Email, Social Media King For Retail Marketers

While most retail marketers have similar goals in 2017 in terms of enhancing consumer engagement and increasing sales, the online realm of marketing outreach remains king. According to research from a survey by Yes Lifecycle Marketing as quoted in eMarketer, most retail marketers are counting on email and social media to help reach their goals. The data shows a significant amount of retail marketers selecting these channels, at 68 percent for email and 54 percent for social media.

What does this tell portend for marketing in today’s super connected world?

The research confirms consumers’ continued interest in interacting with brands in an online environment rather than visiting a physical store. However, evidence also suggests that retail marketers aren’t quite ready to give up their offline pursuits. According to the survey, four out of 10 retailers are planning to follow through with cross-channel attribution initiatives and test tools for content. Although this may be a mixed bag as to whether retailers plan to go full force with their online efforts, the research highlighted that one-third of respondents are planning to utilize data-driven results to hone in on consumer demands and preferences.

Nearly half of marketers surveyed said technologies do not apply to their brands. However, given the current trends in consumers’ shift to online shopping, this may not be the best mindset moving forward for retail marketers.