With the ever changing landscape of media distribution, people are constantly finding new ways to get their favorite content. That’s why it’s important to reach them where they are, and on every platform they use to consume content. Integrated marketing aims to create a seamless experience for your customers no matter how they experience your brand. For example, integrating your TV and digital marketing may mean utilizing some of the same images, language, or creative across your television ads and digital platforms. While larger companies are around 1.5 times more likely to integrate their marketing efforts, these campaigns can have a substantial impact on marketing ROI for businesses of any size. Companies who utilize integrated marketing strategies can experience up to a three times greater return on their marketing than those using a single-channel approach. Those statistics alone are great reasons to employ an integrated approach to marketing your business, but let’s delve deeper into why it is so important.
Integrated Marketing Amplifies Your Reach
A significant percentage of consumers are streaming their content through connected devices like mobile phones, tablets, desktop and laptop computers. This includes streaming and OTT (over the top television) through platforms like YouTube and other popular streaming services. However, broadcast TV isn't dead. With streaming video only accounting for 19% of video consumption, traditional television is still very much a viable option for businesses marketing mix.
By employing an integrated marketing campaign, you can reach both types of households. This marketing strategy allows you to target those that still utilize broadcast television, as well as those that have moved to primarily digital methods. And of equal importance, you can increase the number of marketing touchpoints you have with those customers who regularly use both platforms. By increasing the touchpoints with your target audience, you create a greater chance of converting them to customers.
You Can Leverage Your Creative Across Multiple Platforms
While you need to optimize content for different platforms, it’s important that the branding and overall message be the same. Marketing professionals find that for best results, the core concept and design aesthetic should be used across all of your platforms and channels. This will create a seamless experience for users while they are connecting with your brand on-air and online . One way to produce recognizable, integrated marketing creative is to repurpose your content across your preferred platforms. By simply altering your television commercial to a shorter, more digestible length or using the same core message and look from that commercial in your digital banners, you’re creating equally effective ads on both your digital and traditional broadcast platforms. When a consumer is able to move from one platform to another and recognize your brand on each, this is a great indicator that your integrated marketing approach is working, and your brand awareness is growing as a result.
Your Integrated Efforts Can Lead Consumers From One Platform to Another
Many people use a second device while they watch TV, engaging on multiple screens simultaneously. In fact, as many as 45% of viewers engage with another screen while watching television. Consumers are accustomed to using their devices to research more information, to continue browsing, or to simply heighten engagement with the service they're already using. This organic movement between platforms can be leveraged by your brand to increase the efficiency of your marketing message. Here’s how.
While enjoying their favorite shows on streaming or OTT devices and apps, consumers are introduced to your commercial. In the digital domain, those advertisements are interactive, meaning that users can easily access your website or social media channels by easily taping their screen or clicking a mouse. This process is very similar for broadcast television with users being directed, via carefully crafted creative ads, to take an action (e.g. visit your website) to receive more information or a buying incentive. This integrated approach allows you to seamlessly guide the viewer from one platform to another. Often, this can help move buyers through the sales funnel more efficiently by creating a more streamlined experience.
Digital and TV Marketing Combined Helps Add More Touchpoints
As mentioned earlier, integrated marketing across broadcast and digital is a great way to increase your marketing touchpoints, but why is this so important? Most customers need multiple interactions with your brand or messaging before they're ready to make a buying decision, especially for luxury products and services. They might need to do considerable research, or see a particular product appear multiple times in front of them before they're ready to take the plunge and make that purchase. A single ad view can pique a customer's interest, but it often falls off quickly, especially if they don’t receive any subsequent reminders of the brand. Even a customer who is interested in making a purchase and is actively researching a solution will be more likely to choose a product or service that they are more familiar with. Each touchpoint helps build your brand's authority and raise your brand awareness.
Integrating your digital and TV marketing efforts creates the multiple touchpoints needed to help make your brand more recognizable. In the short term, the increased visibility often builds consumer confidence in your brand and can positively influence shoppers’ buying decisions. However the long term benefit is far more impactful by building stable brand credibility able to withstand volatile market changes. An integrated advertising approach allows you to create more personal connections, build brand awareness, and remain top-of-mind.
Ultimately, integrating your digital and television marketing efforts can have a big impact on your brand's return on your marketing investment and your ability to connect with customers. Savvy businesses work closely with a media partner to develop an integrated marketing strategy that will allow them to utilize both platforms to their full advantage, expanding their reach and allowing them to connect with customers more effectively.
