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We have developed our own system for collecting and storing analytics. It quickly processes large amounts of data, immediately calculates and displays analytical reports. You will receive the necessary information for any time period without delay. 14 summary reports and 13 data sets are available for you.

Any audience in the platform can be automatically synchronized with the external database according to the set schedule. We have implemented this function on request from our customers. It simplifies the life of the marketing department and developers.

Interesting and useful articles about marketing, our product and online communications

Import all customer personal data in CDP Altcraft Platform. This way you will have an undeniable advantage, because there are no limits on the amount of data stored in our marketing platform. The more information you have about your customers, the more targeted your email, SMS and push notifications will be.

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When the software is customized for your individual needs, the job becomes easier. All the functionality your business needs will always be at your fingertips. We offer:

Personalize your content across all channels

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Data-driven marketing involves using customer information to optimize business advertising and marketing communications. Collect data and run it through analytics tools in CDP Altcraft Platform.

What data can be collected:

Segment audiences according to accumulated and combined data in the platform and synchronize them with external information sources. Personalize your mailings in different channels using accumulated data and data from external sources.

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Content is generated using data obtained from external SQL database

Your customers will be able to grow faster and earn more using the new features of Altcraft Platform. We have prepared for you favorable terms of cooperation. Contact us and find out more.

Advanced and functional HTTP API in Altcraft Marketing will satisfy the needs of developers. API supports JSON and XML formats. It is possible to use queue servers (such as RabbitMQ) to import large numbers of client profiles in real time.

Language is not an abstract construction of the learned, or of dictionary makers, but is something arising out of the work, needs, ties, joys, affections, tastes, of long generations of humanity, and has its bases broad and low, close to the ground.

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Create a theme for the form by choosing the appropriate color scheme. Change the style and color of the text. Add photos and YouTube videos to the form. To do this, insert additional code into the required tag.

Design to your taste

Find out what your customers want through questionnaires and surveys. Getting feedback on time will work in favor of your business. If you respond quickly to customer feedback, you will increase their trust and brand loyalty.

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You can customize the logic of the form so that respondents go to different pages depending on which answer they select. This will make your survey or questionnaire more targeted. Before submitting the form, select the «Actions» tab. If the form is completed successfully, the data are automatically imported into your database.

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An event registered on the platform can be redirected to an external system. This provides endless opportunities for integration. Connect external BI, DMP, CRM and other tools.

In Altcraft Platform, you can set up any scenarios for sending messages through various delivery channels. By analyzing the actions of customers, you can anticipate events many steps ahead. Here are examples of scenarios that can be implemented in our marketing automation service:


Email marketing is one of the most important customer communication channels. Four out of five marketers are more likely to give up social media marketing than email marketing. Here are illustrative examples of the email marketing strategy:


Build messages dynamically based on customer data and specified conditions in the template. This data can be obtained from an external SQL database. Substitute data from an external HTTP service via API or based on data from any web page.

<Img
img="/uploads/loyalty_program_trens_in_2022_a7fe7a8f10.jpg"
alt="Customer Loyalty Program Trends For 2022"
/>

Building customer loyalty is the key to driving repeat business, increasing profits, and developing a customer base of long-term, satisfied clients. A well-designed loyalty program can help you build brand loyalty and increase the lifetime value of every customer.

Yet, many programs fail to take off because they're not relevant to their intended audience. Customer loyalty will likely fall when you offer subpar reward programs that fail to meet the target group’s needs or expectations. Some people like getting discount coupons, others love free gifts, while some customers prefer to get early or exclusive access to new products or services.

It’s up to you to understand your customers and tailor your loyalty program strategy accordingly.

Let's break down the loyalty program trends that will shape 2022 and the coming years so you can build better relationships with your customers.

## 1. Gamify the Shopping Experience

As far as loyalty program trends go, gamification is leading the pack by a considerable margin.

By definition, gamification is the incorporation of game design elements, like point scoring, leaderboards, and competition with others to non-gaming contexts. As a marketing strategy, it can be used to create an immersive, engaging, and fun experience for your customers. Gamification works exceptionally well as a tiered loyalty program where customers have to earn a certain number of points to move up a level.

When you gamify a loyalty program, it creates an incentive for customers to interact regularly with your brand. They provide a sense of accomplishment by associating each repeat action that’s valuable to your business with a reward. As a result, customers’ purchase more frequently, spend more money, and are more likely to use their loyalty points to get rewards.

Gamification helps to [**grow brand awareness**](povyshayem-uznavayemost-brend-ustanavlivayem-avatar-email-otpravitelya) and loyalty while increasing user engagement. Plus, it creates an interactive community around your brand that’s key to growing your business.

Duolingo is a good example of how to use gamification in loyalty programs. The app has a free and paid version. In the free version, the user has only five hearts. If during the day he makes five mistakes, he will have to postpone classes until tomorrow. This way, they encourage users to upgrade to a paid Duolingo Plus version. 

<Img
img="/uploads/duolingo_gamification_0a21f22030.png"
alt="Duolingo gamification"
/>

## 2. Make It Mobile

As dependency on mobile devices increases, so do the opportunities for mobile-based loyalty programs. [**Mobile apps**](mobile-app-as-a-marketing-channel) allow you to track in-app customer activity and reward them accordingly. Through advanced analytics, you can understand your customers better to deliver more personalization and increase your sales.

