Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Technology

Omni-channel advertising: Where does mobile fit in?

©iStock.com/Mikolette

Omni-channel marketing is the practice of ensuring that the customer experience remains the same whenever and wherever consumers come in contact with a brand, while taking a look at a billboard or whether on cellular, online, in-store. It aims to ensure a smooth, customer brand experience that is integrated irrespective of channel.

In 2015 cellular will continue to be the marketing format that is digital. In fact, research firm eMarketer year estimated that spending on advertising will take a majority share of advertising budgets in the united kingdom in the future, accounting for 70% of all digital invest.

Advertisers are beginning to become aware before expanding to additional digital or stations that lots of customer journeys start. Marketers undeniably need to approach marketing strategies that are digital .

With smartphone usage for an all-time large, today’s consumer needs relevant, tailored and optimized advertising content across all devices. PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2014-2018 forecasts that 50% of the UK population will own a tablet computer by 2018 and 73 percent will have a smartphone, while the latest survey from eMarketer predicts that m-commerce increases by 64.8 percent this year. Consumers are frequently migrate between devices during the afternoon, presenting a huge challenge for marketers seeking to reach audiences with the message at the ideal moment along with on the go.

Merchandise research on the go

Recent Forrester research found that consumers have become so “device agnostic” which 51% begin their path to buy on whatever device is available at the time the intent enters their mind. Consumers are researching brands and products contemplating purchase additional while on their lunch break while queueing for java and purchasing on their day commute or while lounging at home. Purchase behavior goes across multiple platforms and entrepreneurs have to remember that shipping and significance have to be tailored to every device.

Historically, there’s been a large disparity between the quantity of time people actually spend on their mobile devices and the amount of funds spent on the medium, but this gap is narrowing substantially as enthusiasm grows for optimized formats like rich media, video and native, targeting enhances and entrepreneurs understand how to use mobile efficiently. Furthermore, in-app advertisements have been demonstrated to deliver increased performance with better and higher rates.

Actually, Opera Mediaworks conducted research last year into consumers’ “Program DNA” which found quite a few user “personalities” based on the apps they have on their mobile. Knowledge like this helps advertisers to target groups of smartphone users with relevant content according to their program “personality” and the apps they have in their devices in order to get the highest possible levels of participation. In addition, as screen sizes continue to improve and resolutions improve, participation with media, product graphics and media formats experiences, such as video ads, is on the up.

Contextual marketing

Mobile presents an abundance of opportunities to marketers to target their audiences according to location. Geo-targeting helps advertisers improve the probability of reaching them with relevant advertisements in the ideal place at the right moment and thus, to understand habits and people’s preferences dependent on the paths they take. By way of example, if a group of people frequently visit cinemas (as identified through place data or geotagging) advertisers can provide relevant picture ads rather than targeting groups who may spend a similar quantity of time at the local gym.

This will become more widespread as an increasing number of manufacturers roll out beacons, tempted by the possibilities of hyper-local targeting. The user experience walking down the street in 2015 will be one of targeted offers.

With differing usage and engagement patterns across channels in mind, marketers have to ensure that brand content and messaging is consistent on all platforms. This will ensure optimum customer engagement throughout the customer journey and increase brand loyalty.

There’s no question that the contemporary landscape that is omni-channel presents a wealth of opportunities for their own brands and both marketers. Taking the time to identify challenges and opportunities, recognising that cellular is in reality the format which joins all channels together and creating a further understanding of customer behaviours will enable entrepreneurs to invent an appropriate marketing strategy to ensure success in this new multi-screen world.