Marketers Struggle to Assess Their Cross-Channel Strategies

The majority of marketers believe in utilizing a cross-channel and cross-device approach, but research shows they are finding it difficult to assess their efforts.

The “Getting Media Right 2017” report from Kantar Millward Brown has found that 21 percent of marketers say a cross-channel approach is the most impactful, and 19 percent reportedly focus on a cross-device strategy. However, 79 percent of marketing agencies say it is “tough” to assess how well they are performing across channels.

To measure their online initiatives, the majority (64 percent) say they use ROI or sales as a key performance indicator. This was followed by reach and frequency (58 percent) and behavioral metrics (55 percent).

In the event that it becomes easier to measure their efforts, 77 percent of marketers claim that they will increase their spending on cross-channel marketing. Nearly 73 percent state that they will invest more of their budget on cross-device efforts, and the same percentage said they would allocate a larger portion toward mobile ads and apps.

Customers and Cross-Channel Marketing Experiences

As marketers shift toward delivering a cross-channel experience, previous research indicates that customers are already demanding engagement across multiple platforms.

The “Customer in Context” report from the CMO Council discovered that 47 percent of customers engage with brands across several platforms, and 42 percent prefer mixing it up, depending on their wants and needs.

When they want to engage, 58 percent of customers say they consult a company’s website. About 52 percent get in touch via email, while 27 percent prefer to use social media.

Nearly 52 percent of customers claim that an “exceptional experience” is defined by a fast response time.