We all know the benefits of multichannel marketing – increased exposure and access to wider demographics, for example – yet many of us are failing to create an effective multichannel marketing strategy. Why? It all comes down to inconsistencies across the channels.
It’s one thing to look at statistics and say ‘Pinterest has more female users, and Twitter has more male users, so we’ll utilise both to increase exposure’, but providing a different message across the two channels can leave your audience feeling confused about what exactly you’re trying to achieve.
The Dangers of Multichannel Inconsistencies
Picture this: a new restaurant opens up in your city. Their website shows them as a fine dining establishment – tablecloths, candles, the whole nine yards. It’s the type of place you’d wine and dine your better half on your anniversary. So far, so good. But what about their Facebook page?
The restaurant’s Facebook page is cool, it’s trendy. It’s appealing to the young after-work crowd with its pictures of neon cocktails and ‘molecular mixology’. So what is this place? Not only are you confused about what they’re offering, but you’re also wondering if they know anything about running a business.
Multichannel inconsistencies really can have a significant effect on consumer perception of a brand. Around half of those questioned by the Chartered Institute of Marketing claim that they’ve viewed what they described as ‘questionable’ content on social media, from brands that really should know better.
Questionable content can, of course, be related to fake reviews or purchased followers, but it’s important to ask how much of this is to do with inconsistent messaging that can’t easily be linked to that specific brand. A post that seems somewhat out of place, for example, or language that appears odd.
Getting it Right
We need to make consistency a higher priority in our marketing campaigns. It’s crucial, from the first touch point a consumer has with a brand, and it’s becoming increasingly crucial due to changes in the way we shop online. Thanks to online review websites, social media, blogs, and so on, the journey from initial search to a conversion is becoming less direct. We’re much more likely to hop around multiple platforms before making a decision, which is why maintaining a consistent message across all communications channels is vital.
What it all comes down to is reinforcing your message to ensure that’s the message that your consumers hear, no matter where they are. As Forbes contributor Carmine Gallo puts it: ‘If your audience hears it, reads it, and sees your message several times, they’ll be more likely to share it’.
Think back to the launch of the iPad Pro. It was ‘the biggest news in iPad since iPad’. How do we know this? Because that’s what Yahoo! Finance said. That’s what The Telegraph said. That’s what BuzzFeed said. Where did they get this from? From Apple – at events, in press releases, and on the website.
Consistency is the key to getting your message across, via multiple channels, without it turning into a playground game of Chinese Whispers. And remember – research shows that consistent brands are 20 percent more successful in their marketing campaigns than those who forget what they’re about!