Cross-channel marketing: definition & tips

Cross-channel marketing, sometimes also referred to as multichannel marketing, is the strategy of using multiple channels to reach consumers. This could include email marketing, social media, television, online video, podcast ads, and any number of other marketing channels. Any visibility or communication with a customer could be considered part of a brand’s cross-channel marketing strategy.

Cross-channel marketing is an effective way to execute personalized marketing campaigns because it can create a cohesive experience that reaches consumers in several different media. Some consumers may see a brand’s message on just one platform, which is why it’s important for the company to be visible on multiple platforms. That ensures the message reaches as many future and current consumers as possible.

Take a look at examples of cross-channel marketing tools, successful strategies, and their benefits.

The main purpose of a multichannel approach is to interact with consumers where they already are. As our digital ecosystem continues to evolve, companies should always be on the lookout for new places to interact. Then, create a cross-channel campaign with multiple arms. Each one should fit the style and format of a particular marketing channel — and appeal to customer needs.

Once a company reaches consumers where they already hang out, especially online, it can create a cross-channel marketing campaign that embraces the platforms its average customers regularly use.

For instance, McDonald’s launched a campaign earlier this year in which actress Mindy Kaling appeared in a commercial. She wore a yellow dress and was juxtaposed against a red background, a subtle nod to McDonald’s branding, but there was no mention of the brand. She simply asked viewers to visit Google and search for “that place where Coke tastes SO good,” which led to an interactive and multichannel experience for viewers.

Leveraging one platform to get activity on another is a tactic used by brands on a regular basis. Many create advertising campaigns designed to get more exposure with their target audience. Wordstream found that companies get more branded Google searches — in which people search specifically for your brand name or product names — when they advertise on other platforms: namely Bing, YouTube, and Facebook.

Wordstream reports a 420% increase in Google-branded search interest when advertisers ran both Google Search and YouTube ad campaigns. Getting your ads in front of more people not only improves paid traffic but also creates organic awareness about your products that lifts advertising results. While this is harder to track than direct clicks from ads, it still means your marketing, branding, and advertising efforts work together to increase awareness, positive sentiment, and interest about your company.

The lift that companies get from advertising is great, but it’s not always the mark of a successful campaign. As competition grows, it’s often not enough to grow brand awareness and audience sentiment. Companies must continue to improve by shaping their marketing efforts to be more specific to customer needs.

Activity on as many useful platforms as possible is beneficial for marketers, but the effort that goes into each platform is wasted if your metrics aren’t properly tracked. Set up unique tracking URLs for each medium and make sure conversion tracking is enabled in Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel . Find out which channels bring in the most conversions or revenue.

In addition to tracking URLs, you can also use platform-exclusive offers or promo codes. Make it easy to decipher so you can view them at a glance in reports and know where they came from, such as “FB50OFF” for a deal on Facebook for 50% off or simply TWITTER for a product-specific Twitter deal.

With better tracking, you can see which channels bring you the most conversions — and which ones need more work or aren’t worth continuing.

As you track your channels, strive to be interesting, engaging, and informative. Only use the channels you know play to what your brand offers. By leveraging unique aspects of each platform to work cohesively in a cross-channel marketing campaign, you can increase brand visibility and sales, all while keeping your products and services top-of-mind for your consumers.

Kelsey Jones is a marketing consultant and writer under Six Stories , her marketing agency. She has been working in digital marketing since 2007 and journalism since 2004, gaining proficiency in social media, SEO, content marketing, PR, and web design. Kelsey was the head editor at Search Engine Journal for three years and has worked with Yelp, Contour Living, Bounty, Gazelle, and many more. Based in Kansas City, she enjoys writing and consuming all kinds of content, both in digital and tattered paperback form.