When designing mobile loyalty programs, do not limit your rewards to purchases. The purpose of a loyalty program is to show customers that you care about them. For this reason, design your loyalty to focus on participation so customers can feel valued.

<Img
img="/uploads/subway_3ef9c5d271.png"
alt="Subway loyalty program"
src="Subway loyalty program"
/>

## 3. Focus on Multiple Touch Points

Developing a mobile loyalty program is a crucial step towards creating an [**omnichannel loyalty program**](omnichannel-vs-multichannel) that offers consumer rewards for any actions taken on any channel – online, in-app, in-store, or otherwise. An omnichannel program covers all touchpoints, whether customers promote a product on social media, leave an in-app review, or refer a friend via email.

Hybrid loyalty programs are the future and the key to prolonged customer engagement. Merge scannable loyalty cards with digital avenues to create a seamless experience for consumers. Your loyalty program should be adaptable, no matter how your customer chooses to engage with you.

## 4. End-to-End, Customized Loyalty Programs

Consumers want to choose how and when they engage with their favorite brands. End-to-end loyalty programs offer both traditional points-based programs and subscription loyalty programs, where customers opt-in by paying a membership fee to access enhanced benefits.

An end-to-end loyalty program creates a complete loyalty ecosystem that incentivizes new and repeat customers. Point-based systems allow new customers to experience all the benefits you have to offer with a low barrier to entry, while a premium loyalty program provides loyal customers with a VIP experience that keeps them hooked to your brand. Such programs emphasize the value of loyalty without alienating those who aren’t familiar with your brand.

## 5. Amazing Experiences Remain Essential

Going forward, customers expect personalized experiences from companies, be they a social media giant or a small business. Consumers are inundated with thousands of marketing messages every day making it challenging to break through the noise. One way you can do that is through [**loyalty partnerships**](customer-loyalty-program). For instance, developing a product line with an influencer or another brand will expand the reach of your brand and create new engagement avenues like contests, sweepstakes, and rebates.

Also, there’s an increasing demand for authenticity and social justice, which means customers are more likely to work with brands that have a conscience. By incorporating a charitable or sustainable aspect to your loyalty program, you can increase brand loyalty and attract customers whose views align with your values. It’s a great rewards program for small businesses that allows you to build a loyal, engaged community while creating opportunities to partner with other like-minded brands.

## The Future of Customer Loyalty Programs

For the next few years, the leading loyalty program trends will focus on mobile apps, paid memberships, and gamification.

Most loyalty professionals recognize the importance of getting actionable insights to predict consumer behavior. After all, the key to executing successful loyalty programs lies in hyper-personalization and creating frictionless omnichannel customer experiences.

Let's break down the loyalty program trends that will shape 2022 and the coming years so you can build better relationships with your customers.

medium_loyalty program trens in 2022.jpg

small_loyalty program trens in 2022.jpg

thumbnail_loyalty program trens in 2022.jpg

loyalty program trens in 2022.jpg

Top 5 Customer Loyalty Program Trends to Watch in 2022

Customer Loyalty Program Trends For 2022

<Img
img="/uploads/telegram_v_biznese_f662aed4e8.jpg"
alt="Telegram for business"
/>

[**52% of the Russian Internet audience**](https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ru/Documents/technology-media-telecommunications/russian/mediaconsupmtion-russia-2021.pdf) use Telegram and [**500 million people**](https://telegram.org/faq#q-who-is-telegram-fork) around the world use the messenger every month. Telegram is the second most popular messenger after WhatsApp, but it is currently catching up with the competitor. In October 2021, Telegram [**grew by 70 million**](https://t.me/durov/170) users per day due to WhatsApp and Facebook outage. In the same year, Telegram became the most popular app in 50 regions of Russia.  
 
Speed, simplicity and security are considered to be the advantages of the messenger not only by regular users. Using Telegram for business is convenient and profitable: it is free and its functionality meets the needs of many companies. Telegram as a corporate messenger, cloud storage and a tool for communication with customers are just some of its features. In this piece, you will learn how to use Telegram for business purposes.

## What is Telegram

Telegram is a free cloud messenger developed by the founder of VKontakte Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolai. It is popular in Russia, in the CIS countries, China, India, Iran and some other counties. The app emerged in 2013 and was called Telegraph. It is based on MTProto encryption technology, which increases the degree of data protection. Telegram works on mobile devices and in the desktop version with instant synchronization.

Private and group chats are not the only features of Telegram. The following features are available:

- voice messages and broadcasts in the groups;
- video calls and video messages;
- file sharing (documents, audio, video, archives);
- secret chats that can be deleted after a certain period of time;
- channels.

The messenger was blocked by Roskomnadzor in Russia in 2018. It happened due to the refusal to provide the encryption keys to FSB. However, in 2020, the restrictions were lifted, and Telegram became legal again.

## Telegram audience

The core audience of Telegram is users from 25 to 34 (30,6%), all other age groups are approximately equal. Except for teenagers, only 7,7% of them use Telegram. In other words, the audience of this messenger is quite adult.

