Earlier this year, The Drum tried to debunk the numbers behind those classic “You see X thousand ads a day” articles. Their conclusion? Nobody can actually put a number on it but it’s probably well into the hundreds. Either way, it’s hard not to feel that sometimes we’re bombarded by advertising.

Brands in the UK are faced with the formidable task of not only reaching their desired audience, but also actively engaging them across a multitude of channels in a positive way. Achieving optimal performance requires the strategic orchestration of advertising channels, both online and offline. Here’s 5 things to consider before you even think of selecting one!

1. Understanding your target audience:

Before selecting marketing channels, it’s crucial to have a deep understanding of your target audience. Identify their demographics, preferences, online behaviour, and media consumption habits though media planning tools and your own internal research.

2. Set clear marketing goals:

What does success look like? Define specific marketing goals that align with your overall business objectives. Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, generate leads, or boost sales? Different marketing channels excel in achieving different objectives.

Choose channels that best align with your goals but consider that many work in harmony. For example, it’s hard to launch a new brand using just performance marketing with no awareness channels in play.

3. Analyse your competitors:

Research your competitors’ marketing strategies. Identify which channels they are using successfully and where they might be falling short. This analysis can provide insights into which channels are effective within your industry. For example, did you know you can see all your competitor’s ads running across Meta in their ad library?

4. Budget allocation:

Consider your marketing budget when selecting channels. Some channels require significant financial investment, while others may be more cost-effective. Ensure your budget aligns with the chosen channels and allows for sustained marketing efforts. For example, there’s no point in spending too little across digital channels that require a certain amount of budget to optimise. Which leads us to…

5. Test and measure:

Don’t commit all your resources to a single channel upfront. Start with a mix of channels that you believe will work best based on your research. Monitor the performance of each channel through key performance indicators (KPIs) like click-through rates, conversion rates, and return on investment (ROI).

Adjust your marketing mix based on the data and insights you gather but ensure you don’t just rely on last click conversion, as some online channels have a habit of claiming conversions when it was actually the upper or mid-funnel activity that did the heavy lifting. For example, a new customer was made aware of the product through TV but clicked on PPC (Adwords) ad to purchase.

To extract maximum value from their marketing strategies, brands can leverage the symbiotic relationship between online and offline channels:

Integrated campaigns: Coordinating online and offline campaigns can yield a synergistic effect. For instance, a television ad can seamlessly guide viewers to a brand’s website or social media platforms for supplementary content or exclusive promotions.

Cross-channel consistency: To fortify brand recall, it is crucial to maintain a consistent brand message and visual identity across all channels. A memorable TV advert should harmonise seamlessly with the look and feel of the brand’s website or social media profiles.

Data confluence: Aggregating and analysing data from both online and offline channels is a useful tactic. Insights gleaned from online engagements can steer offline strategies, and vice versa, providing a comprehensive understanding of consumer behaviour. Online, you’re going to test thousands of creative combinations – once you know what works, why not use that to guide your OOH or print campaigns?