If content is consistent across channels, marketers won't have to worry about customers switching from laptops to tablets to smartphones.

One of the earliest challenges web designers faced was creating content with a consistent appearance on most users’ computers. Developers quickly invented languages and protocols like HTML so all text on the internet looked the same, but the challenges faced by marketers back then are nothing compared to the misgivings many businesses have today when it comes to web marketing.

Realistically, any fears of a multi-world device are unfounded. Until recently, some marketers had to choose between sites designed for mobile devices or PCs. Recent evidence shows most consumers are even comfortable swapping machines during tasks. 

The medium is not the message

Facebook, which owes a lot of its popularity to cross-platform appeal, conducted a study of the devices people use to access the internet. It found that over 60 percent of American adults used more than one machine to browse the internet every day, and a quarter use three. Additionally, more than 40 percent of the adults surveyed admitted they would often switch from one device to another before they had completed a task.

Consistency is key

Why should marketers be bold and unafraid in a content marketing environment that isn’t tethered to one type of device? If Facebook’s data is accurate, consumers won’t be confused because their devices browse the internet differently. You can trust them to recognize a company’s website and how different devices affect sites’ appearances – as long as there’s consistency. Think in terms of:

Content. The written, visual and video content a company produces should be focused on certain topics and industries so users recognize it from one device to another.

Branding. Logos and visual motifs don’t just make sites look nice – they instantly let users know they’re reading something affiliated with a business no the  overall browsing experience.

Social media. If sharing and posting are coordinated across social platforms, users will come to recognize a business’ online behavior and won’t be confused when a Facebook campaign is wildly different from a Twitter strategy.

It used to be that the internet was something people experienced when they were sitting at home or in between tasks at work. Now, the web is becoming something that follows people wherever they go. For truly effective internet marketing campaigns, create consistency across platforms and trust readers to follow your content wherever they are. 

Alex Butzbach is a Marketing Writer at Brafton. He studied Communications at Boston College, and after a brief stint teaching English in Japan, he entered the world of content marketing. When he isn't writing and researching, he can be found on a bike somewhere in Metro Boston.