More men than women (only 39%) use Telegram. As for the fields of activity, IT representatives predominate in this messenger (77%), 22,5% are engaged in manufacturing and 10,6% are engaged in the sales business. Marketers, specialists from the fields of education, healthcare, finance and others also use Telegram. 46% of Telegram users are employees, 11% of them are executives. There are few business people in Telegram — only 5%. There are more self-employed people and freelancers - 15%.

Telegram is used by an educated audience: 60% of users have a higher education, a quarter of them continue to study, for instance, at graduate school. About 11% of users are university students.

The audience of the messenger is solvent. Every fifth Telegram user earns more than 90 thousand rubles a month. Therefore, Telegram is a promising platform for sales and product promotion.

## Telegram tools for business

### Channels

Channels distinguish this messenger from its competitors. A telegram channel is a feed that consists of text messages with emojis or attached media files. Comments and polls are also available in channels. Subscribers get [**push notifications**](mobile-marketing-101-push-notifications) about new posts.

There are [**more than 300 thousand channels**](https://tgstat.com/) in the Russian-speaking segment alone. The most popular channels are news ones. 82% of users read news in Telegram. 43% of users are subscribed to channels connected with their fields of activity, 59% of users consume entertainment content and the same percentage is the audience of political channels. 55% of users use the messenger for educational purposes.

Some people promote their business in their channels, others order advertisements in bigger channels.

### Group chats

Group video calls and file sharing are available to a Telegram group chat users. Two-way communication distinguishes group chats from channels: each user can write a message to the chat, while in the channel users can only leave comments (if this option is enabled). In group chats, users can respond to a specific person or mention them using @.

**Types of Telegram group chats:**

- **Basic** - up to 200 users, each of them can add new members and edit a group description.
- **Supergroups** more than 200 people in the chat. A group admin assigns roles and sets restrictions on user activity. Such groups are convenient to use as business chats or channels of communication with a group of customers.

### Bots

[**Telegram bot**](updates-telegram-bot-facebook-ads-manager) is a Telegram chat that responds to certain actions of users and automatically provides the necessary information. Simple bots perform only one function. For example, they can check texts, put spaces, search for music, etc. More complex bots communicate with users and answer their questions. Bots are an alternative to mobile apps for companies. It takes fewer business resources to develop them, and users do not need to install one more app on their smartphones. Robots will take over communication with customers and even place orders with payment.

<Gallery>
<GalleryItem
original="/uploads/mephbot_accf530afc.png"
thumbnail="/uploads/mephbot_accf530afc.png"
description="Telegram bot"
/>
<GalleryItem
original="/uploads/skeddy_fd1994ab30.png"
thumbnail="/uploads/skeddy_fd1994ab30.png"
description="Telegram bot"
/>
</Gallery>

## Advantages of Telegram for business

Telegram is suitable for internal business needs and for working with customers. Business advantages of the messenger:

- Free use without limitations.
- Fast speed of information delivery to other users and colleagues.
- Channels and groups are easy to create.
- Automation of some work processes by bots. No need to create separate apps.

### How to use Telegram within a company

Telegram chat is a replacement for a paid corporate messenger. 41% of users communicate with colleagues in Telegram. This messenger is also suitable for chats with customers.

Sharing and storing files in Telegram is also an advantage for business. There are several file categories in the messenger: media, documents (and files of other formats), links and voice messages. It simplifies the search inside the chat.

### How to use Telegram to work with customers

**User support**

Telegram support is an addition to email and phone communication or a replacement for it.

Pros of such a channel:

- Speed — it's faster to send a message in Telegram than communicate via email. There is no need to waste time during a phone call: a specialist will answer when the problem is solved.
- Automation bots distribute requests and answer standard user questions.
- 24/7 support — bots work instead of employees during non-working hours.
- It is easy to share files: the user takes a photo or makes a video and immediately sends it to support. So the problem may be solved faster than over the phone.

### Telegram channel instead of a corporate blog

The advantage of a Telegram channel is that the user does not need to create a certain layout as in a blog or a website. This messenger is suitable for short notes. There is an extended version called [**Telegraph**](https://telegra.ph) that allows users to post articles. It is a simple text tool using which one can insert photos and videos into the text. If you add a link to some post from Telegraph to a channel or chat, users will be able to read this text in messenger.

A Telegram channel can act as an additional tool for a company's blog: the user can post short versions of blog articles, main points of articles or announcements with a link to the main blog. Posts in channels are similar to social media posting. However, there are certain pros and cons.

- Disadvantage: posts have no organic growth, only subscribers of the channel can see them.
- Advantage: there is no «smart» feed that sometimes does not show posts to the users. Channel subscribers can see all posts.

### Newsletters

Dozens of requirements have to be met in email and SMS newsletters in order not to get into [**the list of spammers**](how-to-send-millions-of-emails-and-avoid-spam-filters). In Telegram, everything is simple — no layout is needed, no restrictions on stop words in texts, and communication is free. Telegram newsletter options for business:

- company and industry news;
- information about promotions and discounts;
- user order statuses;
- event reminders and other information.

### How to send out newsletters via Telegram

Manual method. However, it takes a lot of time. You will have to enter contact information yourself and use third-party analytics systems to check the effectiveness of your campaigns. The solution to this problem is sending out your newsletters via omnichannel platforms.

