Omnichannel marketing 101: Here’s what a winning strategy looks like

You’ve probably experienced it yourself—browsing a store online and receiving an email or notification about a sale on the items you were eyeing. Later, when you visit the store in person, the sales associate knows exactly what you’re looking for. That seamless experience across both online and physical channels is what omnichannel marketing is all about.

Customers now expect a smooth, connected experience no matter where they interact with a brand—whether that’s on a website, social media, or in-store. For businesses, mastering omnichannel marketing is no longer optional; it’s essential. Let’s explore how a winning strategy works and why it’s so important for businesses to remain relevant in today’s fast-moving market.

What is omnichannel marketing?

Omnichannel marketing is a customer-focused strategy that delivers a consistent brand experience across multiple platforms, such as websites, social media, email, and physical stores. By using unified messaging and visuals, brands can engage customers on their preferred channels, enhancing satisfaction and loyalty. For businesses, this approach increases engagement, improves the customer journey, boosts conversions, and builds stronger brand affinity, leading to higher sales and long-term customer retention.

Where can your business benefit from an omnichannel strategy?

Wondering where to apply an omnichannel strategy for the greatest impact? The answer is simple: everywhere.

An omnichannel approach works best when fully integrated into your business, with all aspects linked through a central platform, ensuring a smooth customer journey from start to finish. Let’s understand how:

• Marketing: One of the first areas to implement omnichannel is in your marketing efforts. With the right tools, businesses can use customer data to send personalized, targeted ads across various devices. For example, after a customer visits your online store, you can re-target them with an ad showcasing the products they’ve viewed. You can also send a customized email with a special offer or a reminder to complete your purchase.
• Sales: As prospects move further down the sales funnel, omnichannel communication becomes even more essential. Multiple touchpoints are often needed to build a relationship and secure meetings. With a unified system, sales teams can reach prospects via email, SMS, or phone from one platform, ensuring that important details are captured for future conversations.
• Customer service: Customers want to connect through the most familiar channels, whether that’s chat, phone, email, or social messaging platforms. An omnichannel service approach ensures a smooth flow of communication between customers and service representatives, all managed within one platform.

Omnichannel strategies are valuable for businesses of all sizes. For small businesses, they help streamline various functions that one employee might handle, while larger businesses can use them to personalize and optimize a more complex customer journey.

Multichannel vs. omnichannel marketing

Before discussing omnichannel marketing in detail, it’s crucial to understand the difference between multichannel and omnichannel approaches. Let’s explore the key distinctions between these two approaches:

Benefits of omnichannel marketing

When it comes to omnichannel marketing, there are several key benefits that can significantly improve customer satisfaction and business performance. Let’s explore some of the advantages:

1. Enhanced customer experiences

Omnichannel marketing provides customers with greater flexibility and convenience. For example, a shopper can explore products online, add items to their cart on a desktop or mobile device, and complete in-store purchases. This seamless experience ensures that customers can interact with a brand on their terms, enhancing satisfaction and ease of use.

2. Consistent brand presence

A unified brand message across all platforms is crucial for maintaining a consistent identity. Omnichannel strategies ensure that a brand’s communication—whether via email, social media, or mobile notifications—delivers a coherent message, supporting the same campaign with a consistent tone, visuals, and style across every channel.

3. Increased sales and improved conversion rates

By personalizing the shopping experience, brands can offer tailored promotions and recommendations based on customer data. This level of personalization encourages more purchases and higher conversion rates by delivering relevant offers at just the right moments, driving repeat business.

4. Insights into customer behavior

Tracking customer interactions across multiple channels gives businesses valuable insights into customer behavior. By understanding where customers engage and make purchases, brands can optimize underperforming channels and focus resources on high-conversion platforms, ultimately improving their marketing efforts.

5. Reduced customer overload

Omnichannel tools help brands manage customer communications to prevent fatigue. For instance, brands can adjust their customer messaging cadence instead of bombarding customers with multiple emails daily, incorporating a balanced mix of app notifications and SMS to keep engagement high without overwhelming the audience.

6. Strengthened customer loyalty

A frictionless experience fosters customer loyalty. For instance, if a customer places an order while on the go, they can pick it up in-store without waiting in line. Such smooth, convenient experiences encourage customers to return and make repeat purchases, deepening their connection to the brand.

7. Increased engagement and personalization

Omnichannel marketing helps create more meaningful interactions by tailoring content to individual preferences. Brands can offer personalized customer journey experiences, like Sephora’s virtual try-on tool, which allows customers to make purchasing decisions confidently and feel more connected to the brand.

