The silo effect is about the lack of communication and information exchange between different groups.
Whether it's inefficient tools, unproductive departmental practices, or other barriers, when there's no clear communication, business suffers .
While the silo effect generally refers to internal difficulties, there are amazon database also blind spots when it comes to communication between the brand, its prospects and customers.
To make the most of your relationships with your brand's audiences, you need to establish clear two-way communication .
But what exactly is two-way customer communication?
How does it apply to Digital Marketing?
And how do you enable it on your channels?
In this article, we'll discuss everything you need to know about two-way communication, how to create it online, and why Content Marketing is the number one way to create two-way communication with your audiences.
What is a two-way communication process in Digital Marketing?
Communication in Traditional Marketing vs. Digital Marketing
Advantages of two-way communication
Disadvantages of two-way communication
Why do businesses need to take advantage of two-way communication online?
How to start two-way communication through Content Marketing?
Examples of how interactive content dominates two-way communication
Summary
What is a two-way communication process in Digital Marketing?
Two-way communication refers to the process of exchanging information, messages, and other forms of communication between multiple sources.
In a two-way communication process, the recipient and sender constantly switch roles , allowing a conversation to take place.
In this sense, two-way communication in a Digital Marketing context means that there is a clear dialogue between a brand and its followers, customers or potential customers .
When you establish two-way communication across multiple channels in your Digital Marketing strategies, you will be able to obtain many benefits that would otherwise simply be impossible to take advantage of.
Communication in Traditional Marketing vs. Digital Marketing
In traditional marketing , all communication was one-way.
A brand would have to send a message in a print ad, a TV ad, a billboard or an email and would hardly get a direct response to them.
Which meant it was very difficult for brands to get any kind of direct feedback and created a lack of information.
On the contrary, Digital Marketing allows the use of many different channels where two-way communication is possible.
Social media , for example, demonstrates how brands and customers can receive information and messages and start an open and readily available conversation.
Now, it is important to clarify that there are some positive and negative aspects to two-way communication.
Discover the main ones!
Advantages of two-way communication
Two-way communication provides several benefits for brands, including:
Create more trust and transparency
When a brand establishes strong two-way communication, it lets prospects know that the company wants to hear feedback and start conversations with your customers.
This fosters a strong sense of trust in an organization.
Avoid crises
Many brands live in fear of a scandal or crisis that could be promoted and go viral through digital channels.
When two-way communication is already established, brands can be aware of problems, make a plan, and demonstrate their dedication to solving them much faster.
Humanize the brand
When a brand doesn't seem to have any human influence, it can be difficult to trust or work with.
Communication helps establish that there are people behind working for a brand, which humanizes the company .
Improve sales
When a brand accepts customer feedback, it can make changes and improve its products, services and experiences.
This translates directly into sales and increased revenue.
Helps you get to know your customers better
When you can generate dialogues with your customers, you gain a better understanding of who they are, what they value, what they expect from your brand, and the concerns they have .
Feedback is not only important, it can also help you optimize your approach to communication and marketing .
Let your customers know you listen
Everyone wants to know that their opinion matters and that someone is listening .
When you can provide your customers with this comfort and certainty, they feel valued and respected by your brand. That increases trust, sales, and, of course, your online reputation .
Disadvantages of two-way communication
While there are many benefits to strong two-way communication with your customers and potential customers, there are some drawbacks to be aware of, including:
Requires high levels of commitment to communication
When you establish two-way communication, you cannot limit your availability to listen to customers . You must manage the amount of communication that will come through your channels and be consistent in the responses you provide with the intention of satisfying and engaging your audiences.
Otherwise, you risk damaging your brand image .
Balancing the voice of your brand and that of your customers
Responding consistently to customers requires you to maintain a professional voice that matches your brand values and messaging at all times, which can make it difficult to outsource response and communication tasks.
Risk negative feedback
Two-way communication is not limited to just positive interactions.
When setting up channels for two-way communication, you need to keep in mind that not all messages will be positive and that you will receive negative comments and conversations.
Now, while it is true that there are some disadvantages to two-way communication, the positive aspects far outweigh the potential negative consequences .
This means that companies must plan to invest in and optimize their two-way communication tactics.
rock content magazine experience and engagement
Why do businesses need to take advantage of two-way communication online?
Whether you know it or not, your brand is already engaged in two-way communication.
While you may not have dedicated channels to encourage two-way communication, such as satisfaction surveys or comments sections on your blog posts , there are still areas online where feedback is allowed .
Online users have much more autonomy to express their preferences and opinions than before the Internet age.
As the Internet continues to expand, more and more areas have developed where two-way communication is allowed .
