We’ve spent so much time talking about websites, web design, SEO, UX, and the inside and outside of a website.
Obviously websites are very important – we argue the most important – part of your tech stack and part of your marketing strategy.
But what are the other components of a strong multi-channel marketing strategy?
Why Multi-Channel Marketing Matters
A multi-channel marketing strategy is essential anymore. You cannot just have one or two prong approach – you need to have a holistic, comprehensive approach to how you think and how you “do” marketing.
Engaging customers across multiple channels—such as social media, email, content marketing, and PPC—allows brands to reach audiences in the spaces they frequent most, increasing brand awareness, loyalty, and conversion potential.
A well-executed multi-channel approach can drive up to a 24% increase in conversion rates compared to single-channel campaigns. For example, consider how Nike integrates social media, email, and app notifications to create a seamless brand experience.
Visitors and users are exposed to consistent messaging that aligns across their various digital touchpoints, which boosts customer loyalty and reinforces Nike’s brand identity both consciously and subconsciously. When implemented effectively, a multi-channel strategy not only strengthens your brand’s presence but also builds a stronger connection with your audience. And people do business with who they like, know, and trust – so create a brand that is easy to trust.
So what is the first step in creating a strong and robust multi-channel marketing strategy?
1. Identifying Your Key Channels
The foundation of any successful multi-channel strategy is understanding which platforms work best for your brand. Selecting the right channels depends on your audience demographics, product type, and marketing goals. And if you say “our customer is everyone and we need to be everywhere”… no. No you don’t. You do not. You absolutely do not and should not. Unless you have an unlimited amount of money and resources, you need to pick a few key customer avatars and learn where they spend their time, and be there.
Okay, now that that tangent is out of the way let’s get into it.
Considerations for Choosing Channels:
- Demographics: Younger audiences are more likely to engage on platforms like Instagram or TikTok, while older professionals may spend more time on LinkedIn. Figure out where your audience is, where they spend their time and money, and be there.
- Content Format: Certain platforms favor specific content types; Instagram and Pinterest emphasize visuals, while LinkedIn and blogs work well for informative, long-form content. This is CRITICAL when you think of MMPG (Marketing Miles Per Gallon) …. but also how to create engaging content for your audience to consume.
- Customer Journey Stages: Think about how customers move from awareness to conversion and choose channels that effectively support each stage. For example, social media is ideal for awareness, while email can help with nurturing and conversions. Map this out, talk about it, and know it’s an iterative process. A great place to start is a regular white board (or digital white board via Google Suite) or a Miro board. Visualize it so you can understand it.
Real Life Example: A beauty brand targeting millennials might focus on Instagram and YouTube for brand awareness while leveraging email marketing for personalized offers. On the other hand, a B2B tech company might find success with LinkedIn ads, webinars, and educational content on its blog.
Next, it’s messaging!
2. Crafting Consistent Messaging Across Channels
A critical element of multi-channel marketing is maintaining a consistent message across all platforms while adapting it to fit each channel’s unique format and audience preferences. You need to think of both the conscious and subconscious aspect of the human psyche – what is obvious from messaging and brand identity and what are you working on regarding consistency that builds your brand subconsciously? If you are confused what this looks like – think of Coke, Nike, Chick-fil-a, Apple, Microsoft, Target….. these brands do the work in consistency across the board every single time.
Steps to Achieve Consistent Messaging:
- Define Your Brand Voice: Ensure that your brand’s tone and style resonate across all platforms. If your brand is informal on Instagram, try not to be overly formal on LinkedIn. Each voice needs to match the platform, sure, but the consistency is the most important part.
- Adapt for Each Platform: While the message should be cohesive, optimize it to fit each platform. Twitter’s brevity, for example, contrasts with Instagram’s visual focus or LinkedIn’s professional tone. But keep it consistent!
