The History of Internet Marketing: From Single-channel Marketing to Omni-channels

Considering the current volume of information that can be found online, it is hard to believe that the phenomenon known as internet has evolved in so little time.

The internet marketplace may be very young, but in the short time since its inception, it has managed to impact the entire globe, faster than any other marketing revolution.

Initially, people started to use the internet in order to send e-mails or to find out new things, but marketers soon found the hidden potential of this virtual medium, and they decided to exploit it.

Instead of investing enormous amounts of money in their brick-and-mortar companies, open-minded business owners decided to put the World Wide Web to good use. As it turns out, everything they were doing for considerable amounts of money, offline, could be done a lot cheaper, online.

The pioneers of internet marketing went out of their way to mold the potential that the internet holds for business people. It is true, that in the beginning, regular users were flooded with enticing (and annoying) ads and banners, but we are now faced with a new era of internet marketing that encapsulates informative and educational techniques, omni-channels and many other. Lucrative practices crystallized in a coherent process with the dawn of web 2.0 technology.

The first step to better marketing practices was single-channel marketing, which proved effective at first (but it was not enough later). It was this type of marketing that fueled the development of multi-channel and what is known to us today as omni-channel marketing. I would like to take a closer look at omni-channel marketing, because it is the strategy that will help you outclass your competition and increase sales.

What is Omni-Channel Marketing?

First things first: What exactly is omni-channel marketing?

For those who do not have a lot of experience in the field, it is the latest development in retailing, and it will take your company to the next level. Although many specialists still dismiss it (mostly because it is quite difficult to implement), omni-channel marketing has managed to bring together all possible marketing channels in order to provide the client with a seamless experience. In other words, potential customers will be able to move with ease between real and virtual environments.

With omni-channel marketing, the concept of SoLoMo (social, local, global) was born due to the growing popularity of smartphones. This term refers to the most important characteristics of a retailing strategy. If you are a retailer trying to promote an eCommerce business online, there are many online agencies, like digitalnetagency.com, which can help you with the process.

Because I love to learn by example, I will also give you one. Let’s say you have just found a beautiful dress (or suit) online, and you want to purchase it. Chances are that you may not have found it while on a trip to the mall. Therefore, the first point is reached: global.

Internet marketing gives you the ability to showcase your products to a larger audience. The next thing you want to do is to buy it, and because SoLoMo tries to predict results according to your location, the second point is reached: local.

The last point, social, highlights the importance that social media has on our lifestyles. More and more people have started using social networks, and internet marketers found a great opportunity here. These networks are perfect mediums for promoting products, branding your business and engaging with your clients.

How Omni-Channels Can Benefit Your Business

You cannot contest the power of the internet, nor can you contest that of smart-phones. It seemed only natural for developers to unite these to unbeatable forces into one, coherent strategy.

The main reason why you should consider adjusting your eCommerce site for omni-channels is obvious: clients love it.

With each click (or swipe), they will be closer to their desired item. It is comfortable, easy and efficient. Nevertheless, while seamless client experience should be one of your main goals, omni-channels are hard to implement. In order to integrate numerous technology systems into one, unify mediums and organize an entire team, one requires a lot of experience.

Although it will require a little effort for you to adapt to the new concept of internet marketing, you will soon see that problems like disconnected servers, dozens of consultancies etc. will be solved. Because you will be bringing all the channels together, it means that your teams (for mobile, offline, online or social management) can also be brought together. They will work as an entity, and communication will be more efficient, so however you wish to look at it, omni-channels are a great solution.

In conclusion, omni-channel marketing can greatly benefit your business, as long as it is implemented properly. If you are serious about your online store, you should at least dig into this possibility.

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Anna Robeson

Anna Robeson is an online entrepreneur and social media specialist who loves everything related to technology. In her free time she enjoys writing on different topics related to SEO, SEM and Internet Marketing. Anna is always open to advice and feedback from experienced retailers and bloggers. If you liked her article you can follow her on Twitter.

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