Omnichannel is a real thing after all – Nielsen

It is becoming increasingly difficult to capture the attention of customers nowadays, but short-attention spans and multiple screens might turn out to be an advantage.

Omnichannel marketing and experiences are up there with the buzziest of buzzwords, and while some might believe it is nothing more than a consultant’s invention to justify their existence, there might be some substance to it after all.

According to the most recent Nielsen Total Audience Report, more US adults are engaging content on multiple devices simultaneously. In fact, 45% responded to the survey stating they always or very often have a second device on the go while watching TV. This might sound like a disaster for cash-conscious marketers, though the savvy ones could use it to their advantage.

In terms of what people are doing on the second device, 71% said it was related to what had been viewed on the TV, 41% were messaging friends or family about the content, while 35% said they were looking up a product or service which had been advertised on TV. It is very difficult to link TV advertising back to direct opportunities and revenues, though this research suggests there is some credibility to this omnichannel buzz.

And despite smartphones and tablets evolving to mini-cinema screens with their image quality, the TV is still king.

While the smartphone and other digital devices are clearly having more of an impact on our habits, these trends have not been prominent enough to drag us away from the TV in the living room. Some marketers might prefer the more accountable digital routes to reach customers, but the TV is proving to still be one of the most effective ways to get the message across.

It also suggests that while the landscape is rapidly shifting and evolving, some things never change; 9pm is still the best time to get your brand in front of the consumer.

It does seem there might be some credibility to this omnichannel engagement strategy; sometimes the marketing consultants do get it right, even if it is slightly unpalatable to say.