The Integrated Digital Experience
The Jigsaw Marketing methodology begins with the Integrated Digital Experience (IDX) model. This model represents how all the pieces of a digital experience strategy combine to work together. The result is a cohesive and integrated digital customer experience that drives customer awareness, increases loyalty, and generates demand. Ultimately bringing increased value for customers and profitability for the brand.
This model is a visual description of how the various pieces and levels of the Integrated Digital Experience flow and work together.
It begins by ensuring that the business’s objectives and goals are understood and aligned. The digital strategy and experience are then designed and developed across a comprehensive set of digital products, platforms, and channels. The information from these channels is then fed back into the digital strategy through an agile and iterative process. This process is a continuous cycle that continues to improve over time.
A high-level description of how the IDX model works through the different integrated levels is below:
The IDX model begins with the brand’s core business objectives- the outcomes, goals, and what the business is looking to achieve. This should be as specific as possible and focused on products and customers. Defining goals and objectives not only includes understanding what the brand is looking to achieve, it includes having a solid understanding of the business, its customers, and the products/services offered.
Understanding the business objectives and goals ensures that the digital strategy is aligned with the overall business strategy. It also serves to help set expectations as to what will be accomplished, set baselines, define targets and performance metrics, etc. It also sets cross-functional precedence to ensure the entire business is aligned with the purpose of the digital strategy.
Information and available data from the business are gathered, analyzed, and synthesized. This includes research, customer transactions, business process data, and any information about products, platforms, and channels involved in the customer experience. This data provides key insights and intelligence that help create and define the digital experience strategy.
The process of analyzing information and gaining insight is constant within the IDX model. As the digital experience is developing and functioning, information from the component products informs as to how the strategy, products, and tactics might be improved. This then drives any needed iterative changes back into the overall digital strategy and relevant digital products, platforms, and channels.
Based on understanding the brand’s business objectives and goals, coupled with the analysis and insights gained about the business and customers, an integrated digital experience strategy is developed. This strategy includes identifying what digital products, channels, and platforms most effectively address the client’s objectives and customer needs.
The development of the digital experience strategy includes an assessment of how the brand is currently utilizing both digital and non-digital channels as well as the current customer journey and experience.
The digital experience strategy aligns with brand strategy, product strategy, and other business strategies to ensure congruence and cohesiveness. Other assessments or alignment work may be needed to ensure the brand has a comprehensive strategic business plan in place.
Once a strategy is defined, an integrated digital experience will be designed. Campaigns and projects on relevant digital products, channels, and platforms will be planned, developed, and launched in a coordinated and methodical manner. These may include:
Digital Advertising: Consist of paid internet, mobile, or Connected TV advertising using different media types, banner ads, and paid search. These ads are placed in specific search engines, websites, channels, and media outlets. These are optimized using data and analytics to target specific users and customers.
Digital Products: This includes websites, applications, mobile app development, site content creation, landing pages, overall user interface design, user experience, and search engine optimization.
Social Media: Use of paid or organic content on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.). Reputation management on social review sites (Yelp, Travelocity, etc.). Facilitating the use of influencers for promotion.
Direct Communications: Includes email marketing/campaigns, use of text messaging, or targeted direct mail in alignment with other digital campaigns. Also, the integration of CRM and customer support systems to provide seamless customer interactions and information across digital and traditional channels.
The integration and cohesive application of these tactics across products, platforms, and channels is critical. Messaging, content, imagery, theme, time cadence, frequency, customer targeting, and applicable levels of personalization are all planned and coordinated across products and programs.
Data and user information from the digital channels and platforms, metrics from the component programs, customer feedback, customer research, and other relevant information are compiled, synthesized, and aggregated. This data is stored in a manner so that it can be accessed and analyzed throughout the client engagement. Reporting and performance measurement is completed and tracked.
As the digital experience component programs are reviewed, this data is utilized by additional analysis that drives insight. This results in finding the most effective ways to improve and optimize the programs through a process of constant and continuous iteration.
Putting It All Together
Building an Integrated Digital Experience must be a fluid and constant process, every competent is integral to the whole methodology and must align. A digital strategy needs to be integrated with the objectives of the business and have a defined and measurable purpose.