During London Fashion Week in 2015, TopShop, a UK-based Fashion Retailer, launched digital billboards displayed across the United Kingdom. Each billboard was synced to the company’s Twitter data. When a follower tweeted using “#LWF,” the billboard would display the tweet alongside a relevant item from Topshop’s catalog. This allowed fashion week fans to shop the latest trends that were trending online. The icing on top of the cake? Each billboard was placed within a 10-minute walk to a TopShop store front. So with the brand top of mind, shoppers were within walking distance to browse and buy.
TopShop reaped the rewards in this case, experiencing a 75% boost in sales for all items related to the “LFW” hashtag. Although this example dates back more than five years ago, it is still almost always included in lists of top or best-executed omnichannel marketing campaigns.
TopShop, along with countless other brands, has recognized the power of an omnichannel marketing approach. OmniSend has found that marketers who use three or more channels witness an 18.96% engagement rate (5.4% for those using a single channel) and a 250% higher purchase frequency.
Despite the clear benefits omnichannel marketing campaigns can provide advertisers, marketers still face channels when it comes to these marketing solutions. So, what happens when a campaign doesn’t yield the results you hoped for? Below we’ve outlined a guide for how to combat some of the most common challenges marketers face.
What are Omnichannel Marketing Challenges Advertisers Face?
Before we jump in, let’s look at some of the most common challenges that prevent marketers from carrying out successful omnichannel marketing campaigns.
Marketing Sherpa asked marketers to weigh issues they face with an omnichannel strategy on a scale from (1) not very challenging to (5) extremely challenging. The top five most significant challenges the survey uncovered are:
- Lack of budget
- Lack of personnel with skills and know-how to enact omnichannel strategies
- Accessing data across channels
- Recognizing a customer on various channels or devices
- Communicating omnichannel capabilities to customers and prospects
The challenges advertisers face in implementing an omnichannel marketing strategy transcend throughout the entire campaign and result in an unsuccessful strategy. So, let’s dive into some solutions to combat these challenges and prevent an unsuccessful omnichannel approach.
Revising an Unsuccessful Omnichannel Marketing Approach
Eliminate Data Gaps
Two of the top five challenges marketers face when implementing omnichannel marketing (per our results above) involve cross-channel data gaps. Consumers are using more devices, and more channels than ever before – the average US household has 11 connected devices. So, it comes as no surprise that marketers are having difficulty tracking data across various devices, and in turn, unifying the customer journey as they move between these devices.
However, both of these tactics are essential to a successful omnichannel marketing journey. Consumers want a streamlined experience as they move from their laptop to their mobile device, for example.
How do you fix it?
The solution to this challenge is two-fold. First, you need to establish a data-management solution within your organization. Data analytics tools give you the ability to track, manage and analyze data across channels and devices.
Ensure with thorough research which tool is right for your brand. RedPoint Global found that 42% of marketers install ten or more marketing data analytics solutions, but only 3% feel that they are fully connected and aligned. As you research analytics tools, ensure that you find holistic, automated solutions that will fit your brand’s needs.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to pick the best analytics solution for your needs, check out our blog post Leveraging Marketing Analytics Benefits for Strategic Ad Spend.
The second half of the solution to combating data gaps across solutions is tactic-driven. You need to establish or invest in a cross-device identification tool for your omnichannel marketing approach. This solution will allow you to track customers as they move through different devices and implement better retargeting and sequential messaging strategies.
An example of a cross-device solution is MediaMath’s Connected ID. This solution uses deterministic data to link users across browsers and devices and build a proprietary cross-device graph. Advertisers pass back a deterministic identifier so that associations can be built out for the advertiser’s customer base.
A cross-device solution will not only improve your customer’s journey and experience with your brand, but it also has cost-saving benefits. You will avoid wasted media impressions on consumers who you’ve already reached on different devices. You know where the customer is in their journey, so you’ll be able to reach them with more targeted ads.
So, although these solutions primarily help solve data gaps within an omnichannel marketing approach, as you implement these solutions, you’ll see better use of your budget to solve the #1 challenge marketers face: lack of budget.
Understand the Intricacies Required for Success
If a product or service is not meeting your expectations, you don’t think twice about buying from the competitor the next time you purchase the product. This same attitude is now reflected as consumers browse and interact with brands online. If a website or shopping experience doesn’t meet consumers’ needs, they‘ll switch to different sites or brands.
If consumers can’t figure out where to choose in-store pick-up during check-out, they might abandon their cart altogether. If the Instagram ad they clicked on doesn’t take them to the page they intended it to, they may be wary of clicking on your ad again. Marketers need to think like consumers so that they are able to communicate their omnichannel solutions effectively. If you’ve found holes in certain aspects of your omnichannel marketing approach that have led to unsuccessful campaigns, it’s time to revisit your strategy.
How do you fix it?
Omnichannel marketing requires expertise across varying channels. Email marketing has a different purpose than SEM and social, display marketing, audio, CTV, etc. So, in turn, they require different skills and potentially, personnel.
To ensure you are using the best strategies and tools across your omnichannel campaign, you’ll need to choose one of the following solutions:
- Invest in training and educational tools
- Hire fresh talent in-house to fill the positions required to diminish the gaps in your strategy
- Outsource your digital media
- Hire a full-service digital marketing partner.
All of these solutions will require more significant investments, but their long-term benefits will improve your omnichannel marketing, and in turn, your bottom line.
If you are thinking about bringing your omnichannel marketing in-house, check out our blog post: 7 Things Brands Need to Know Before In-Housing Programmatic Media Buying. And, if you’re considering outsourcing some or all of your media with an omnichannel marketing partner, keep reading!
Ensure Successful Omnichannel Marketing Campaigns with a Strategic Partner
As mentioned previously, omnichannel marketing requires unique intricacies and expertise across various channels, formats, and tactics. Many of the biggest challenges advertisers face with their strategies boil down to a lack of in-house personnel or resources to cover all the bases.
If you’ve recognized that the lack of success you’re finding in your omnichannel campaigns is a resource problem, consider onboarding a digital marketing partner. There are many solutions on the market to meet your digital advertising needs – whether you are looking to outsource a few of your services or you’re ready to hand over the keys altogether, there are great benefits gained from partnering with a digital marketing agency.
Digilant’s Approach to Omnichannel Digilant Marketing
No two brands have the same omnichannel solution, so omnichannel marketing services need to be tailor-made to fit your needs. Digilant operates on three different service models to ensure we met the needs of all our clients.
Our self-service programmatic platform access puts the power in the hands of in-house teams with full access to Media Math’s programmatic media buying platform.
Managed service media buying solutions give brands, and agencies access to our unmatched biddable media knowledge base, supported across programmatic, search, and social.
And, if you decide you want a one-stop shop for your entire omnichannel marketing journey, our full-service marketing agency solutions provide brands with fully-integrated marketing strategies.
Are you ready to revisit your omnichannel marketing approach with a strategic partner on your side? Digilant is eager to take your campaigns from now to next. Let’s talk.