[**Altcraft Platform**](/en) aggregates all user data from different sources and collects analytics from available channels. The platform is compatible with bots and Telegram groups. Send information to users individually via a bot or to a certain segment of customers using a group. In a few clicks, you can create a message for a broadcast, regular or trigger newsletter. You can add a bot to your group or channel.

Send text messages, photos, audio and video files, gif images, documents to Telegram via Altcraft Platform. Also, add buttons with a link to your website.

## Telegram for sales

A Telegram channel is the same as content marketing. You post content for your subscribers and embed advertising of your product in it. If a company develops its channel, it gets a community of [**loyal audience**](customer-loyalty).

Advertising a company's products through other channels is another way to sell via Telegram. There are two types of advertising: direct (when you approach channel owners) and official targeted messenger ads, which emerged in 2021.

Telegram ads are short messages marked «Sponsored». However, a company must have at least two million euros on its account to join Telegram advertising network.

### Autofunnels in Telegram

Autofunnels are automated newsletters for warming up users and selling products: core and additional. They usually start with a lead magnet — a free product to get which users leave their contact information and allow newsletters. Then users receive emails (messages) that depend on their activity. Autofunnels in Telegram work via bots.

### Telegram bots and channels as a business

A promoted channel generates income from advertising. A telegram bot itself, which performs certain functions instead of a person (e.g. sends messages at the right time, collects tasks and feedback), can act as a product.

*Example. Eddy Travel chatbot helps users find hotels, explore tours and search flights. The bot is powered by Skyscanner and attracts free referral traffic to the service website.*

<Img
img="/uploads/eddy_travels_3537c38734.png"
alt="Eddy travel bot"
/>

## Conclusion

Telegram is a promising ever-growing platform for business. Adult, educated and solvent audience uses the messenger. The following Telegram tools are available for business: bots, channels and groups for both internal needs of companies and communication with users.

Telegram user support speeds up problem solving and simplifies communication. The bot will answer frequently asked questions, record a request or inform a specialist about the customer's question.

Sales in Telegram are usually conducted through newsletters, autofunnels with bots and content-marketing channels that replace corporate blogs. There is also an advertising function in Telegram to promote your product: direct through channel owners and official targeted ones.

Learn how and why to use Telegram for business. What audience prevails in the messenger, its advantages and tools.

large_telegram-v-biznese.jpg

medium_telegram-v-biznese.jpg

small_telegram-v-biznese.jpg

thumbnail_telegram-v-biznese.jpg

telegram-v-biznese.jpg

Telegram as a corporate messenger, cloud storage and a tool for communication with customers are just some of its features.  In this piece, you will learn how to use Telegram for business purposes.

Telegram for Business: Advantages and Tools of the Messenger

Telegram in Business: How to Use Messenger Tools to Increase Sales

<Img
img="/uploads/Omnichannel_vs_Multichannel_854eb0a5f6.jpg"
alt="Omnichannel vs Multichannel"
/> 

Marketing communications in the digital age evolve by the day. Getting and retaining customers is all about providing a great customer experience from first interaction throughout the buyer's journey. Today, consumers wield all the power, and with just a quick skip, swipe, or scroll, they determine whether a brand stays relevant or not.

As marketers explore strategies to drive the right kind of engagement online, one critical discussion that always comes up is whether they should opt for multichannel or omnichannel marketing. But, there's one thing everyone can agree on: consumers expect a quick and seamless experience across all digital marketing touchpoints.

That said, let’s discuss multichannel vs. omnichannel marketing to determine which of the two can provide a better customer experience. After all, great customer experience yields a competitive advantage.

## Omnichannel vs. Multichannel – What is the Difference?

«Multi» suggests «many» while «omni» suggests «all». However, the fundamental difference between multichannel and omnichannel marketing has little to do with whether you’re engaging customers in several [**touchpoints**](marketing-attribution-models) or all touchpoints as they move down the sales funnel. Rather, it has to do with integration.

In multichannel marketing, the goal is to guide a consumer towards a particular goal. It focuses on getting them from one stage of the [**buyer's journey**](stroim-customer-journey-map) to another by sending a standard message through individual channels. Let's say you're issuing a promo discount code for new users; multichannel marketing involves you advertising the same promo code on several channels like your blog, social media pages, and email newsletter.

Multichannel marketing segments direct and indirect customer interactions. Direct communications are where the company proactively reaches out to the customer through direct mail or message. Indirect interactions include content pushed through blogs, websites, or social media.

Even though the marketing channels belong to the same entity, they’re inherently isolated from one another. Each channel works in a silo, with its own strategy and goals. As a result, brands that rely on multichannel marketing tend to run into miscommunication and style inconsistencies between channels.

For customers, multichannel marketing can create a confusing, impersonal experience that leaves them feeling frustrated.

Now, unlike multichannel marketing, omnichannel marketing has the customer at the center. It involves the seamless integration of branding and messaging across all touchpoints to create a more impactful customer experience. An omnichannel communication platform allows customers to determine how they’ll interact with your brand by offering:

- A consistent, identifiable brand voice
- [**Personalized messaging**](/features/personalization)
- Content that is informed by past interactions with the brand

In other words, marketers take a step back and let users define the journey for themselves – but the trip is tailored to their likes and preferences. For example, a user might get an email announcing a new product that goes perfectly with another they'd previously bought. Instead of relaying the same message through other channels, your strategy might involve offering them a [**promo code**](/features/loyalty-programs) for that exact product on Twitter and having them see a video of someone using the product on Facebook.

