Location data is a top factor in measuring cross-channel marketing, according to a recent study of integrated marketing practices by multi-channel marketers in North America. PlaceIQ, a marketing data and technology provider, found that 81 percent of respondents rank location data as the most or second most important element for marketing; one third rank location-based audiences as the most compelling factor for integrated marketing.

PlaceIQ’s research examines the state of integrated marketing—an approach that creates a cohesive brand message across all marketing channels—among leading brands and media agencies.

“Effective marketing puts the customer journey first,” says Duncan McCall, CEO and co-founder at PlaceIQ. “This study validates the demand from marketers to create cohesive brand narratives across all channels, at a time when consumer interactions with brands have grown increasingly fragmented, complex and difficult to measure. The brands that are succeeding are building integrated marketing programs based on truth sets like location data, which provides both the insight into how to reach audiences across channels and the capability to accurately measure the performance of each.”

The study found that 47 percent of marketers list developing a unified cross-channel customer experience as one of their top three priorities for the coming year. More than one third (37 percent) have identified that accurately measuring cross-channel results is the most important factor for successful integrated marketing.

PlaceIQ’s full report is available online here.