Marketing communication channels are sources of information transfer from the brand to the consumer. Their role is played by various platforms: websites, social networks, message boards, and bloggers. Previously, companies chose 1-2 channels, but today an omnichannel approach is used.
What should you pay attention to? You cannot use all popular channels without regard to the type of business and your target audience. Before choosing, they conduct a competitive analysis, study clients, and draw up a financial plan.
Characteristics of marketing communication channels
Marketing communications channels are an effective tool for transmitting information messages from source to recipient. In this context, the source is the manufacturer, and the recipient is the potential buyer.
These channels not only serve as a one-way transmission of information but also provide interaction between the company and its target audience. They allow companies to effectively deliver their messages to potential customers and receive feedback from them.
Let’s consider the characteristics of marketing communication channels:
- Basis of message transmission: information messages can be transmitted using such means of communication as radio, television, the Internet, and other tools of mass communication.
- Type of message: information transmitted through channels can be presented in the form of advertising, promotional materials, speeches to an audience, presentations, or demonstrations of goods or services.
- Target Audience: The effectiveness of channels depends on how accurately they can reach the target audience. Thus, television and radio can be useful for mass reach, while the Internet and mobile applications provide targeting to a narrower audience.
- Cost: Costs for each channel vary, from expensive television advertising campaigns to more affordable online options.
- Interactivity: some types of marketing communication channels (social networks, forums, blogs) enable the manufacturer or supplier of goods (services) to receive feedback from consumers, which allows companies to quickly take into account customer comments and wishes and timely rebuild their marketing.
- Efficiency: Each channel can be effective or ineffective depending on the tasks at hand. Thus, television may be more effective in expanding the audience than print media.
- Time frame: Some channels, such as SMS messages, provide immediate impact, while others take time, such as the creation and distribution of printed brochures.
Types of Marketing Communication Channels
A variety of marketing communication channels is an important aspect of an audience engagement strategy. These channels, which serve as an integral tool for communicating information, include various approaches to promoting a brand and establishing contacts with consumers.
Websites
The website is undoubtedly included in the list of key channels of marketing communications on the Internet, providing interaction with the audience and stimulating sales. Depending on the business goals, there are different types of websites:
- landing pages specializing in sales, collecting contacts, or subscribing to a newsletter;
- online stores focusing on selling goods;
- blogs aimed at warming up the audience and active interaction with clients;
- corporate websites seeking to increase customer confidence and stimulate sales;
- Portfolio websites or business cards focused on sales and image building.
It is important to note that you can successfully use other people’s sites as a marketing channel, for example by participating in discussions on third-party forums and blogs. This not only creates a positive image of an expert but also helps to find potential clients.
Search engines
When a consumer decides to purchase something, the first step is to turn to search engines such as Google or Yandex. By entering queries into the search bar, the user receives results sorted by search engine algorithms.
The position of a site in search results becomes critically important, affecting visibility and the number of visitors. The task of promotion in search engines is to raise the site as high as possible by working with technical aspects, content, and other parameters.
In addition, the ease of use of the site and the correspondence of the page to the user’s needs (relevance) is important for search engines. To do this, you need to ensure the quality of texts, page loading speed, and working links, and adapt the site for viewing on various mobile devices.
Social media
This vast online marketing communications channel can be divided into two main categories, each with its own characteristics and benefits.
Social media serves as a means for businesses to communicate with customers, providing companies with the opportunity to share news, demonstrate workflows, talk about products from different angles, and collect feedback. This channel helps to create a loyal community and increase sales.
Targeted advertising on social networks allows you to choose the audience to whom your ads will be shown. This includes the ability to target a specific gender, age, interests, and more.
Retargeting, on the other hand, targets those who have already visited a site or interacted with an ad, which usually leads to more successful results.
Also, Read – Behavioral Marketing: Tasks, Stages, Tools
Contextual advertising in search engines
Contextual advertising is advertisements labeled as “advertising” that appear in search results after you enter a query. This allows you to occupy advantageous positions, attracting more clicks and conversions. Your ranking in search results depends on factors such as cost per click, ad quality scores, and click-through rate.
Display advertising
Display advertising is found on partner sites of Yandex or Google, in applications, and on other platforms. Typically presented as banners with text and links or videos.
This marketing channel is effective in creating awareness and increasing brand awareness. It offers the product to those who have shown interest in similar products or services. Often used to create demand for new products or services, especially for businesses that already have success using other marketing channels.
Messengers
In the field of marketing communications of the modern world, WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, and other instant messengers are becoming not just means of communication, but a powerful tool for messenger marketing.
This channel provides businesses with a unique opportunity to advise, provide technical support, send newsletters, inform about discounts and promotions, and most importantly, sell successfully. If your target audience actively interacts with instant messengers, the use of this marketing communications channel becomes an integral part of promotion.
