In 2021, you cannot rely on digital marketing alone. You need integrated marketing.
You’re probably thinking, why do you need it?
It is because integrated marketing combines the good of digital and traditional marketing. Let’s find out what integrated marketing is and its benefits for your brand.
Integrated marketing is…
Integrated marketing is a unified marketing effort that emphasises consistency and seamless experience for the audience on many marketing channels, offline or online.
The main goal of integrated marketing is to deliver a unified marketing message that will amplify what your brand is in front of your audience.
By making your marketing effort integrated and unified across the board, your brand can avoid the risk of mixed brand’s messages and communication. As a result, your brand will not look like a disconnected brand in front of your audience.
An example of an integrated marketing campaign
To illustrate, let’s say you open a bakery. You decide to go with an integrated marketing campaign to share the word about your new bakery. Hence, you come up with this plan:
- Craft a brand message and visuals for your bakery
- The newly crafted brand message and visuals will serve as your guideline in how you communicate your content across all marketing channels, creating a consistent brand’s voice and tone
- Plan and run social media campaigns to share the word of a new bakery in town
- Launch a website with a remarkable landing page for your bakery
- Run offline advertising, such as print advertising on MRT station, attach a QR codes in marketing automation that will connect audiences directly to your website and socials, creating a seamless buyer’s journey for the audience.
- Collaborate with influencers and creators so more people will be aware of your new bakery because they will talk about your bakery in their blog, YouTube, podcasts, and so on
- Launch online advertising, such as search advertising and social media advertising, to attract more people
Keep in mind to run all those marketing plans with a consistent brand’s tone, voice, visuals and provide a seamless experience across the board. As a result, you can deliver a unified and holistic marketing message to create a pleasant buyer’s journey.
Four key benefits of integrated marketing
When done correctly, your audience will have a pleasant buyer’s journey. A satisfying buyer’s journey will bring these benefits for your brand:
Wider reach for your brand’s message
One of the principles for this marketing ploy is launching marketing efforts on multiple channels. You must create content, initiate conversations, or attract the public for channels like social media, search engines, or ads on printed newspapers. In doing so, your brand’s message will reach so many people.
Generate more conversions for your brand
Integrated marketing can make people know about your brand.
And what does that mean for your brand? As long as you sell a good product or service, more people will be interested in trying your goods or services.
That is possible because the best practice of integrated marketing is delivering unified and consistent marketing messages while providing a seamless experience across the board. As a result, your target audience who sees your marketing effort will enjoy a pleasant experience, leading to more conversions for your brand.
Boost your brand awareness
Integrated marketing campaigns can increase the visibility of your brand on so many marketing channels.
For instance, your target audience can see your marketing messages and visuals on MRT stations or other public areas with print advertising.
Also, you will run many digital marketing campaigns, such as search engine marketing or social media advertising. If you implement the recommended practices for those marketing channels, you can bring your brand in front of the eyes of your target audience.
You can utilise your owned media, too, like a blog on your website. If you perform SEO optimisations on your website, your website can rank higher on search engines.
Ultimately, people who are not aware of your brand will know you because your brand is available on so many touchpoints on your audience’s customer journey.
Grow your business further
Integrated marketing can help to bring new customers to your brand. In addition, they also help your business in these ways:
- Drive people to be loyal to your brand
- Attract visitors to your website
- Encourage brand recognition
The key takeaways
According to Betsy Holden, leading advisor from McKinsey & Co,” Integrated marketing offers opportunities to break through to consumers in new markets”.
When done correctly according to best practices, integrated marketing will help your brand in so many ways, like:
- Your brand’s message can reach more people
- Your business can attract people to try your goods and services or making people become advocates of your brand voluntarily
- Elevate your brand awareness and recognition
- Become more competitive in your industry