In addition to traditional marketing channels, leveraging referral marketing can amplify your omnichannel strategy by encouraging satisfied customers to share their positive experiences across various platforms, further enhancing brand visibility and trust.

How to develop an effective omnichannel marketing strategy

Developing an omnichannel marketing strategy requires careful planning and execution. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you build your own omnichannel strategy:

1. Understand your customer journey

Begin by mapping out customer interactions across both online and offline touchpoints. Use this customer data to identify pain points and optimize their journey. Personalizing the experience at each stage ensures smoother, more engaging customer interactions.

2. Integrate the right technology and data

Leverage Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) to unify customer data for a single view, enabling real-time, personalized communication. For multi-location businesses, using platforms like Birdeye can streamline interactions and enhance your online presence, ensuring a cohesive customer experience across all locations.

3. Consistent brand messaging

Maintain consistent messaging across all channels, whether it’s your website, email, social media, or in-store experience. Unified tone, language, and visuals help build trust, improve brand recall, and provide a cohesive brand experience for customers.

4. Personalize the customer experience

Use customer data to offer tailored experiences, such as personalized product recommendations and targeted promotions. Real-time engagement tools, like automated responses and segmented campaigns, create relevant and meaningful interactions that drive customer loyalty.

5. Ensure seamless channel integration

Integrate digital and physical store channels to offer customers a frictionless experience. Options like in-store pickup for online purchases and consistent customer support across platforms ensure a smooth transition between channels, enhancing overall satisfaction.

6. Monitor, measure, and optimize

Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as retention, conversion rates, and customer lifetime value (CLV). Regularly test and analyze campaigns, using data-driven insights to refine strategies and optimize the omnichannel approach for ongoing success.

Implementing these steps will create a seamless, customer-focused omnichannel strategy that drives engagement and long-term success.

How omnichannel works across your business’s success metrics

For an omnichannel strategy to succeed, businesses need to break down silos and foster collaboration across departments to achieve shared goals. This requires strong leadership, teamwork, change management, and the right technology. Here are three key tech platforms that make cross-channel strategies effective:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

A CRM system consolidates all customer data in one place, allowing sales and service teams to access information and personalize their responses quickly. It also powers marketing efforts and provides valuable insights for continuous improvement. Choose a CRM with integrated marketing tools, so your marketing team can manage customer interactions from a single platform.

Demand-Side Platform (DSP)

A DSP automates buying digital advertising across multiple channels through real-time bidding. Marketers can upload their creative materials, set target audience criteria, and let the platform optimize ad placements. This system can place ads across mobile, web, and video platforms, reaching customers wherever they are.

Ticketing software

Ticketing systems streamline customer service by allowing customers to easily switch communication channels without repeating information. These systems help service agents track and resolve issues efficiently while collecting valuable data to improve future interactions.

To achieve success with omnichannel marketing, businesses must break down silos and leverage the right technologies, like CRM systems, DSPs, and ticketing software. This integration enables seamless customer experiences, driving greater engagement, efficiency, and long-term success across all touchpoints.

How to choose between omnichannel marketing tools

Selecting the right omnichannel marketing tools is critical to the success of your omnichannel strategy. Focus on these three key factors when evaluating options:

Integration with existing systems

Choose tools that seamlessly integrate with your current marketing platforms, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and other software. This ensures a smooth data flow across all channels and avoids silos, allowing for more efficient operations and a unified customer experience.

Scalability

As your business grows, so will your marketing needs. Opt for scalable tools for increased volume, more touchpoints, and evolving customer behaviors. Scalable solutions will help you adapt and expand your omnichannel strategy without constantly replacing or upgrading your tools.

Data collection and insights

Effective omnichannel marketing requires robust data collection. Look for tools to gather data from all customer touchpoints, analyze it in real time, and provide actionable insights. Tracking customer behavior, preferences, and interactions across multiple channels is crucial for delivering personalized campaigns.

By considering these factors, you can select the right omnichannel tools to support your marketing efforts and help you drive consistent, high-quality customer experiences.

Real-world omnichannel marketing examples in key industries

Omnichannel marketing has revolutionized how businesses engage with their customers by offering seamless experiences across digital and physical platforms. Here are real-world omnichannel marketing examples in key industries that effectively implement omnichannel strategies to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

1. Marketing industry

Harbinger Marketing faced challenges in enhancing online visibility for its partners. They utilized Birdeye’s centralized Inbox to provide a unified experience for their partners and customers, whether they reached out via Webchat or Google Business Messages. By leveraging Birdeye’s Inbox, they managed messages effectively, ensuring seamless, in-demand omnichannel messaging. This approach helped strengthen their partners’ reputations and drive engagement through active review management and accurate local listings.

