Identifying Campaign Channels

Digital Marketing - Study Notes:

Choosing your channels

If you want to effectively execute your digital strategy, you must choose the right mix of channels to target your audience and deliver on your objectives. To help you to justify the details of your chosen channels, you can use several models and frameworks in your digital strategy document or PowerPoint, such as SOSTAC, RACE, The 4C’s, and AARRR.

The RACE Framework

For example, the RACE Framework, created by Dave Chaffey, helps you to develop a digital channel and campaign strategy in a structured way. It can be customized and applied to all types of B2B and B2C businesses, from small businesses and startups to larger organizations working on digital transformation.

RACE summarizes the key online and channel marketing activities that need to be managed, and covers the full customer lifecycle.

Using your business objectives, you can start to plan how you can:

1. REACH your audience.
2. Encourage your audience to ACT and engage with your brand and content.
3. Drive your audience to CONVERT and take the valuable actions you want them to take.
4. ENGAGE your audience and drive repeat business from your existing customer pool.

Understanding outbound and inbound digital channels

As a digital marketer, you need to understand the uses and nuances of the different digital channels and how each can contribute to achieving your objectives. You can include various channels in your channel plan and then prioritize them, based on the insights from your digital research.

Your metrics will show you how some channels contribute more to your business objectives than others. This means you should prioritize the channels that make the most impact. Begin by categorizing your channels as inbound or outbound to determine how they will impact your goals.

Outbound

For the most part, outbound channels will drive awareness and help you show your message to a wide audience. Outbound channels are those that allow advertisers to show ads to audiences because they fit a certain profile or have specific interests. The audience may not be interested in your product at this moment, but showing them your ads when they’re on websites or watching videos aims to make them aware of your offering.

If your goal is primarily to drive awareness of your brand, sales event, or products, then choose more outbound channels as part of your channel plan. Common outbound channels include display ads and video ads that are shown to audiences on websites or social media.

Inbound

When it comes to lead generation or ecommerce objectives, inbound channels tend to be more effective. Inbound channels begin with the customer seeking your products, services, or brand as the solution to their needs.

When the audience is motivated to find your business so they can make an enquiry or browse your ecommerce site, they are likely to take action once they visit your website. This action can be an ecommerce transaction or filling out a load form, for example.

If your primary objective is to drive sales, leads, or conversions, then choose more inbound channels as part of your channel plan. Common inbound channels include paid search and SEO, as well as enquiries through social media and email sign ups (because people are saying they want to hear from your business via email).