Many consider the terms omnichannel and multichannel to be interchangeable. However, the two are quite different. In the previous article here, we looked at omnichannel marketing and how the journey is customer centric and adapts to consumer behavior. Today, we look at multichannel marketing and how different it is from omnichannel marketing. We will get to understand how it impacts your marketing strategy, objectives and KPIs.
Multichannel marketing is a marketing strategy that reaches and engages with consumers through multiple channels like TV, print, email, mobile, social media, podcast, billboards, etc. These marketing channels favor both offline and digital marketing, with each channel operating independently, with different messaging but with the same goal of reaching out to specific audiences. The main focal point of multichannel marketing strategy is the brand. On the other hand, Omnichannel marketing is a marketing practice that addresses each channel’s customer experience and how customers transition between each channel seamlessly. The main focal point of omnichannel marketing strategy is the customer.
The data from each multichannel doesn’t interact with or influence the actions of other channels. Each channel has its own set of consumer data that will need to be manually aggregated and groomed with data onboarding solutions. Marketers often struggle to discover who and where their top clients are since with this marketing approach, each channel is dependent on diverse data sets. However, with omnichannel marketing, you can precisely track consumer behavior and push more personalized and relevant messages to consumers at the perfect time on the ideal channel.
So what differentiates multichannel from omnichannel?
Multichannel focuses on Brand Viewability.
Multichannel places a greater emphasis on brand viewability such that products are presented to many potential customers across multiple channels with the goal of increasing engagements, while omnichannel relies on identifying the touchpoints available in a customer journey to ensure that consumers have a remarkable connection with products.
Multichannel marketing is channel centric.
Another significant distinction is that multi-channel focuses primarily on products with the aim of maximizing the number of mediums used to promote a brand. Omnichannel on the other hand focuses on putting consumers at the center of the advertising strategy to ensure that they enjoy a seamless experience while interacting with brands at all touchpoints.
Multichannel focuses on quantity over quality.
The quantity of channels utilized to reach a target audience is what matters most in multichannel marketing and not the quality of customer experience. The more channels that are available, the better because it equates to a wider audience reach. While it may be challenging for consumers to start their journey from the very beginning with multichannel, they still have a huge advantage of choosing when and how to engage with a brand. Consumers are reached on their preferred channels. In this era of technology consumers interact with a lot of media sources. Brands that are smart enough leverage the grand opportunity to ensure that customers are reached where they are and at their preferred channels.
For instance if you are targeting a younger customer base, you would be better off opting for social media channels like TikTok or Instagram but if you are targeting an older customer base, then traditional channels like email marketing would suffice.
The risk of not reaching consumers with this approach is minimal because they are able to choose and interact with a channel that resonates with them and that solves their problem.
The planning and execution of multichannel marketing strategy can be time-consuming, but done right, marketers can still enjoy amazing results with lots of advantages. Some of these advantages include :
Increased engagements.
Engagement is considered to be the bridge between awareness and conversion. Increased engagement results from increased visibility due to the numerous touchpoints that multichannel marketing provides. This makes perfect sense given that the more material you post on your marketing channel, the more likely it is that your target audience will interact with it, and the more frequently they will also interact with them.
Increased brand awareness.
Brand awareness is the degree to which consumers are familiar with your brand’s distinct features and reputation. Marketers that embrace the multichannel approach face less difficulty in fostering brand recognition and loyalty.This is because consumers can easily recall a brand’s consistent message across a variety of platforms and with the many touch points available, their ability to choose which channel to engage with becomes more seamless.
Increased Revenue.
When a multichannel strategy is put in place, revenue growth is inevitable. Customers are no longer restricted to a particular purchase path and have more purchasing options than ever before thanks to the several channels they come across with multichannel marketing.
To conclude, consumers are more connected than ever before, and as the customer journey keeps evolving, businesses must strive to understand the distinction between omnichannel and multichannel marketing. Consumers now yearn for convenience, and this factor, along with your brand’s goals, should be considered when selecting your preferred channel.
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