Three top trends in multichannel marketing for 2023

Programmatic advertising is on the rise. According to Statista, the European digital ad market is projected to surpass $152bn (£123bn) by 2027, with programmatic accounting for 82% of digital advertising revenue. The growing adoption of digital channels is in part thanks to the increasing capabilities of programmatic, which includes tools for measurement and reporting. As a result, marketers expect to spend more on their programmatic campaigns, in order to run bigger campaigns with higher budgets, and greater return on investment (ROI).

There are many different channels and formats that marketers can use in programmatic advertising, but some of the common ones are native, display, video, connected TV (CTV), audio, in-game advertising and digital out-of-home (DOOH).

With a multichannel strategy, it’s possible to use not just one channel, but a mix of complementary channels. This increases the percentage of the total target audience that a programmatic campaign reaches. A multichannel strategy is becoming increasingly crucial in today’s programmatic landscape because consumers are active across various channels and devices.

A multichannel strategy helps advertisers reach users where they are spending time with digital channels – which is everywhere.

Media agencies, more so than marketers, use nearly all media types in their campaigns. But digital video and display, along with social media, are the most widely used channels for multichannel campaigns. To run programmatic campaigns, brands and businesses typically partner with a programmatic platform, or with an agency that specialises in programmatic advertising. These platforms, known as demand-side platforms (DSPs) are digital advertising softwares that provide advertisers with features for buying ad placements online, and in real time.

With programmatic on the rise, advertisers are looking for holistic approaches to targeting. A multichannel strategy supports this, by helping advertisers reach users where they are spending time with digital channels – which is everywhere. Let’s explore three trends that are creating multichannel campaign success.

1. Multichannel campaigns are driving increased awareness

With a multichannel campaign, brands, products, and services will have more presence across different channels. By creating a coherent message across those channels, advertisers can consistently remind users about their offerings, which will inch audiences closer to conversion, as well as help build brand awareness.

In addition, advertisers will increase the likelihood of reaching their audience on their preferred channel. Some consumers may not find a display ad engaging, but hearing an ad through programmatic audio might capture their attention. A multichannel campaign ensures that the medium that works best for a target audience is the one an advertiser will reach them with.

2. Multichannel campaigns are effective throughout the funnel

Multichannel campaigns cover the entire funnel by creating multiple points of contact for the target audience. For advertisers, this means more opportunities for acquisition.

When building a multichannel strategy, advertisers should ensure that they have coverage across channels that will guide audiences from awareness through to conversion. Social media, digital video and linear TV are commonly used to drive awareness, and search is the leading channel for driving sales. CTV, in-game advertising and DOOH are great channels for upper-funnel campaigns.

Continued exposure to a brand across various channels and devices will help drive users further into the funnel, toward the desired conversion goal. With the right mix of channels, users are reached regardless of where they are in the conversion process.

3. Multichannel campaigns are key to retargeting

A retargeting strategy enables advertisers to deliver online ads to a user based on their previous intent-based actions on the web. Especially when combined with a multichannel strategy, it’s an important tactic for moving users down the funnel to conversion, or another desired action.

Native and display are common channels to use for retargeted ads. For example, after running a multichannel campaign across CTV, in-game and programmatic audio, advertisers can retarget engaged individuals with HTML5 display ads. With these ads, they can provide custom content related to what the user has previously seen.

Multichannel campaigns are an opportunity to capture users throughout the entire marketing funnel, allowing advertisers to build awareness, consideration and lead to purchases. These campaigns enable marketers to exceed targets: brands can design campaigns around customer journeys, reach people at different purchase stages and conduct more holistic measurement.

In today’s digital landscape, where consumers are actively engaged across various channels and devices, a multichannel strategy is a smart move. According to a research report conducted with Advertiser Perceptions, over half of advertisers in the UK who have implemented a multichannel advertising strategy saw extended reach, increased brand awareness and more ad engagement. The report also found that 47% of advertisers saw a better ROI.

Given the diverse range of devices and channels utilised by audiences nowadays, it becomes crucial for advertisers to adopt a comprehensive targeting approach. By doing so, they can effectively reach their target audience across various platforms, ensuring a strong presence wherever their audience may be found.

Download the report for more expert insights on multichannel advertising.

Matthew Thomas is sales director, EMEA at StackAdapt.