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Omnichannel marketing was once assessed by how many platforms a brand could show up on and maintain a presence over time. As consumer expectations have evolved, however, so too has the definition of “omnichannel.” Audiences no longer experience different channels as separate touchpoints, but as a single, continuous relationship that carries context, intent and trust from one interaction to the next.
This shift has made a cross-channel marketing strategy less about scale and more about cohesion, requiring brands to connect data, emotion and experience across the moments that increasingly shape loyalty and decision-making. Below, 19 members of Forbes Agency Council share how the meaning of omnichannel marketing has evolved over time along with strategies brands are using to market more effectively in response.
1. Recognize Customers Across Channels
Omnichannel doesn’t mean doing everything, everywhere. A consistent brand experience across all platforms strengthens brand identity and helps customers recognize and trust the brand everywhere they encounter it. People now expect a brand to recognize them across channels, not restart interactions from zero. Competitive differentiation is increasingly based on experience, not presence alone. – Tripp Donnelly, REQ
2. Offer Deep Engagement Throughout The Brand Ecosystem
“Omnichannel” marketing has evolved from a static checklist of disparate channels (traditional media, social platforms, basic advertising) into a dynamic, multi-touch ecosystem designed for seamless brand awareness and education across every customer interaction. There is a need for deeper engagement in a fragmented media landscape, where consumers encounter brands through countless touchpoints. – Jay Deutsch, BDA, Inc.
3. Carry Emotional Intent Across Platforms
Omnichannel has shifted from being everywhere to delivering the same emotional impact and experience everywhere. Brands invest millions to create a feeling in major ad moments, then abandon it in their loyalty efforts, promotions and everyday interactions. That gap breaks trust. The evolution is about carrying emotional intent from the media into experiences that actually sustain loyalty. – Andrew Mitchell, Brandmovers Inc
4. Use Data To Craft Seamless Cross-Channel Experiences
Omnichannel strategy has evolved from simply being present across various platforms to emphasizing the importance of delivering a unified, seamless audience experience across the channels where your audience is. This shift highlights the significance of data in achieving effective continuity in marketing across multiple channels, rather than just the quantity or variety of media channels used. – Jeff Kaplan, TARA Media
5. Show Up On The Right Channels, Earn Trust And Guide
Omnichannel has evolved from simply being on every channel to actually connecting those moments in a meaningful way. Today, it’s about showing up where your audience is, earning their trust over repeated interactions and quietly guiding them toward a decision throughout their entire buying journey. – Ajay Prasad, GMR Web Team
6. Leverage Identity-Based Targeting And Attributions
The most significant evolution is the shift to identity-based targeting and attributions. It moves past simply being on multiple channels. Today’s strategy must link every touchpoint back to a single persistent customer identity using identity graphs. This is critical because it allows brands to reach the right person with personalized messages and accurately attribute revenue to the right channels. – Ajay Gupta, Stirista
7. Connect Channels Into A Single Unified Journey
The term omnichannel is becoming obsolete. While it emphasizes the need for multiple touchpoints, it also signals a siloed approach. In 2026, brands need a strategy that connects their channels into one, unified experience for their audiences. Today’s consumers want to move simply and seamlessly across touchpoints, and research shows Gen Z and Gen Alpha will demand it. – Dani Mariano, Razorfish
8. Plan More Integrated, Flexible Strategies
With omnichannel marketing now extending to different outlets that range from digital to terrestrial radio to sponsorships, the evolution is significant. This evolution is due to brands that must plan more integrated, flexible strategies that meet consumers at multiple touchpoints rather than relying on a single channel approach. – Jessica Hawthorne-Castro, Hawthorne Advertising
9. Unify Identities Across Touchpoints To Personalize Content
Omnichannel with personalization wins. This means connecting data, unifying identity, then using that to adapt content, offers and experiences across every touchpoint—store, site, app, email, social, marketplaces and even packaging. The hard part is knowing your customers inside and out. Then, mastering the channels becomes the easy part of omnichannel marketing. – Stephen Rosa, (add)ventures
10. Move From Siloed Presence To Data-Driven Integration
“Omnichannel” has shifted from multi-channel presence to identity-driven continuity—delivering a connected experience powered by unified customer data. It matters because brands can no longer think in silos; audiences expect relevance and consistency across every touchpoint, making data quality and integration the real foundation of success. – Paula Chiocchi, Outward Media, Inc.
