Something that Volo and other ecommerce experts have seen an increase in in the last few years is the use of cross channel devices when buying products online. More than 60% of adults in the US alone use at least two devices a day (from research at econsultancy) and a recent Facebook study suggested it was becoming the norm to switch between two devices in the middle of an online activity. An ecommerce business not using and measuring this could be missing out on thousands of potential sales, especially if their product site is not mobile or tablet friendly. Now that they have become an integral part of our lives, it gives marketers multiple ways of getting a product out to market. The can then eventually measure the sales that come from this.
Tablets, smartphones and laptops all give the opportunity to adjust cross channel campaigns in detail and target more appropriate audiences which could be anything from social to paid ads. For example, a customer’s behaviour when buying a product on a smartphone would, we presume be ‘on the go’ and rushed. This would mean they would want a mobile site or app that is quick and easy to use. They research their product, look up sizes, read reviews making mobile purchases often impulsive. A customer on a laptop or tablet would have more time to search for and complete their purchase through a basket and card payment process. Streamlining a consistent design on all devices makes not only creates a user friendly experience, but also clear data to report on later.
Social Media shouldn’t be overlooked either when it comes to targeting via cross-channels. By measuring likes and follower demographics on all devices, you’ll be able to personalise ads to fit your target audience. Having a consistent brand message on all social platforms is key to optimising channels for performance. Therefore, posting the same links or video content is important. Adwords is also an essential tool to connect to because of the clear reports it can give to you for cross channel devices. Although marketers still need to get their heads around how to measure ad conversions across multiple devices, where an ad is clicked through on one device and a sale is completed on another, (using the cross device conversions estimation tool). Consequently, cost-per-acquisition is lower when paid search is accounted for.
It is essential in a brand’s marketing and sales strategy to learn how to track different behaviours on multiple devices. However, many say that they don’t budget heavily on mobile advertising and site design because they can’t track customers across various devices. Ecommerce marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay and social sites like Facebook avoid this problem by having one login across all device ‘touch points’, so retargeting is simple. For smaller retailers and merchants the best option is to give each customer an individual login and customise the experience for them once they have signed up. This kind of personalisation will help retain and engage customers, and ultimately help close the purchasing process.
To learn more on selling across devices, contact Volo here.
