Brands should focus on relevance first for Owned Channels

There is a different hierarchy of needs for Owned Channels versus Paid, with relevance the most important factor in the case of Owned, while brands should aim to capture attention first in Paid.

The priorities 

That’s according to Owned Channels: The next frontier for marketing effectiveness measurement, a new guide by MESH Experience, commissioned by the IPA and unveiled today at the IPA EffWorks Global 2022 Conference. 

• In Owned Channels, communication must first be relevant, then positive and then persuasive. 

• In Paid Channels, the preferred priorities are first to capture attention, then be relevant, then persuasive. 

Why it matters

Owned Channels are the next frontier for marketing effectiveness measurement, the report asserts. 

But defining what is and is not an Owned Channel is more difficult than appears at first sight. What, for example, is the status of a branded Facebook page? And while a brand might regard email as an Owned Channel, for consumers it may feel like paid advertising. 

The study suggests that what brands feel they have control over, such as their website, is in fact illusory because it is the visitor’s experience with the website that is important, and the brand plays one small part in this.

Takeaways

• Owned Channels across three MESH Experience studies were shown to have a more significant impact on brand consideration than paid advertising.

• There is evidence of the power of apps and websites to build brands; face-to-face experiences make people feel cared for but apps put people in control and make their lives easier. 
• The purchase experience itself is an important moment that encourages future brand consideration – it’s a moment of truth and brand building experience, not simply a “sale” or “transaction”.
• There is a clear interaction of channels from a customer perspective and brands need to understand this omnichannel perspective. People seamlessly move from seeing information in the digital world to purchasing in the real world and vice versa.

The big idea

The report advises a comprehensive measurement ecosystem, with a 12-point advisory including the need for brands “to identify their data deserts, such as competitor Owned Channels metrics”.

“The measurement challenge is huge,” says report author and President and CEO, MESH Experience: Fiona Blades. “Concepts and metrics, such as Monetizing Loss of Attention, Return on Experience and Experience Share need to be more fully explored and validated.”

Sourced from MESH Experience