• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, September 23, 2024

Email remains a top direct-to-consumer (D2C) marketing channel. But it should by no means stand alone. 

On the contrary, 73% of brands using three or more channels report higher return on ad spend (ROAS), according to the 2024 Marketing Channel Diversification Report, a study by Nift Advertising for Brands. 

Of the companies polled, D2C and retail marketers advertise on an average of 8.5 channels. Yet only 54% of these brands are sure they know which channels perform best.

The most popular alternative marketing channels include:

• Email Marketing — 11%
• Amazon PPC — 11%
• TikTok Ads — 9%
• Influencer Marketing — 8%
• Pinterest Ads — 7%
• Connected TV ads — 7%
• Snapchat Ads — 7%
• Referral & Gift Platforms — 7%

At the same time, 89% of marketers want to escape walled gardens like Amazon and Meta by using first-party data. Yet only 40% are confident they have sufficient first-party data from other channels. 

In addition, a mere 28% feel their ROAS is above average. And only 34% test channels against each other for performance. 

What kinds of testing are they doing? Here's the list:

• Email Campaign Tests — 17.92%
• New Marketing Channels — 16.39%
• Creative Ad Variations — 11.28%
• Audience Segmentation — 10.40%
• Pricing Strategy/Tests — 9.51%
• Other — 34.30%

"Our survey has revealed that continuing to test new channels, even through staff changes and periods of volatility, is an absolute must for marketers," says Elery Pfeffer, CEO and founder of Nift. "It is the only way for brands to achieve sustainable growth, optimize for profitability, and maintain a competitive edge in today's crowded market."

Nift surveyed 150 marketers for the study.