In both cases, the goal is to get customers to take a desired action (using a promo code). The difference is in the journey options you provide.

<Table>
| **Multichannel marketing** | **Omnichannel marketing** |
| ------ | ------ |
| Reach a user through a maximum number of channels | Gives users a seamless experience across every channel | 
| Brand is on every channel, but each channel may have different messaging | No matter which channel is used, the message is consistent |
| Doesn’t use the advantages of using multiple channels in tandem | Must be used with analytics to individualize experience to each user’s needs |
| Fragmented, inconsistent experience | Seamless, consistent experience |
</Table>

## So, Which Is The Better Option?

Brands that choose multichannel marketing do so for one reason; it's pretty straightforward. All you need is one main message and a call to action. However, this can be alienating to customers as it doesn't take their needs, preferences, or stage in the sales funnel into consideration.

An omnichannel customer experience could be the brand differentiator you need. An [**omnichannel marketing platform**](/features/omni-channel-marketing) nurtures leads and user engagement by offering audiences a diverse set of messages, incentives, or buying options, bringing the following benefits:

- **A better user experience** – Omnichannel communication focuses on the individual customer experience instead of the channel. It allows for a cohesive customer experience no matter how or where a customer reaches out.
- **Increased revenue** – Focusing on omnichannel customer engagement ensures a seamless experience for shoppers, making them more likely to buy from you.
- **Creates a consistent brand image** – Integration means you can create a cohesive brand strategy and identity across all channels, which leads to increased loyalty as customers will trust your brand more.
- **Better attribution data** – With omnichannel marketing automation, you'll be able to identify which channels work best for your brand and when customers are more likely to engage with you on their journey. Such data can be used to improve brand strategy and build more targeted campaigns.

<Img
img="/uploads/omnichannel_marketing_facts_6f9ee5c0d6.jpg"
alt="Omnichannel marketing facts"
/>

## Support Customer Engagement Across Every Channel That Matters

Customer experience is an asset to your brand – make it work for you. As mentioned, many brands opt for multichannel marketing because it's easier to execute. But, if you're looking to captivate and engage your customers on all channels, you have to leverage insights and create messages tailored to their interests and where they are on their journey.

The [**Altcraft**](/en) omnichannel marketing automation platform allows you to do this and more. You can create more targeted, effective campaigns and put your customers' needs front and center. Use data insights to drive campaigns and aid in journey planning, all while executing effective omnichannel communications from one place.

Altcraft also provides game-changing marketing automation workflows enabling you to take a more targeted approach towards marketing. You can implement various marketing processes like working with customer loyalty, cart abandonment reminders, and welcome emails. This way, you can easily create consistent yet personalized marketing messages across all channels.

Let’s discuss multichannel vs. omnichannel marketing to determine which of the two can provide a better customer experience.

large_Omnichannel vs Multichannel.jpg

medium_Omnichannel vs Multichannel.jpg

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thumbnail_Omnichannel vs Multichannel.jpg

Omnichannel vs Multichannel.jpg

As marketers explore strategies to drive the right kind of engagement online, one critical discussion that always comes up is whether they should opt for multichannel or omnichannel marketing.

‎Omnichannel vs Multichannel: Which Is The Better Option?

Omnichannel vs Multichannel: Which One Should You Choose?

![The-new-Clubhouse-social-network .jpg](/uploads/The_new_Clubhouse_social_network_3048e631f4.jpg)

In the last week of January 2021, more than a million people joined a new social network — Clubhouse. Even the fact that the only door into it is a special invite didn’t stop them. Users began to ask for invites from friends and to buy at various sites. Now we’re going to tell you why this social network caused such a sensation and how to use it in your marketing strategy. 

## What is Clubhouse

Clubhouse is a new social media whose users communicate with each other only by voice messages. As mentioned above, you can become a member only by a unique invite.

Сlubhouse consists of «rooms» and «clubs» of interest, where people communicate in real time. By the way, there is no recording of conversations — it’s forbidden by the service rules.

Every person signed up for Clubhouse has the opportunity to create a public «room» for a conversation on any topic. After that, his subscribers receive a notification with an offer to join the conversation — kind of a ticket to read Clubhouse. Then the same offer is sent to subscribers of those who have just joined. This is how a chain is triggered and brings new participants to the «room».

In a chat room, all people are divided into speakers and listeners. Each participant can speak, «raising his hand». If the user has created discussions in the «rooms» three times, he can launch his own «club». However, his registration requires the approval of the app moderators. «Rooms» in a Clubhouse can be public, private, or available to members of a specific «club».

<Gallery>
<GalleryItem
original="/uploads/Clubhouse_room_58e86cc502.png"
thumbnail="/uploads/Clubhouse_room_58e86cc502.png"
description="Clubhouse room"
/>
<GalleryItem
original="/uploads/Calendar_with_scheduled_discussions_on_Clubhouse_7b142de22f.png"
thumbnail="/uploads/Calendar_with_scheduled_discussions_on_Clubhouse_7b142de22f.png"
description="Calendar with scheduled discussions on Clubhouse"
/>
</Gallery>

The popularity of Clubhouse shot straight through the roof after Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg joined it. When the Tesla founder popped up in a Clubhouse room, he brought this audio-based social media app a lot of attention and a great number of new users. 

