Content powers media machine, data sets the course and the ability to translate information into actionable insights refines your marketing approach for improved results. In a Multi Device and Omni-Channel Environment Cross Channel Attribution and Optimization are critical to maximize advertising effectiveness. According to e-Marketer, 40 % of all offline purchases start online.

To analyze media consumption in omni-channel Environment it is important to map your Marketing efforts and create a cross-channel attribution for Online, Search,Display, Video, Social, Digital and Content Marketing keeping in mind the stages of buyer decision journey and understand the channels that are bringing results depending on the methodology you are most comfortable with.

As per the Nielsen report for the US Market, TV remains a potent force with simultaneous usage of devices. The growing ownership and usage of tablets and smartphones has created a video audience segment on Internet which is at 50 % -75 % in the age group of 18-54 yrs. Mobile audience is divided by devices and platform sophistication 81% of Mobile time is spent on apps and 19 % Mobile web, Worldwide Smartphone and Tablet is greater than PC. Mobile devices are used to plan research shopping, while shopping and post-shopping.It is not surprising that ebay App is one of the top 25 free  Apps. (Source AppData Jan 2013)

Content Marketing Goals as defined by a study carried out with 1000 Marketing Professionals.

Graph maker

source e-marketer

Six Steps for Cross Channel Attribution Mapping

1.Map your channel mix  and assign weight to each element depending on their importance in reaching your Marketing Goals based on existing  web analytics and social media insights.

2.Collect information about your customers on all channels and networks and build clusters depending on their interaction profiles with each type of Digital, Social and Interactive Media.

3,An effective segmentation grid for the social and digital behavior can be based on device usability and preferred social networks(above mentioned clusters), time spent etc mapped to demographic, interests, economic and other consumption/usage data.

4.Develop an advertising, messaging and content mix for each segment as defined in the above mentioned point. for each stage of the buyer journey i.e. awareness, consideration, preference.

5.Develop an influencer profile for each of the clusters depending on their interaction. The influencers play an important role and marketing to influencers needs to be integrated in your Media Strategy

6.Look at the strengths and weakness of each element of the Advertising Mix and how it can be overcome with another type of digital media or Influencer to maximize business results.

Key Digital Trends

Listing Ads

Product Listings Ads for placement on Google Shopping – With a richer format
including images, PLA units perform better than text ads on all key metrics. Key to success for marketers is leveraging a paid search technology platform that can create and manage PLA while tracking clicks, conversions and revenue at the product level and deploying custom bid optimization algorithms accordingly.

Source: Kenshoo, Global Search and Advertising Trends, Oct,12

Influencer Marketing

Engaging social ads leverage friend-to-friend connections and sharing to broaden
your reach,capitalize on holidays and user data on social sites to drive action, gather
more information about potential customers. These ads also promote users to opt in to your message, participate in contests,promotions, and sales, visit your online store,
extend their engagement with you, and broaden your reach with likes and other actions.
Social ads that leverage the 90-9-1 rule for conversions and leads do very well.

Brands that are responsive often get a better response rate in Social and can deploy the Keyword Rich User Generated Copy to improve the Search Results. Providing a section for customer reviews can create a positive referral network for the brand.

Source: Lab42

Video Marketing

Engagement Rate of Opt in Videos from Fortune 500 companies that work the best are 30-60 secs with 4.5% and 2+ mins – 3.7 % (Source – E Marketer). What works for a large Web display cannot often be replicated for smaller smartphone screens and may need to be accordingly created with graphics and media formats.

Be-spoke User Experience

Tablets boast a bigger screen and more affluent user-base than mobile phones and, as a result, represent a very lucrative targeting opportunity . To capitalize on the 10% of all U.S. paid search clicks coming from tablets, marketers must create tablet optimized websites and/or apps to deliver a bespoke user-experience. And, with tablet CPCs 33% lower than computers, it’s also a best practice to create separate SEM campaigns targeted different devices with unique keyword bids. (Source Kenshoo, Global Search and Advertising Trends, Oct,12)

Key Takeaways

1.Create seamless Cross-Channel experience with consumer insights and clear privacy policy guidelines detailing opt-in process for advertising in-apps, video and on social networks.

2.Brands that are omnipresent need to connect the dots to provide a seamless channel experience across digital,search, social, online and offline.

3.An engaged community of influencers can lead to greater effectiveness across channels.

4.Big Data and Engagement Analytics can help create device optimized web-sites/ content and Be-Spoke User experiences

Image courtesy of Kromkrathog, FreeDigitalPhotos.net