Bloggers
Bloggers, or influencers, act as opinion leaders, and their promotion through influencer marketing is a carefully thought-out process:
- searching for suitable bloggers for cooperation by business topics;
- analysis of each blogger’s audience, reactions to posts, and assessment of the reality of subscribers;
- agreeing on the terms of advertising placement;
- payment for advertising;
- a blogger’s story about you on his blog.
Performance tracking occurs through promotional codes (blogger’s first and last name or control word) and UTM tags if you drive traffic to the site. This ensures results are measurable.
E-mail newsletters are not just letters, but a powerful marketing communications channel that allows you to warm up your audience, talk about products, and promotions, and maintain interaction with customers. They are also widely used to send transactional messages such as purchase receipts and order status information.
Push notifications
Push notifications that pop up on PC and smartphone screens allow companies to quickly convey information about discounts, promotions, and events to their audience. Such notifications can contain text, images, and buttons, ensuring that they attract the attention of subscribed users.
Video hosting
The use of video hosting in marketing strategies allows a business not only to warm up the audience, but also to demonstrate expertise, products, and also direct potential customers to the site.
This channel is aimed primarily at increasing trust and loyalty and affects the company’s image.
Marketplaces
Marketplaces are online platforms where sellers post their products. This channel of marketing communications is focused on the promotion and sale of goods, ensuring a balance between the interests of sellers and buyers.
Reviews
Review sites are special platforms where users share reviews. This channel provides passive sales, especially in those areas where the purchasing decision is made based on careful study of reviews.
Reviews on forums, social networks, and other platforms create trust in the brand.
Notice boards
Bulletin boards are seen as an additional sales-oriented marketing communications channel. However, results may be unpredictable depending on many factors, including the quality of the ad and the level of competition.
Word of mouth
Word of mouth is an unexpected but extremely effective marketing channel. Satisfied customers, sharing positive experiences for free, create a positive perception of the brand and attract new customers. However, despite the unpredictability, word of mouth remains the cheapest way of promotion.
Selecting a marketing communications channel
An effective marketing communications strategy requires a careful selection of channels for interaction with the target audience. The process of making such a decision includes several key stages:
- Competitor analysis: consideration of the marketing channels used by competitors. Assess the success and effectiveness of these channels in their strategies.
- Target audience research: assessing the level of audience participation in various communication channels. Understanding the preferences and behavioral characteristics of the target audience.
- Target audience survey: Conducting surveys to identify preferred methods of interaction. Using incentives such as bonuses and benefits to encourage active survey participation.
- Testing available channels: organizing experiments with various marketing channels. Evaluation of test results for each channel.
- Channel profitability assessment: calculating the cost of attracting customers through each channel. Comparing these costs to the potential revenue from each customer throughout the interaction.
- Financial capability assessment: analysis of a company’s financial resources to use various marketing channels. Accounting for the cost of various advertising formats and platforms.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for channel selection as it depends on many factors. However, the key principle is the integrated use of channels. An effective strategy includes a variety of methods to interact with your audience, from working with influencers to optimizing website content, managing social networks, and developing informative product packaging.
Assessing the effectiveness of the communication channel
To determine the achievement of goals in the field of marketing communications, it is necessary to analyze the results. This can be done in several ways:
- Qualitative assessment: interacting with members of the target audience to gain a deep understanding of their perceptions. Gathering the opinions of small groups of people (focus groups), allows us to identify general trends and reactions. Consult with industry experts to obtain qualified estimates. Conducting a comprehensive analysis of current marketing practices.
- Quantitative assessment: Conducting mass surveys to obtain quantitative data on perception and engagement. Using data on audience interaction with various marketing content. Application of modern tools for fast data processing and analysis.
- Sales Assessment: Using marketing software such as CRM systems and website analytics to evaluate key metrics.
For example, tracking the source of a customer, the products they are interested in and the speed of passage through the sales funnel allows us to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of marketing communications, channels, and specific activities.
A combined approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, provides a comprehensive understanding of the results and forms the basis for further strategic decisions.
Frequently asked questions about marketing communication channels
How do B2B marketing channels differ from B2C?
B2B (business to business): focuses on educating potential clients, and developing long-term relationships, based on a more informational and educational approach. B2C (business to consumer): more often used for entertainment and direct influence on sales, aimed at a wide audience.
What are marketing channels used for?
The use of marketing channels allows manufacturers of goods and services to develop an effective strategy for delivering relevant products to their target customers.
What are marketing channel intermediaries?
Channel intermediaries are external organizations, individuals, and businesses that assist in the delivery of a company’s products to customers by acting as intermediaries in the supply chain.
Regardless of the chosen channel, it is important to follow the omnichannel principle. This principle creates a synergy effect that positively influences the results of marketing efforts. Building relationships with the target audience and partners, and introducing new products and services require financial investments, time, and a clear action plan. Marketing, although partly based on intuition and psychology, requires sober calculation so that all steps become part of the overall promotion strategy.