11. Deliver A Consistent Narrative At Every Touchpoint
Omnichannel has evolved from being channel-centric to experience-centric. It’s no longer about being everywhere, but about delivering a consistent narrative across paid, earned, owned and AI-driven touchpoints. This matters because trust and recognition now depend on message continuity, not channel volume. – Boris Dzhingarov, ESBO Ltd
12. Recognize Omnichannel As The Baseline, Not Extra
I’ve not heard the term “omnichannel” for some time. Not because it’s not relevant, but simply because the best marketing campaigns are all omnichannel. Thinking with a siloed mentality is outdated and ineffective, and omnichannel shouldn’t be something extra; it should be everyday marketing thinking. – Mike Maynard, Napier Partnership Limited
13. Prioritize Consistency Over Breadth Of Coverage
Omnichannel has shifted from being everywhere to creating a seamless brand experience. Today, consistency across platforms matters more than coverage. Brands win when their story feels connected, not scattered. – Manuel Machado, CCOMGROUP Inc.
14. Showcase Value By Teaching Instead Of Selling
Omnichannel used to be about being everywhere. Now, it’s about showing up with value. As consumers tune out marketing noise, they gravitate toward channels where they learn and feel more in control of decisions. That shift makes it essential for brands to turn to integrated, education-led strategies that immerse buyers by teaching, rather than selling. In turn, your brand builds trust and stands out. – Kim Lawton, Enthuse Marketing
15. Guide Decisions By Removing Friction In Buying
Omnichannel has evolved from coordinating channels to guiding decisions. It is no longer about being everywhere or even being consistent; it is about removing friction as customers move from awareness to confidence. Brands that win today design omnichannel strategies around decision moments, not media plans, so every touchpoint answers the next question a customer has. – Robert Burko, Elite Digital Inc.
16. Build Credibility In The Right Places With Strong Content
The big shift? AI is now infused into every app, search tool and platform your buyers use. That means brands no longer need to address every channel individually. Focus on building credibility and creating solid content in strategic places. AI handles the proliferation. You get true omnichannel reach without the omnichannel headache. – Christine Wetzler, Pietryla PR & Marketing
17. Reinforce The Same Story To Inspire The Same Action
Omnichannel has shifted from “be everywhere” to “be consistent and useful everywhere your audience actually is.” It is no longer about channel count. It is about connected signals, shared data and one clear experience across touchpoints. That matters because brands cannot afford scattershot efforts now. You win when every channel reinforces the same story and moves people toward the same action. – Lars Voedisch, PRecious Communications
18. Bolster Internal Operational Capacity; Deliver Consistently
Omnichannel shifted from channel coverage to experience alignment. The real challenge isn’t reaching customers everywhere. It’s keeping your internal systems stable enough to deliver consistently across those channels. Brands fail when back-end workflows can’t support front-end promises. Strategy now starts with operational capacity, not channel expansion. – Meeky Hwang, Ndevr, Inc
19. Engage Sales Teams To Work In Concert With Marketing
Omnichannel is still as relevant as ever. Omnichannel is a content engagement strategy used to reinforce or support a customer journey; they are not one and the same. The biggest gap in successfully deploying omnichannel strategies is the lack of sales engagement. If the sales team is not engaged and working in concert for a holistic customer experience, then marketing is just yelling into the void. – Tyler Back, Mitosis
Feature image credit: Getty
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