Russia is one of the five countries where Clubhouse is gaining momentum right now, and it doesn’t matter that app downloads have dropped 3.5 times lately, and registrations — 17 times. 

<Img
img="/uploads/Number_of_Clubhouse_downloads_in_different_countries_907334a6cd.jpg"
alt="Number of Clubhouse downloads in different countries"
src="Clubhouse downloads in different countries"
/>

## How Marketers Can Use Clubhouse in Their Business

Marketers could not just ignore the excitement around the Clubhouse. The specialists drew attention to the new social network and came up with some ideas on how to use it in their marketing strategy. So, how to use Clubhouse and benefit from a popular app:

### 1. Create your own club community

If you are a professional in a particular field, start a club and expand your sphere of influence. Create conversations on hot topics and give people valuable information. This way, you’ll never have to ask how to get people to join your club. They will look forward to your new content, so you'll acquire the reputation of an expert before you know it.

All this let a large number of people know about you, and those people can turn into [**loyal customers**](customer-loyalty). By the way, don’t forget to collaborate with colleagues to develop business relationships.

<Img
img="/uploads/Clubhouse_club_81215a2778.png"
alt="Clubhouse club"
src="Clubhouse club"
/>

### 2. Follow the news in your industry

Join the rooms of influential figures or competitors in your industry and listen to what they’re telling about. This will make you one of the first who knows about trends and let you stay on top of the news or even spy on rivals' ideas.

### 3. Announce product release

As soon as you get an audience wide enough, use Clubhouse to announce the top news of your company.

For example, you are planning to release a new product. Create a room and talk about the features and benefits of the product. If you do this, you can not only stimulate interest but also get potential buyers.

Have you decided to change suppliers? Share with your audience why you’ve done this. It is a good way to demonstrate your brand values.

### 4. Get user reviews about your company

Feedback plays an important role in a marketer's job. By relying on customer feedback, you can make your marketing strategy more flexible, so feel free to create a separate room and listen to the opinion of consumers about a product, service or a new idea. The point is you don't have to wait long for feedback: you just get it instantly.

### 5. Communicate with investors

If you are just planning to start your own business, Clubhouse can be the very place where you meet investors and establish business connections. Don't miss this social media opportunity.

## Cons of Clubhouse

Like any social network, Clubhouse has its drawbacks. Every user should be aware of them if he wants to understand whether the platform is right for him or not.

**Firstly**, there is no content moderation in Clubhouse. Users have already encountered people who insult listeners and provide misleading information. On February 8, it resulted in a ban on the social network in China, where it was initially unallowed, but local residents got around that ban. In addition, the National Commission on Informatics and Liberty has launched an investigation against the social network. There is some evidence Clubhouse violates European law.

**Secondly**, the app is only available for Apple iPhone, so now owners of Android smartphones can’t use it.

**Thirdly**, deaf and hard of hearing users are deprived of the opportunity to use this social network. Since Clubhouse is an audio-based app, people with hearing impairments will not be able to participate in the conversation.

**Fourth**, hackers managed to hack the application several times and get access to audio files in order to upload them to third-party platforms. Web security experts have already sounded the alarm about the vulnerability of the Clubhouse system.

<Note>
Recently, we’ve published an [**article**](how-to-win-the-data-battle-in-today-world) in our blog where we talked about the importance of data protection and two laws that cannot be ignored when it comes to this topic — the European GDPR and the American CLOUD Act. Recommend you to take a look.
</Note>

**Fifthly**, Clubhouse has worthy opponents — they look more reliable and inspire more trust. For example, Twitter launched its new voice chat service — Spaces. Now it’s kind of a test, but by April it will be available to all users.

<Img
img="/uploads/Twitter_Space_e2e3f2adc7.png"
alt="Twitter Audio Spaces"
src="Twitter Audio Spaces"
/>

Telegram made its move as well. Now in groups and channels, administrators can create a voice chat and a main chat at the same time. The great thing is the audience does not need to agree on the time of the chat: the voice chat will always be open to them.

<Video
url="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uOUVw13xiEo"
/>

## Conclusion

Will Clubhouse be able to become a worthy player in the market or will major competitors stop its growth? Anyway, the success of the social network is impressive, and at the very least, it needs to be monitored. The next steps of those who created the app will show us in which direction it will move. If the direction is straight up, the companies that have already joined the platform will get a head start on their competitors.

In this article, we'll tell you about the pros and cons of Clubhouse and give some practical tips on how to use this new social media in marketing.

medium_The-new-Clubhouse-social-network .jpg

small_The-new-Clubhouse-social-network .jpg

thumbnail_The-new-Clubhouse-social-network .jpg

The-new-Clubhouse-social-network .jpg

We'll tell you why the new social media platform Clubhouse is breaking the Internet and how to use it in your marketing strategy.

How Marketers Use Clubhouse In Their Marketing Strategy

What is the New Social Media Platform Clubhouse and How to Use It in Marketing

![features_marketing_banks_blog.png](/uploads/features_marketing_banks_blog_948979b181.png)

Banking has always been a highly competitive market - making advertising costs never less. How to preserve your budgets and get great results from online marketing at the same time? Just follow this article to get insights!

