Cross channel marketing is the practice of promoting a product on many platforms. The numerous media and channels’ advertising messages are all in sync with one another to achieve maximum impact. These two marketing approaches are commonly employed interchangeably, although there are important differences between them. In multi channel marketing, each channel operates separately, while in cross channel marketing, all channels are linked together to form a single marketing campaign. Always the same offer, no matter whatever channel the user is currently using. They can choose the channel they want to receive the advertising message on, depending on the situation or their personal preferences.
Cross Channel Marketing is a term that is being read more and more frequently. In short, it is about the connection of different media, from classic newspapers and magazines to radio and television to the Internet and social media. This article contains a brief introduction and explains how this variant can be used in online marketing.
What exactly is Cross Channel Marketing and how does it work?
For the online marketing manager, this form of marketing is initially about effectively combining different channels. There is no fixed definition of which channels these should be, so in principle print advertising and radio, advertising flyers, and the website or TV spots and social media can be combined.
First and foremost, of course, it depends on the budget but marketing managers should also make sure that a very good strategy can also be implemented with a relatively small budget. Ideally, the recipients of the advertising messages themselves pass on the content.
On the Internet, it is referred to as “viral marketing” when users spread certain content via email or social networks. However, old fashioned word of mouth propaganda should also be taken into account both when recommending products and services and when spreading advertising messages. The question “Have you seen this new TV spot yet?” can ultimately lead to the person being asked simply looking at it on the Internet this saves on the advertising budget, but still spreads the message.
Another aspect is very important in cross channel marketing. Recipients should not only be addressed directly but they should also be asked to take action. This can be the purchase of a product or participation in a competition it is particularly important that the company receives feedback in order to be able to measure the success of a campaign.
Advantages of cross channel marketing in contrast to classic marketing strategies
Classic marketing strategies are often primarily about making a brand or a specific product better known. Whether this advertising achieves its goal can hardly be understood. In online marketing, on the other hand, in many cases, it is possible to track the success of campaigns in the form of click numbers, completed contact forms, or new likes on Facebook. With cross channel marketing, these advantages from the Internet can be combined with classic print, radio, or television advertising.
Another advantage is the fact that it is easier to reach the recipients. If you spread an advertising message on just one channel, you will quickly get lost in the crowd. However, if you have your foot in several doors, it is much more likely that the recipients will actually be reached. In addition, it is up to the recipients to decide which medium they use. Smartphone users, for example, may not have seen the new advertising posters that contain a hashtag. Nevertheless, they have an opinion, spread it via Twitter, and thus contribute to the success of a campaign.
Various points of contact with the recipients also ensure that companies can collect more data. On the one hand, the number of clicks on the website can be analyzed, on the other hand, the sales in individual branches or the dissemination of the message in the social media area. In the long term, this data helps those responsible to analyze which offers and campaigns work particularly well and when they should be used.