Why Regional Companies Need Cross-Channel Advertising

Mid-Market companies should consider

cross-channel advertising in their media mix.

Mid-market companies have a plethora of online advertising options, including social, mobile, video, search and display media. When you consider all the device types available the opportunities multiply even further.

Cross channel advertising is the process of circulating paid messages to potential consumers across multiple devices via a mix of digital marketing channels in specific markets or regions. The goal being to reach only the consumers you’re looking for when they have more time to listen to you.

While most regional brands already utilize one or two of these, expanding the strategy to include all the viable options will ensure that the message is reaching the proper audiences at the correct engagement point and deliver the best consumer experience. That’s where cross-channel advertising shines.

As consumers’ media consumption habits increase, it becomes more difficult to track when and where they are spending their time. Retargeting is a big part of the cross-channel strategy. Retargeting uses cookies to “follow” potential consumers on the web, displaying related ads according to their recent searches, behavior and initial purchase intent. It’s critical, to deliver a very unified brand message, and consistent experience, across all channels and devices. Anything less is likely ineffective digital.

The first step in cross-channel planning is to know the technical requirements for each medium and create the branding and messages to fit those specs. Not every channel uses the same formatting or sizing. While each of these channels are “digital”, creating a one-size fits all message doesn’t work well.

In addition to technical design specs, understanding how each audience engages with it, should also be taken into consideration. The message should be consistent, but the format will determine the best way to make a connection with the end-user. Remember, people respond differently to a Facebook ad than they do to an ad on YouTube.

Once the development and execution of a cross-channel media plan is in place, regional companies will need to make sure that the advertising is not only updated but also interconnected. Any change in creative needs to happen at the same time and across all channels. Audiences typically engage with multiple channels and delivering a consistent message on each of them is the only way this type of marketing will be effective.

With a well-developed regional cross-channel advertising strategy a mid-market company can substantially increase its conversations, conversions and sales.