journey
The first step in any successful growth marketing campaign is to understand your audience. This involves analysing their behaviour, preferences, and needs. With this information, you can map out the customer journey and identify all the touchpoints and channels the customer interacts with most — from the first contact to purchase and beyond. Once you have laid this groundwork, create targeted and personalised campaigns that resonate with your audience across all channels.
#2: Create a seamless content experience
Omnichannel marketing is all about creating a seamless experience for your customers across all channels. This means ensuring that your messaging, branding, and promotions are consistent across all touchpoints. It also means making sure that your customers can seamlessly switch between channels without losing any information or progress.
#3: Leverage the right marketing tech stack
Technology plays a crucial role in omnichannel marketing. It enables businesses to track customer behavior, personalise campaigns, and provide a seamless experience across channels. Some of the technologies that can be leveraged for omnichannel marketing include customer relationship management (CRM) software, marketing automation tools, and data analytics platforms.
#4: Measure and optimise
To ensure that your omnichannel marketing strategy is effective, it’s important to measure and optimise your campaigns regularly. This involves tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, and customer lifetime value. By analysing this data, you can identify areas for improvement and optimise your campaigns for better results.
Trends To Watch Out For In Omnichannel Marketing
As technology continues to evolve, so do the trends in omnichannel marketing. Here are a few of the top trends to keep an eye on in the coming years:
- Voice search
With the rise of smart speakers and voice assistants, voice search is becoming an increasingly important channel for marketers. Businesses that optimise their content for voice search and voice interactions will have a significant advantage over those that don’t.
- Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already being used to personalise campaigns and provide a better customer experience across all channels. In the future, we can expect AI to play an even larger role in omnichannel marketing.
- Augmented reality
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that overlays digital information onto the physical world. It’s already being used in marketing campaigns to enable immersive experiences and life-like product visualisation for customers.
- Chatbots
Chatbots are becoming more sophisticated and are being used to provide customer service and support across multiple channels.
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Industries Applying Omnichannel Tactics
Omnichannel marketing is being used by a wide range of industries to drive sales and provide a better customer experience. Here are a few examples:
- Retail
Retailers are using omnichannel marketing to provide a seamless shopping experience across all channels. This includes offering ‘buy-online-pickup-in-store’ options, integrating their online and offline inventory systems, and providing personalised recommendations based on customer behavior.
- Hospitality
Hotels and resorts are using omnichannel marketing to provide a personalised experience for their guests. This includes using data analytics to anticipate guest preferences, offering mobile check-in and check-out, and providing a seamless experience across all touchpoints.
- Healthcare
Healthcare providers are using omnichannel marketing to improve patient engagement and outcomes. This includes offering online appointment scheduling, providing telehealth services, and sending personalised reminders and notifications via email and text.
- Financial services
Banks and other financial institutions are using omnichannel tactics to provide a seamless customer experience across multiple channels. For example, customers may open a bank account online, deposit checks through a mobile app, and visit a branch to speak with a financial advisor.
Final Words
Omnichannel marketing is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. By providing a seamless and personalised experience across all channels, businesses can drive sales, improve customer loyalty, and stay ahead of the competition.
Amura Marketing Technologies is a leading b2b marketing company that specialises in omnichannel marketing and technology services. With over 15 years of experience, extensive market understanding, customer-centric strategies, a robust tech stack and a team of 150+ digital experts, they can help your brand leverage the power of omnichannel marketing.