## Digital marketing efficiency

Internet marketing is getting dramatically different when speaking about banking - as opposed to the retail sector. The instruments are quite the same, but the primary focus in strategy is on building trust-based customer relationships. One of the main fears now and ever is to lose money. Financial business here is the least transparent of all - save maybe stock trading. And, no trust - no deals. Thus banks have to explain their actions in greater detail and grow customers' financial literacy to be understood and trusted. Inbound marketing tools, such as email digests and whitepapers in a blog can pretty much do the trick.

<Note>
![features_marketing_banks_russian_stat (1).jpg](/uploads/features_marketing_banks_russian_stat_1_dd0066be01.jpg)
**Some statistics**: [**We Are Social и Hootsuite**](https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2020-global-digital-overview) reports 4,5 billion internet users by the beginning of 2020, as much as 118 million in Russia which makes 81% of the country's population. An average user spends 6 hours 43 minutes online: chatting with friends, browsing for news or other entertainment. That is more than 100 days per year! For Russians, the timing is 7 hours 17 minutes.
![features_marketing_banks_russian_stat_2 (1).png](/uploads/features_marketing_banks_russian_stat_2_1_fee0f9668e.png)
In 2019 Russian online audience above 16 years old made 94,4million people - as much as 79,8 percent. The rate for users above 65 increased from 26 to 36%. And for those between 50 and 64 - from 63 to 66%.
</Note>

People's life is now bound to the Internet: friends, education, news, online shopping, entertainment - and more. This becomes a challenge for traditional businesses to turn to network users and start communicating. For just to offer your products and services you need to engage people's attention. Where to start, you might ask. The first thing to build trustworthy communications - set your goals and define marketing tasks.

## Goals and tasks of digital bank marketing

We got used to receiving vivid selling emails from online shops, timely announcing stock sales or new product collections. We go to social media to know the latest tourism business news. Through targeted advertisements we get personalized offers, meeting our needs and desires. The meaning behind these activities is to draw, engage and retain customers - so they buy from you and not your competitors. All these are equally important for banking.

And the goals will look like:

- drawing and engaging potential customers;
- making deals - sure;
- retaining your customers.

Banking has always been something more than just sales. If a bank fails to be trusted - it loses customers forever in most cases. This is where customer loyalty management gets really crucial. Engage, mentor and nurture your audience - and only wisely specified marketing tasks will help you here. One does not simply attract customers' attention - not without analyzing your potential audience first. And it gets really tough to sell something when your audience cares not. Furthermore, only customers loyal to a bank will remain actual customers.

All the above thus underlines the top tasks for bank marketing:

- study needs, interests & priorities of your potential audience;
- draw people's interest to your bank's services;
- build and nurture customers' loyalty;
- convert potential customers into actual buyers.

We have even made a simple checklist for you to make it closer to reality:

1. First, we are getting acquainted with our future audience: running social and market studies, questionaries, polls, and quizzes for potential customers. Thus we get to know them better: the needs and desires, maybe dreams, - all by analyzing their responses and actions.
2. Then we use this data to draw customers' interest: content marketing, targeted ads and social media marketing are quite of help at this point.
3. The big fish biting? Time to focus his or her attention on a specific product or service - we are now trying to close a deal of course. Personalized emails and short messages, encouraging promotion codes - all these means are worth their salt. As soon as your customer gets what he or she wants - and you actually get a new customer - continue with retention.
4. And this is just the beginning - address your customers regularly by composing engaging loyalty programs, defining customer journey. Periodic [**inbound marketing**](inbound-marketing), [**chatbots**](the-benefits-of-chatbots-for-businesses) and [**social media**](self-marketing-how-to-promote-yourself-on-social-media) will not let you down as well.

*The picture of a perfect customer*:

Getting to know your audience try to visualize the picture of your perfect customer - a charachter with a name, gender and a pull of interests. Painting such a portrait mind the following:

- Demographics data - it helps greatly to foresee reactions to different offers.
- Location - knowing the country and city where your customer lives will cut costs in SMM - and skyrocket your targeting efficiency.
- Psychology - helps to gather a loyal audience by lifestyle, personal qualities and preferences.
- Social and economical data - this one is crucial for banks in audience segmentation and risk management.

You can gather the information you need by running surveys for your audience. Here you can use dedicated services, your website, polls and quizzes in social networks - or questionaries in emails. As soon as this data gets analyzed - proceed with building [**omni-channel communication strategy**](omni-channel).

## Communication channels for online marketing

### Good old Email

Email messaging is a good way to personalize your offers and present them in greater detail. Thus it is one of the best channels to build trust in customer relations. The main points here are to determine a sound strategy, finely tune sending frequency - and to compose your unique offer message. Mind that network users get rapidly bored with just accounting notifications and extra services promotions. Add a bit of what our competitors can't offer - and of what your audience wants. Use transactional mailings for important and urgent information - most of all, focus on your messages being useful.

Tinkoff bank employs Email to deliver partner marketplaces promotion codes to its customers. It also organizes interactive events and sends useful information. Messages are sent once or twice a week: this way customers don't get irritated and stay retained at the same time.