Instead of brands being the only ones to broadcast messages through marketing and sales communication , customers can also have spaces to express opinions.
Stages of communication
Some of the biggest platforms for communication are social networks.
Customers and prospects can send messages, share their opinions and thoughts about your brand on their own profiles , and meet other people who have used or follow your company.
Even if you have private profiles, customers can still tag your name or mention your products.
Another area of communication that brands cannot stop is reviews.
On both platforms (Google) and dedicated review sites (Yelp or Foursquare), customers can give feedback whether a brand wants them to or not.
Taking advantage of two-way communication
As mentioned above, the rise of Inbound Marketing and Digital Marketing has allowed customers to express their opinions in more ways than ever before.
There is no real way for a brand to completely shut down two-way communication channels, especially if it wants to be seen as a respected and trusted brand.
This means that opening channels of communication is essential to generate more feedback , build better relationships and improve your online reputation.
When you foster communication channels with your audiences, whether they are existing customers, interested potential customers, or even strangers to your brand, you can generate many important benefits and optimize your relationships.
How to start two-way communication through Content Marketing?
Getting started with two-way communication doesn't need to be an elaborate process.
By following a few simple steps to open channels of communication, you can begin collecting feedback that can be used to improve your strategies and processes .
Content Marketing is a great way to start a two-way communication between your brand and your customers, as it requires dedication from both parties .
Content Marketing is already sending a message, so it allows you to receive feedback at the same time without so much hassle.
1. Blog post comments
Your blog posts are one of the most common and consistent sources of communication you send to your audiences.
When you allow your visitors and readers to leave their thoughts and comments on a blog post, you can encourage two-way communication that focuses on topics that are already related to your industry and brand .
2. Interactive experiences
Interactive experiences like quizzes , assessments, and calculators are incredibly effective methods for establishing two-way communication.
Because interactive experiences already require a certain level of engagement from your audiences, they are under a mindset that leads them to be much more open to the possibility of delivering their feedback and messages to your brand.
3. Feedback surveys
Sometimes collecting feedback may require a specific end goal.
When you send out a feedback survey, you not only encourage two-way communication, but you also encourage your customers to give their opinions.
Sending one after a conversion or other activity can help encourage your audience to respond to the survey.
4. Social networks
As mentioned above, social media is one of the best places to foster two-way communication between your audiences and your brand.
While social media communication can require a significant time commitment , brands that do well on social media find much higher levels of success in other areas of the business.
Tactics that can help you get started include responding as soon as possible, keeping your direct messages open, and looking for opportunities to start your own conversations without waiting for your current and potential customers to come to you first.
5. Online reviews
Not only are reviews a way for your customers to give their honest feedback about your brand, but they are also one of the biggest influences when it comes to new potential customers and prospects choosing your business .
If you have a large number of negative reviews, it can seriously hurt your chances of getting new business.
You should never delete negative reviews, but rather use them as opportunities for two-way communication by apologizing, addressing the problem, and providing a clear solution.
That way, even if you have a negative review, your new audiences can see that you are proactively working to improve the situation.
Examples of how interactive content dominates two-way communication
Interactive content is one of the best ways to start fostering two-way communication.
Your audiences are already engaged with your content and are actively making decisions , whether it's searching on an interactive map , answering questions in a quiz, or testing their own skills on a test.
Here are three different examples of how brands have mastered two-way communication in their interactive content.
The Chicago Council
The Chicago Council has used interactive content in the form of infographics that have built-in social icons that allow users to share statistics and start conversations about their topics on their social media accounts.
Not only does this help spread the word about important activities, but it encourages two-way communication between the brand and customers.
Sears
Sears created a quiz that tests common myths about washing machines and laundry products that users can take to test their knowledge.
Not only is the quiz informative, but after taking it, users can share the link, which encourages two-way communication while promoting your products.
UBM Geek's Guide
This interactive London guide allows users to see various important landmarks as well as providing information on attractions, best times to visit and ways to get to the destination.
This provides a fun way to explore options while also providing opportunities for social sharing to attract more people to the guide.
Summary
Two-way communication allows you to build stronger relationships with your customers, prospects and leads.
It also helps you get valuable feedback that can help you optimize your Digital Marketing strategies.
While there are many different channels that can support you with your two-way communication, Content Marketing provides the best examples to help you understand user behavior .
Understanding the reasoning behind the choices your audiences make is essential to improving your customer outreach and communication strategies.
If you want to learn more about how to use interactive content as the source of your audience data, we have a blog post for you.
One of the biggest problems that many brands face in their Digital Marketing programs is the silo effect
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