Best Practices to Rev Up Your Omnichannel Strategy

With the new year comes a fresh start, an opportunity to review aging marketing strategies, revisit customer data, and plot new ways to strengthen ties to new and existing consumers. As the influence of social and digital media continues to grow, it's important for marketers to not only embrace omnichannel marketing, but to buckle down on best practices to ensure memorable, data-rich experiences. Here are three key ways to refine your omnichannel strategy for 2015:

Understand Your Audience
While it's tempting to have a presence on every social network, marketers should instead focus on the sites their audiences are most apt to moonlight and analyze their behaviors regularly. Snapchat, whose median user is 18 years old, may not be the best means to connect with a middle-aged audience, while menswear brands need not rush into Pinterest, which predominantly attracts women.

Using personas and updated demographics, understand your customer and get to know their social preferences, for those are the mediums in which campaigns will be the most successful. Once you commit to a platform, immerse yourself into its culture and understand the norms of what's expected. Mimicking the voice of a channel will help a brand seamlessly connect with consumers as they move across platforms. However, don't be data rich and insight poor; turn your findings into actionable items to help move the needle and produce strategic, memorable campaigns.

Omnichannel Runs Deeper Than its Channel
No matter what social network you choose, remember that social media and mobile are deeply intertwined. When crafting a media plan, be sure you have a sturdy mobile strategy in place — e.g., don't link to a website on Facebook that isn't mobile optimized.

Retailers must also take measures to integrate their platforms. When the digital path to purchase is seamless, it's much easier for consumers to buy a product. Online retailers should ensure that no matter which entry point a consumer uses, it's simple to build a cart and check out. If a shopper starts at home on a tablet, remember them when they return during lunch from a desktop to purchase.

Retailers should also be aware that content needs to change within a channel. Brands should obtain the proper technology to adjust their messaging as need be, based on the day of the week or time of the year. For example, a retailer that sells women's clothing should advertise cocktail dresses on Wednesday and Thursday and work apparel on Monday and Tuesday, when that's what's on consumers’ minds.

Invest in Technology to Measure, Experiment
Social networks are changing at a rapid pace. Once overrun by college students, Twitter is now heavily used by professionals, while Facebook is populated by an older demographic than ever. Meanwhile, newer platforms like Snapchat and Vine have entered the social space, engaging a new generation of content creators. With so many options available, marketers must be able to measure campaign results to ensure they're successfully leveraging platforms. Collecting analytics from campaigns not only provides key guidance as to the success of initiatives, but helps inform data-driven strategies for future efforts.

Marketers should also invest a small percentage of their budget into testing new technologies and API programs to expand their traditional reach.

To better resonate with audiences in 2015, take a deep dive into omnichannel programs and refine your techniques. In a world where consumers are a single swipe away, campaigns should be crafted with the audience in mind, demonstrating best practices and offering engaging interactions. By catering to consumers, integrating platforms and investing in technology, retailers can set the stage for a successful 2015, ripe with data-rich campaigns.

Jessica Lee is the senior manager of mobile at HelloWorld, a digital engagement agency specializing in mobile, social media and web campaigns.