As a relatively new player in the B2C marketing space, my eyes and ears are open to learning everything I can about the field. That often means I am curious about trends and patterns that are typically labeled as traditional marketing methods.
Most recently, I’ve noticed marketers’ use of combined marketing channels like email and social media or SMS and loyalty programs. I began wondering why this occurred and, more importantly, if certain pairs worked better than others.
To get an answer to these questions, I reached out to two marketing experts: Greg Gillman, Chief Revenue Officer at MuteSix, a DTC performance marketing agency based out of California, and Angel Martins, Managing Director at Finsbury Media, a digital marketing agency based out of Liverpool.
Here’s what they shared:
The basics of marketing channels
Before we could dive into the specifics of which marketing channels work best together, we first had to lay the groundwork for why some brands decide to fuse their marketing channels together.
Both Gillman and Martins agreed that such tactics can increase the amount of contact brands have with consumers. The more resources a brand uses, the more chances they have of getting their message across to a potential customer. And there’s no shortage of options available. Consumers are now everywhere, and that means relevant brands must be everywhere, too.
“The best omnichannel marketing leverages a combination of platforms, and this can be most effectively accomplished through complementing paid media channels and lifecycle marketing channels. Media mixes will differ based on budgets and performance, but setting realistic goals and monitoring data can help brands efficiently allocate their budgets,” Gillman said. “Once your goals have been determined, leveraging paid search, paid social and lifecycle marketing channels — whether it is TikTok, Google or other platforms — will give your campaigns the greatest reach.”
In addition to connecting with a larger audience, contacting consumers using different channels can help establish brand consistency. Seeing the same or similar messages from a brand can give consumers a more cohesive idea of what that brand’s mission is and better help them determine if it’s the right brand for them.
“By combining marketing channels brands can create a more seamless customer experience — by targeting specific demographics and tailoring their message to each specific channel. This helps to establish brand loyalty and encourages users to come back for more, increasing sales and ultimately increasing ROI," said Martins.
Utilizing a number of different resources also means more data for brands, and considering data analytics are baselines for determining brand goals, having ample metrics can make it easier to identify exactly what consumers want.
“Continuously looking at real-time data will provide you with the necessary information to make adjustments. By leveraging paid search and social, and combining it with lifecycle marketing channels through the lens of real-time data, you can find the right balance to scale profitably,” said Gillman.
What marketing channels work best together?
After setting the foundation for my question, I decided to dig deeper. With so many benefits to combining marketing channels, could brands create an even greater impact with one pair over another?
To my dismay, Martins said that there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Each brand, each customer and each strategy is different. However, there are a few tactics that can align with various brands at once.
“There are some key elements that brands must follow to create an effective marketing strategy. Brands must first identify who their target audience is and what channel they spend the most time on. They can then work to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each channel and how they can complement each other,” said Martins.
When combining channels together, it may be smart to use a balanced mix of channels that work for every demographic in the target market.
“Brands today might find that a mix of traditional and digital channels is most effective. For example, a TV commercial can help to generate awareness for a product, and social ads might help drive traffic to the brand's website. However, when marketing a product or service to a younger audience, traditional channels might be useless. Brands must invest time in research and develop a customized approach for each marketing effort,” said Martins.
The key to success is to experiment with various marketing channels and test what performs the best for your brand. And combining a well-researched mix of marketing channels will help.
