Social Media an Important Part of an Integrated Omnichannel Marketing Strategy

Introduction

Being a business owner, how many social media accounts do you own? Many, right? And why not? Social media is the best platform to market your business and reach out to a vast audience. Isn’t it?

Providing constant customer support through social media is the most effective way to make the clients know that you care about them, and you are interested in solving their queries. 

So, what if I told you that you could provide more client-friendly support by using all your social media accounts and your website customer support system? 

An omnichannel marketing strategy makes it possible for you.

According to a survey, businesses that adopt omnichannel strategies can achieve 91% greater customer retention rates, every year in comparison to other companies. 

What is Omnichannel Marketing all About?

In simple terms, omnichannel means to create a seamless shopping experience for the customers and give them the facility where they can easily switch channels, whether they be social media, mobile app, or a break and mortar store.

The research by Google says that 98% of Americans switch devices on the same day.

For instance, Disney starts with the initial experience of entertaining with responsive mobile apps and then through its website. Disney provides a trip-planning facility on both sites and mobile apps. So, if you have used its website to book the trip and then in the park, you want to use the mobile app to locate the attractions according to your trip plans you can do so. 

Therefore, unlike multi-channel marketing with omnichannel marketing, the user doesn’t have to start the conversation with the company all over again when you switch the communication channels. 

A survey says that companies that have solid omnichannel customer engagement can approximately retain 89% of their customers, compared the companies with weak omnichannel customer engagement.

Why is Omnichannel Known as a Modern Age form of Marketing?

As you’ll know, Omnichannel is an integrated approach to operational activities, sales, and marketing. It enables a business to integrate a fantastic social media campaign, a top-notch website and engaging mobile marketing. 

In standard common terms, it’s like in marriage. You can’t have one without the other.

To understand more clearly, let’s have a look at how Warby Parker has adapted this strategy?

Warby has its ecommerce website, one-for-one business model, and try-at-home concept, which makes it look different from any typical optical shop. 

You can go to its store to try on any frame of opticals and put it in the shopping cart. Now when the consumer wants to buy it, he needs to order it from its online store. Here comes the most fantastic part of the company. While adding the product to the cart, if he has had any conversation about the queries or customization of the product, he can find the same discussion on its website customer care service. So, the customer doesn’t have to talk about any customization or anything to the company all over again. 

This strategy attracts the customers a lot. 

So now, do you think your business needs to follow Omnichannel Marketing Strategies? Yes.

Now let’s understand how and why social media is an integral part of the omnichannel marketing strategy? 

Social Media is an Important Part of an Integrated Omnichannel Marketing Strategy - Why?

When it comes to shopping or getting any sort of services, people prefer to use social media to research about it on social media instead of physically visiting the store. Therefore, providing them an omnichannel experience by utilizing social media platforms is the best choice any business can make.

Research specifies that from all digital channels used for omnichannel marketing, there is about 24% usage of social media.

Let’s see why social media play is a key part of Omnichannel Marketing:

Trust Building

Being a business owner, if you are not on social media, you don’t exist. 

Whenever a new product launches, the first thing consumers do is check for the company on social media. They will check out the reviews about the product and its brand. 

That’s the reason digital marketers say that social media is a trust-building platform for businesses. 

In this era of digitalization, only having a business website is not enough as people will try to reach you in different ways, and social media is one of the handiest methods. Therefore, the multichannel customer experience of your business needs to take social media seriously and offer seamless interaction with your clients by making use of this tool.

Customers should feel that they are important, and their issues need to be solved immediately. Using social media, you can give 24/7 support to your clients.

Increases Brand Awareness

The current generation of mobile users likes a brand better, which offers them a seamless customer interaction, rather than a reasonable price. 

As social media has become one of the most direct channels of communication for the digital generation, it must be part of your omnichannel customer experience to help in increasing your brand’s visibility.

Customers like sharing their experiences and talk about the products they are using on social media as it opens direct channels of communication. Customers like to share their experiences and talk about the products they have used on social media.

If like-minded people who use social media to share their experiences, find updates about their favorite products and get good reviews about it, then it might help you in growing your business. 

Amazing Customer Services

The customer is God for every business!!

According to research by Zendesk, about 35% of customers expect to be able to contact the same customer service representative while communicating through any channel.

While developing an omnichannel marketing strategy, customers’ expectations must be taken into consideration. Providing high-quality standard services to the customer should be the priority.  

Thus, you should use social media for your benefit. 

Generally, when a potential customer enters your website, he will immediately look for Instagram or Facebook buttons. Even though you display your products and their details on your website, customers will check your social media account. 

Besides this, if your customers want to ask a question about your products or website, it will become easier for them to use social media, as everyone spends hours on it.

Best Way to Broadcast Your Values

Social networks have been influencing people, and it continues to have a substantial impact on corporate ideology. 

The companies who have a clearly defined social responsibility and mission, help its customers in solving their problems but also makes the world know about such types of issues and its solutions. 

By broadcasting such things on social platforms can become a competitive advantage and help the company grow.  Besides this, it also benefited from increasing social followers and built a good reputation in the market.

Helps Existing Customers

If you have a company that serves with some kind of services or software that might need after-sale support, then social media can be an excellent tool for communicating with the customers. 

You can solve the queries of the customers by using social networks and can provide technical support. In this case, if the channel you are communicating through with your clients gets disconnected or doesn’t work, you can use any other channel and start the conversation from where you left it. 

It is clear that social media is an essential part of the omnichannel customer experience, and it enables businesses to offer fantastic customer service.

Now, when we have come to the end of the article, let’s see how popular brands are setting an example for small businesses to use omnichannel marketing.

• Starbucks

Starbucks! The label needs no introduction.

Have you used the Starbucks rewards app? Yes. 

Then you must be knowing that it reveals why many consider it one of the top omnichannel experiences out there. 

Let’s see how it works.

First, of all, you get a free rewards card that can be used whenever you make a purchase. But unlike any other traditional customer loyalty programs, Starbucks makes sure to check and reload your card via website, phone, app, or in-store. Any change to the card updates your profile across all the channels.

• Pepperfry

Pepperfry, the home furnishings company, showcases its furniture in the store, called "Studio Pepperfry." You can go there and see what the products look like in person and then buy it from their online store just like Warby Parker. 

Once the customer takes the tour of the store, the design consultant of Pepperfry helps them find their ideal home decor. Then the customer can buy the product in-store online app or return home to buy it from their Pepperfry account. 

This helps customers to get a look and feel of the product from the store and then buy it in their comfort time. 

Both of these brands use social media to promote their products by giving discounts coupons, an early list of new arrivals, and announcements of season sales.

Conclusion 

Now, as you have an overall idea about omnichannel marketing and the importance of social media in applying this strategy in your business, start planning accordingly. 

If you are planning to start with it immediately, here are a few points, to begin with-

• Understand your customers. 
• Identify all the possibilities that help you grow your business.
• Integrated your communication channel and convert it into the omnichannel communication system. 
• Start making use of social media.
• Evaluate tools that you might require to carry out your business.
• Provide a customer-friendly service. 

Good luck with integrating omnichannel marketing strategies and making the correct use of social media in doing so. I hope this might help your business grow its sales.