2. Retail industry

Sephora used omnichannel marketing to connect online and in-store experiences seamlessly. Customers can research products online and try them in-store using virtual tools. The brand also offers services like buy online and pick up in-store (BOPIS), creating a smooth transition between digital and physical shopping. This integration enhances customer engagement and develops loyalty through personalized recommendations and tailored promotions.

3. Healthcare industry

CVS Health integrated digital and in-person services to create a cohesive customer experience. Patients can refill prescriptions and access health information via the CVS app while also receiving in-store support. CVS provides virtual consultations through telemedicine, ensuring a smooth transition between online and offline services. This convenience and consistency improve patient satisfaction and build stronger relationships.

4. Restaurant industry

Domino’s Pizza excels with its omnichannel approach, allowing customers to place orders through its app, website, and voice assistants. Real-time order tracking and various delivery options, like in-store pickup, create a consistent, flexible experience. By providing multiple ways to interact with the brand, Domino’s enhances convenience, driving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

These examples showcase how omnichannel marketing can drive customer loyalty, improve convenience, and create a more personalized experience across various industries. 

Top omnichannel marketing trends to watch in 2025

As we progress through 2025, omnichannel marketing continues to evolve, offering exciting new opportunities for businesses. Here are the key trends to keep an eye on:

• AI-powered personalization: Artificial Intelligence will be at the forefront of creating more personalized shopping experiences. AI tools will analyze customer behavior, predict preferences, and enhance customer support through chatbots, making interactions smoother and more tailored.
• Voice search integration: Voice search will become increasingly popular as consumers use voice assistants for hands-free shopping. Optimizing content for voice search will be crucial for brands looking to engage customers in this growing area.
• Social commerce growth: Social media platforms will continue to expand shopping capabilities, allowing customers to discover, purchase, and share products directly on social networks. Collaborating with influencers and utilizing user-generated content will be essential in driving sales.
• Mobile-first strategy: Mobile marketing will remain a top priority, with businesses focusing on mobile-optimized experiences. From responsive websites to mobile apps, ensuring a seamless shopping experience on mobile devices will be key.
• Omnichannel integration: Providing a smooth, unified experience across digital channels and physical touchpoints will be crucial. Businesses will integrate channels like BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up Store) and ensure consistent customer service across platforms.

By staying ahead of these trends, businesses can enhance customer engagement and maximize the effectiveness of their omnichannel marketing strategies in 2025.

The impact of omnichannel marketing in 2025

Omnichannel marketing is a powerful strategy that allows businesses to engage customers seamlessly across multiple touchpoints, both online and offline. By focusing on customer experience and delivering personalized, consistent messaging, businesses can increase satisfaction, boost sales, and build long-term loyalty. As consumer expectations change, integrating technology and data-driven insights into your omnichannel approach will be essential to remain ahead of the competition. Ultimately, a well-executed omnichannel strategy enhances the customer journey and ensures business success in an increasingly connected world.

Frequently asked questions on omnichannel marketing

Elevate your omnichannel marketing with Birdeye

Building a seamless omnichannel strategy is essential for businesses to stay competitive and develop customer loyalty. However, managing consistent messaging, customer interactions, and data across various channels can be overwhelming, especially when trying to personalize experiences at scale.

Birdeye’s all-in-one platform is the ultimate solution for simplifying these complexities. Here’s how you can achieve this:

• Messaging AI: It helps you manage customer inquiries and interactions across multiple platforms in real-time, ensuring a consistent and timely response.
• Reviews AI: It automatically gathers customer feedback, personalizes review responses, and leverages customer insights to refine your omnichannel strategy.
• Listings AI: It is a great tool for optimizing your online presence. It helps customers find your business through accurate, up-to-date location data across all channels.
• Insights AI: Gain actionable customer insights that enhance engagement, improve loyalty, and refine your marketing approach.

The result? A centralized, AI-powered solution that simplifies your marketing efforts, delights your customers, and fuels tangible growth. By tying everything together, Birdeye empowers you to deliver truly exceptional customer experiences, accelerate business growth, and stay one step ahead in a crowded market.

Ready to take your omnichannel marketing to the next level? Let Birdeye’s solutions help you build a cohesive, customer-first experience across all touchpoints.

Watch a free demo today to see how Birdeye can revolutionize your strategy.