### SMS and instant messengers

Both SMS and IM messaging help you get closer to your audience. Their great feat is the ease of subscription. Actually, there is no classic subscription at all. A user doesn't need to open your website or install your app to start receiving messages from you. One simply gives you a telephone number. Notify about accounting operations, plastic cards deliveries - or verify financial operations. Not only transactional messaging: flavor these channels with updates about featured products and personal offers. Not too much though - be useful, not irritating.

### Push notifications

Push notifications pop up on network users' device screens - these can be desktops or mobile phones. They are similar to short messages: you can inform customers about new services, notify them about transactions - or verify operations. Their three big advantages - compared to SMS - are:

- low or no costs at all - push notifications are mostly free to send, as opposed to SMS;
- more information - you can add images, for example, your company logo - when verifying transactions. SMS look far less attractive delivering only text data.
- higher Open Rate - users need open no extra application - be it a messenger or a native SMS app - everything is in front of their eyes.

Push messaging helps you stay in touch with your customers, increase their engagement and loyalty towards your company. Thus a chance of further deals increases as well.


### Social Media Marketing

People come to social networks mostly to relax. They look through stories and updates while having a coffee break, in public transport or going to bed. The content here has to be extremely delicate - and catchy, at the same time. One will just miss your message if it looks the same as your competitors'. One of the great examples in Russia is HTML5 game mechanics in [**Delivery Club**](https://vk.com/video_ext.php?oid=8355063&id=456239063&hash=81c578637af2d878&hd=2) VK group. It demonstrates a good example of overall marketing gamification for social networks.

## Content marketing

Content - also inbound - marketing helps in building brand awareness and loyalty. Use your company blog to tell subscribers about trending banking products, share financial news and educational content. This way your audience will be able to make decisions that are efficient and profitable for both parties. The thing to avoid here is making boring press releases or posting irrelevant rewritten articles. Storytelling will do much better: you really have a lot of interesting and useful to say about your business, don't you? A great example here would be Tinkoff Journal. Articles there tell about financial ups and downs in an entertaining way, educating Tinkoff customers on a variety of common topics as well.

### Targeted advertising

Targeted social media advertising allows you to address different groups of your audience based on their preferences, lifestyle features, demographics or behaviour. This is where you need as much information about your customers as possible. Make a segment and compose a precise offer. Say, you want to sell more automobile loans. Then you need working men and women above 25 years old, who have been interested in buying a car during the last month. These are your potential customers, now it will be easier for your bank to address them personally and thus increase conversion.

### Technological difficulties and peculiarities

After some time, banks gather even more information on their customers than other businesses. Working with modern digital communication channels requires external services to be used. The latter include email, SMS and push sending platforms. And by many banks' security regulations it is strictly prohibited to pass any customer data to 3rd parties: the risks of leaking are too high. That underlines two major show stoppers for engagement and retention strategies.

**1. Strict security requirements.** Using external services increases the probability of personal data fraud involving third parties. This is why many financial companies prohibit messaging platforms usage. Marketers thus have to go with tools developed in-home. And these solutions often lack necessary features compared with modern online marketing software. It is rarely possible to orchestrate good-looking personalized mailings at all.

**2. Irrelevant data.** Customer' personal data is typically gathered within 24 hours from all available channels (online resources, bank offices and partners). Then it is transferred into the bank's storage or a data lake. And most online marketing platforms do not support custom integrations with data lakes or ETL middleware. So marketers request information they need beforehand - and then upload it to external services or homemade tools. These extract and load operations usually take quite a time: another 24 hours or sometimes more. As a result, some of the customers' data gets irrelevant - and that dramatically limits banks to just the basic marketing scenarios like registration confirmation or statements delivery. And this content just cannot engage or retain customers.

Online marketing has to be secure and its communication channels - available and easily accessible. This puts restrictions on banks and financial companies. If those are overcome, an effective content strategy becomes possible and you can start engaging and retaining your customers. And only an omnichannel (at least email, SMS and push) solution that can be deployed inside company's network can do the trick. It will not let any personal data leak out and can be easily integrated with company's data storage. One of these solutions is Altcraft Marketing. You can learn about it [**here**](https://altkraft.com/capabilities/en/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=statya&utm_campaign=osnovy_im_bank2).

### To sum it all up:

- No trust - no deals. If one does not trust a bank - one just won't use its services. So it is important not only to draw your potential customers' interest - but to constantly increase their loyalty towards your company.
- Before considering which digital communication channels to use define your goals and marketing tasks. The basics here are draw, engage, sell - and retain your customer. Get to know your potential audience first to get useful insights.
- Combine digital communication channels into effective scenarios. Draw attention through targeted ads, encourage sales by means of email and SMS, nurture loyalty with content marketing.
- Overcome technical challenges and automate communications with omnichannel on-premise marketing platforms.

Follow our blog updates - we'll keep you informed about the latest marketing news and useful features you can employ!

If our article was helpful - feel free to bookmark it and use it in your daily work, share with friends and colleagues on social media.


Internet marketing for banks has its own features. Learn how to apply internet marketing to finance.

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small_features_marketing_banks_blog.png

thumbnail_features_marketing_banks_blog.png

features_marketing_banks_blog.png

How to preserve your budgets and get great results from online marketing at the same time? Just follow this article to get insights.

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