If you’re not sure what multi-channel digital marketing is and you don’t see it as a significant part of your small business, then you’re missing out.
This post will give you some insight into why multi-channel digital marketing is important today. It’s more important than ever that digital marketing becomes an integral part of your approach to marketing.
When a business engages in multi-channel digital marketing, they engage with customers through a variety of direct and indirect methods. Websites, email, text, social media, television, apps, and paid search are all examples of channels.
Whether you are a micro, small, or medium business, the multi-channel marketing model is essential for company growth. It is a strategy that allows your customers to purchase when, where, and how they want.
Why do MSMEs need multi-channel digital marketing?
Here are five reasons why MSMEs should consider building multi-channel marketing for their small businesses:
- Reach out to a wider audience.
Digital marketing, or multi-channel digital marketing, is all about reaching out to a wider audience.
Traditional marketing is limited to the number of people who see your ads in traditional media channels. But, with digital channels like social media and email marketing, you can reach a much larger audience than those who have access to traditional media channels like television, radio, and newspapers.
Pay attention to how people use the internet, through their mobile devices. Research shows that the “typical” internet user of 2022, spends 6 hours and 58 minutes per day using the internet across all devices. People are always on their phones or tablets, or they’re all over the place. It is the multi-channel approach that really helps small businesses reach consumers on all of these different platforms and channels.
- Create more content opportunities.
Content creation is the most important part of digital marketing. The cliché “Content is King” undoubtedly applies to a multi-channel marketing approach. Brands should think of content, or “thought leadership” as the core of any multi-channel marketing strategy since potential buyers want to learn more before making an inquiry and getting in touch.
It can be in the form of blog posts, videos, infographics, and more. Content is important for building trust and credibility with your audience as well as generating leads or sales. The key to creating good content is to make it useful for your target market—so that they know what you’re offering will help them achieve their goals.
- Reach customers through their favorite channel
Instead of waiting for consumers to find your brand, businesses must discover the channels they prefer and meet them there. A customer with a passing interest in your goods or services may desire informative TV ads, while a customer who is almost ready to buy may want to read internet reviews.
So customers aren’t just visiting your website. Today, customers spend a lot of time on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and YouTube. They also spend a lot of time on Google searching, but they also have thousands of apps that they download and play with. Apps for gaming and sports information, all these venues are fragmenting the time in the minds of customers, and as a small business, you wouldn’t want to miss out on those opportunities; after all, you can’t put all of your eggs in one basket, right?
“HubSpot recently published its “State of Inbound Marketing Trends” report, and statistics suggest that social media (44%) has become the top marketing channel in 2022. This is followed by website/blog (36%), email marketing (35%), and content marketing (32%). Additionally, social (16%) was cited as the top website traffic source by respondents. The majority of marketers said it has been their most effective channel for acquiring new customers over the past year.” (Source: Hubspot, State of Inbound Marketing Trends 2022)
- Increase the number of consumer touchpoints.
One of the most important aspects of MSME digital marketing is touchpoints. Touchpoints are any point of contact with your customers, whether that’s via email or social media. This lets you earn your customers’ trust and drive continuous engagement throughout their buying journey. In the end, increase sales and revenue through many different channels.
For example, if a customer sees an ad on Facebook or Instagram and decides they’d like to buy from you, they’ll likely come back later when they’re ready to buy again—and maybe even tell their friends! That’s just one example. A blog post about how much fun it was at your business’ event last weekend; an article shared by another brand that mentions you; etcetera… The possibilities are endless!
- Establish a presence and bring in qualified leads
Multi-channel digital marketing can help small businesses generate qualified leads from a variety of sources. It not only increases sales but also improves the quality of your sales pipeline.
A qualified lead is someone who has been identified as having a need or an interest in what you have to offer. It is critical to establish your online presence through multiple channels. Once you’ve established that presence, qualified leads will start finding you on a variety of platforms.
And that includes voice search, too. Why? Asking Google Assistant on their smartphone, going to Siri, or if they’re at home with their Alexa smart speaker. Consumers are asking their AI speaker for a recommendation about, you know, where can I find some great pizza? Or where to stay for a quick weekend getaway? If your business isn’t in their listing or in their database, you won’t be found.
Why is multi-channel digital marketing effective?
This is a big part of how advertising has changed over time. In the past, ads were more in-your-face, but now they are more subtle. They also reach more people. With the rise of multi-channel digital marketing, people can reach and interact with their audience through many different digital channels. In the society we live in today, this is one of the best strategies to increase your consumer base.
Remember that a reliable sale requires at least six interactions with your clients, and the more ways you can reach them, the faster you can convert a lead into a paying customer.
The moment to begin your multi-channel marketing adventure is now—so whether a lead looks to the left, right, above, under, or beyond, make sure that your brand is there to meet his needs and give them an memorable experience.