The term omnichannel (also omnichannel marketing or multi-channel strategy) describes the strategic approach of companies to reach customers across all channels.
An approach can take place through the following channels:
- Brick and mortar retail
- Advertisements in newspapers/magazines (online and print)
- Your own website/webshop
- Social media
- E-mail communication (e.g. newsletters)
- Search engines (e.g. Google) – both organic hits and ads (see also SEO and SEA)
Unlike the multichannel approach, omnichannel marketing tightly links channels so that a unified message is delivered to the customer. This approach focuses on user behavior and customer experience.
Customers move across multiple channels and come into contact with a company. If the channels are linked in the sense of a uniform customer approach, a consistent user experience is guaranteed.
Users use a wide variety of channels and devices, e.g. to search for a product, compare prices, etc. By using the omnichannel strategy, the customer can be guided through a cross-channel and unified customer journey.