Maximising your channel mix

As we move further and further into a digital world, channel mixes are getting more complex. It’s not just a case of having a website, you need to maximise your channels to make sure you’re converting the right traffic into revenue.  

This doesn’t mean you have to have a presence on every marketing or social media platform going – you just need to find the right ones to fit your business to turn clicks into cash. 

Your marketing channels should complement each other, and support your business goals and objectives, whether that’s education, brand awareness, new customer revenue, or increased sales from current customers. 

Think of all your digital customer touch points. These can include your website, social channels, images and video content, blogs, digital search and marketplaces, along with reviews and customer testimonials. A lot, right?  

But how effective are they at converting exposure into revenue? Uncovering where your customers interact with your brand and identifying gaps and opportunities for improvement at each customer touch point is where we can help. 

Below we use the examples of SEO and social media where, if you have a solid strategy and plan, you can really get the most out of them.  

Search Engine Optimisation

Put yourself in the shoes of the user. If you’re looking for a product or service, what’s the first thing you do? Chances are you’ll pick up your mobile phone and head straight to Google. How often do you go past page one of results though? Or even past the top three on page one. To get in those top results you need to have a solid SEO strategy that’s a combination of content and technical savvy.  

Even if you’re not part of a marketing team, you might have heard about using keywords. As time has gone on though, it’s not just enough to have some relevant keywords on your website to move up the results page.

It’s important to have a variety of content relevant your business (which also ties in well with your content marketing strategy), such as blogs and shareable content including videos and infographics, use more links (and backlinks) – making sure you use those keywords more organically.

 You also need to look at the technical side of things at the back end of your website. By having good user experience (UX) attributes it’ll help secure you higher up the rankings. If a customer can find you easily and organically you’re definitely on the right path.

 Social media

Social media marketing has exploded in recent years. It’s a great way to engage with customers and show off your brand’s personality. It’s not just one-way traffic and allows you to open up a conversation with customers. You can also use social channels for sponsored content and paid ads, and you can target those campaigns to your chosen demographics.

 Unfortunately, sometimes they’re not run cohesively – customer services might look after Twitter and Facebook, marketing might manage Instagram and it’s been known for recruitment to manage LinkedIn.

 It’s important for social media to be seen as a ‘proper channel’ not just something to stick the work experience kid on (though that did work for Southern Rail in 2017 when their work experience teenager went viral for his humorous interactions with customers).

 According to a recent Forbes article, business are increasing their investments in social media as consumers are using it more than ever. It states that: “Consumers are using social media to discover new brands (43%), make purchases (36%) and recommend brands to their friends and family (33%).”

 Making sure you have a strategy for your social channels is crucial for customer confidence and brand loyalty. If social channels are being run by different departments, you need to make sure they’re talking to each other and are working on the same goals and giving out consistent messaging.

 It goes without saying all your channels and touch points should have an overarching strategy and plan, as they will overlap and link into each other.

 We help brands stand out and thrive. Contact us to find out how we can help you on your digital journey.