Why and How Should I Use a Cross-Media Marketing Strategy?

When a social media site used by more than a third of the world’s population goes dark for several hours, the results can be disastrous for those who have all of their eggs in the Facebook/Instagram basket. We learned that businesses lost revenue, leads were lost, customers were left hanging, and merchant events got canceled. During those six hours, businesses large and small began to reevaluate their single media strategy and look toward a comprehensive cross media marketing plan. 

What IS Cross Media Marketing and Why Do I Need It? 

Relying on one sole marketing platform (such as Instagram) to sell your service or wares is an ill-advised practice, even for small businesses. Cross marketing is the opposite of that – marketing across several methods to spread your brand, links, and products – building visibility. With this integrative approach, brand communication with effective and consistent messaging is pushed simultaneously through multiple channels. Different advertising formats in various media outlets reach the audience and provide more opportunities to develop leads. Ideally, reaching the right user at the right time using the right type of media should be the goal of your cross media campaign. As the “Rule of Seven” indicates, it takes at least seven times for your message to be seen by your audience before a purchase is made. These seven “impressions” are most effectively made across a variety of different mediums. 

How Do I Build a Cross Media Marketing Campaign?

Whether it’s a new slogan, product launch, cause marketing, or basic brand awareness, your messaging must be clear and concise for easy user consumption. Each campaign will determine what you want to say during that particular period and although your brand story will vary in execution from medium to medium, consistency across all platforms is crucial to get your message across.

Next, who is this particular information for? Defining your target audience seems pretty simple, and for the most part, it is. However, with a multitude of options for marketing, you must determine where your audience’s eyes (and ears) are most, along with how they see and hear. Knowing where their attention is will determine what type of mediums they use most, along with which type of messaging you will use. For example, if you are targeting ages 18-24, short videos on TikTok and influencer marketing will be obvious choices, whereas an older demographic may yield better results with helpful blog content and paid search ads. 

The number of media channels you choose is also important. Your media budget may not be robust enough to use all of the desired mediums, but the recommendation is to utilize at least four. In fact, Gartner Research reported that “campaigns integrating four or more digital channels will outperform single- or dual-channel campaigns by 300%.” As such, brand building is strongest among those who approach from different angles and offer a consumer-focused experience across all mediums.

The final step is choosing the right call to action. Being clear in what you want your audience to do after they hear your message can make all the difference between a browse and a purchase. 

What Are Some Cross Media Marketing Best Practices?

Once you’ve established a comprehensive strategy, there are a few ways to get the highest ROI:

• Using video – Engaging content gets the most views, and short videos fit the bill quite nicely. Make video content a priority in communicating your               brand story and use it to unify your campaign throughout different channels.
• Synergy – Build upon each message and drive the user to generate a response. 
• Personalization – Establish trust and strengthen your brand image with personalized messaging.
• Stay customer-focused – Don’t lose sight of your customers. Your campaign should communicate fulfilling the needs of your consumer. 
• Test, test, test – Use control groups to measure your data against.