- Use Visual Consistency: Utilize consistent brand colors, fonts, and imagery to create a cohesive look and feel across channels, which reinforces brand recognition. This is often overlooked. Create a brand guide or style sheet and stick to it. It’s not to say that the first iteration of your brand needs to be the only one you ever use, but start with something and iterate slowly when you’re able.
Real Life Example: Starbucks maintains a consistent brand voice across social media, app notifications, and in-store signage. Their fun, friendly, and inviting tone helps create a unified experience, whether you’re engaging with them online or in person.
3. Integrating Paid, Earned, and Owned Media
Combining paid, earned, and owned media creates a more comprehensive marketing strategy by leveraging different types of exposure and engagement. This is a component a lot of businesses forget, or get wrong. This will be a whole different blog because this can get so nuanced but it’s critical in capturing and gaining attention of those you want to be customers. Here’s how each media type plays a role:
Paid Media
- Definition: Channels you pay for, such as Google Ads, social media ads, and display advertising.
- Best Use: Paid media is ideal for increasing visibility quickly, particularly when launching new products or promotions. This is also good for brands to have a consistent presence on paid platforms – think sponsored ads when you search Google.
Earned Media
- Definition: Exposure gained from organic mentions, shares, and word-of-mouth marketing. This includes PR coverage, customer reviews, and social media shares. This is important in many industries.
- Best Use: Earned media builds credibility and can amplify paid and owned media efforts by validating your brand through third-party endorsements.
Owned Media
- Definition: Channels you control, like your website, email lists, and social media profiles.
- Best Use: Owned media provides an ongoing platform to nurture and convert audiences who are already interested in your brand. This is all the stuff we talk about constantly – these are the things that are the most important things you own and can help drive (and track!) exactly how and when your audience interacts with you.
Real Life Example: A fitness brand could use paid ads to reach new customers on Instagram, encourage user-generated content to build earned media, and leverage email marketing (owned media) to send personalized content and exclusive deals to subscribers.
What’s the last area that you need to consider when you are thinking of a robust multi-channel marketing strategy? Well, data of course!!
4. Tracking and Adjusting Performance Metrics
Measuring the success of a multi-channel strategy requires setting up tracking and analyzing performance across channels. Choose KPIs that align with your goals and regularly review metrics to identify what’s working and what needs adjustment. Further, make sure you leave room for exploration and testing theories – marketing needs to have more exploration involved to find new channels and new audiences. As much as we love data, don’t make yourself beholden to the numbers because marketing is so much more then the KPIs.
Key Tools and KPIs:
- Google Analytics: Track website traffic sources, bounce rates, and conversion rates to understand how different channels contribute to on-site engagement. We LOVE these! Read more about Google Analytics and the four metrics we think are extremely important!
- Social Media Analytics: Use platform-specific insights (e.g., Instagram Insights, Facebook Analytics) to track engagement metrics, follower growth, and post-performance. This is important for reach and impressions – this is where you’ll cast your net wider and wider and have more and more people aware of you and what you do.
- Email Metrics: Measure open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to understand how well email marketing efforts resonate with your audience.
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software: CRMs like HubSpot or Salesforce allow you to track customer journeys across touchpoints, making it easier to attribute conversions to specific channels.
Real Life Example: A clothing retailer might track social media engagement, email open rates, and website traffic to see which channels are driving the most interest and adjust budgets accordingly. If Instagram engagement increases conversions, more resources can be allocated to Instagram ads.
The Power of a Cohesive Multi-Channel Marketing Strategy
A multi-channel marketing strategy is about connecting with your audience on the platforms they frequent most, creating a seamless and unified experience across every touchpoint. By carefully selecting the best channels, developing a consistent brand message, blending paid, earned, and owned media, and keeping a close eye on performance metrics, your brand can spark meaningful engagement, foster loyalty, and increase conversions.
Marketers everywhere are competing for attention – attention is THE currency anymore. A cohesive multi-channel approach not only amplifies your brand’s presence but also keeps it memorable, whether someone encounters your ad on Instagram, opens a marketing email, or lands on your website.