Overcome Challenges in Cross-Channel Messaging with These Tips
After COVID-19, 54% of global organisations are now prioritising cross-channel communication. Why? Because it offers seamless communication. However, much like wearing many hats, it comes with challenges, including managing data, integrating systems, and many more. But you are not alone. Many marketers, when implementing cross-channel messaging, encounter these challenges. With the help of this guide, you will learn how to deal with those complexities and leverage cross-channel communication effectively.
What are the common challenges in cross-channel messaging?
Some common challenges are managing data and content across multiple channels, identifying customer segmentation, and more. Let's learn them in detail.
Data management:
Customer information differs depending on the platform. It's important to keep an eye on how users behave, what they say, and what they do on each channel. If this information isn't shared with the team handling communication across different channels, it can lead to bad strategies. This, in turn, can impact the user experience, which is crucial for a business to grow.
Keeping branding and messaging consistent:
This is one of the critical challenges that businesses face in marketing. When you sell products on one channel, such as your website or app, it is still easy to maintain the content and track your data. On the other hand, marketing on multiple channels requires more control and focus on data, user responses, tracking message performance, and ensuring content consistency.
Inventory management:
This challenge mainly affects e-commerce businesses or any business selling products. When these businesses start promoting and selling products through multiple channels, handling the demand becomes tricky. In such situations, it's crucial to keep tabs on both inventory levels and notification metrics.
Multiple module integration:
When businesses expand their reach through cross-channel messaging, they inevitably encounter this challenge. So, if you are using SMS, push notifications, and email for communication, you might employ different modules or platforms to send these messages. The compatibility of all these platforms with your system can become an issue.
Identifying customer segments
Personalisation can only be effective when you have segmented data. This involves creating distinct user groups based on their behaviour, interests, and preferences, which can be a complex task. The reason is simple: different platforms attract diverse audiences, each with its unique characteristics.
Tips to overcome challenges in cross-channel messaging
Choosing channels mindfully
Before you start implementing cross-channel messaging, ask yourself these questions:
- What are the right channels for expanding communication?
- Where does your targeted audience exist?
- What value will it add to your business?
Once you answer these questions, you will be able to find the right channels for your business. With goals and reasons, you will create efficient strategies.
Choosing the right service provider
Integrating multiple modules can lead to chaos. To tackle this challenge, consider finding a service provider offering a cross-channel messaging platform through a single integration. Examples of such platforms include Notifly, One Signal, Twilio, and more.
Among them, Notifly stands out by providing cross-channel messaging for multiple devices and platforms. It also simplifies the process of tracking user behaviour and relevant metrics within a single platform.
Personalised content for segments
After identifying your user segments, use them for personalization. Epsilon has found that personalising content enhances user experiences, making users more inclined to purchase from personalised interactions. This approach also increases your open rate and click-through rate by directly connecting with users. Personalised content resonates with users, encouraging them to engage with it.
Use your existing data
Analyse your existing user data to identify the engagement rate. For example, examine if users are clicking on your push messages, understand what motivated them to download your app or visit your website, and check if they have previously opened emails and their delivery rates.
These metrics will help you plan your strategy and campaigns more effectively.
Campaign automation
Based on your cross-channel communication strategy, carefully plan your campaigns. To simplify and expedite the process, utilise tools that offer automation. This could involve scheduling notifications and setting up automated responses for specific events. For instance, when a new user visits your website, an automated message could pop up as a greeting or welcome to the user.
The Botton Line
If you are a marketer or own a business, you should have faced these challenges in cross-channel marketing. With these handy tips, you've got what you need to handle the complexities. And if you're looking for a tool to streamline your efforts, check out Notifly! It's a professional business tool designed for sending notifications across various platforms and devices, making cross-channel messaging a breeze.