In today’s digital-first economy, marketing isn’t just about broadcasting messages—it’s about building relationships. Modern consumers expect personalized, relevant interactions across all touchpoints. To meet these expectations, businesses need to go beyond traditional communication tools like email or SMS and embrace custom channels as part of their marketing journeys.
Custom channels provide the flexibility to integrate alternative communication methods into automated marketing workflows, allowing brands to engage customers in unique, contextual ways—be it through WhatsApp, in-app messages, push notifications, direct mail, or even IoT devices. This approach empowers marketers to design truly omnichannel campaigns tailored to customer behavior and preferences.
Let’s explore what custom channels are, how they work in marketing journeys, and how businesses can leverage them to deliver superior customer experiences and drive conversions.
What Are Custom Channels in Marketing?
Custom channels are user-defined or third-party communication channels integrated into marketing platforms—such as Dynamics 365 Marketing or Salesforce Marketing Cloud—that enable marketers to reach customers through non-standard messaging mediums.
While standard channels typically include:
- SMS
- Push notifications
- Social media (like Facebook, Instagram)
Custom channels extend this by allowing you to send communications through:
- Microsoft Teams
- Telegram
- Direct mail
- Chatbots
- IoT alerts (smart devices)
- In-app messages
- Webhooks to any external system (e.g., CRM, ERP, loyalty platforms)
These channels are “custom” because they are configured and integrated based on a business’s unique customer journey requirements and technology ecosystem.
Why Custom Channels Matter in Modern Marketing
1. Meeting Customers Where They Are
Your audience is spread across many platforms. While email might work for some, others might prefer WhatsApp or in-app messages. Custom channels let you meet customers in their preferred communication space.
2. Creating Seamless Experiences
Custom channels ensure the conversation continues smoothly, no matter the platform. A customer might start their journey with an email, receive a WhatsApp reminder, and then confirm an order via a mobile app—all part of the same orchestrated journey.
3. Unlocking New Use Cases
Traditional channels are sometimes limiting. Custom channels allow for creative campaigns like:
- Sending a physical coupon to loyal customers (direct mail)
- Triggering a smart fridge to notify a user to reorder groceries (IoT)
- Notifying a sales rep in Microsoft Teams about a high-value lead
How Custom Channels Work in a Marketing Journey
Let’s take the example of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights – Journeys, which allows marketers to build sophisticated, multi-channel journeys. Here’s how custom channels typically work:
Step 1: Create a Custom Channel Configuration
Marketers (or developers) define the custom channel in the system. This includes:
- Channel name
- Endpoint configuration (e.g., webhook URL)
- Authentication method
- Required data payload (JSON/XML, etc.)
Step 2: Develop an External Service
You’ll need an external service or application that receives messages from the marketing system and sends them to the desired platform (e.g., WhatsApp API, Telegram bot, printing service for direct mail).
This service must be capable of:
- Receiving HTTP POST requests
- Parsing data (name, contact, message content)
- Triggering the appropriate message through the external channel
Step 3: Add the Custom Channel to the Journey
In the journey designer:
- Insert the custom channel as a step (e.g., “Send WhatsApp Message”)
- Choose the segment or trigger
- Define message content and personalization fields
Step 4: Track Responses
Custom channels can be configured to return delivery status, engagement metrics (clicks, opens), or interaction data back into the marketing platform for performance tracking and journey progression logic.
Use Cases for Custom Channels in Marketing Journeys
1. WhatsApp Integration
Send transactional or promotional messages via WhatsApp through Twilio or Meta’s API. Example:
- Send a shipping confirmation via WhatsApp after a purchase
- Remind customers of abandoned carts with product images
2. Microsoft Teams Notifications
Trigger an internal alert in Teams to notify sales or service reps about a high-value lead or urgent customer issue. Keeps internal teams aligned with marketing efforts.
3. In-App Messaging
Send personalized in-app messages within your mobile app based on journey triggers:
- New user welcome messages
- Feature education tips
- Cross-sell or upsell promotions
4. Voice Bots or IVR
Integrate with voice bots to deliver automated calls, especially in industries like healthcare (appointment reminders) or finance (payment confirmations).
5. IoT Devices
For connected product companies (e.g., smart appliances, wearables), trigger alerts via IoT devices:
- A smartwatch displays a loyalty point reminder
- A smart fridge suggests reordering milk when it senses low stock
6. Direct Mail and Print
Trigger a custom channel that sends customer data to a print fulfillment provider. Send birthday cards, product catalogs, or promotional flyers to VIP customers.
Benefits of Using Custom Channels
✅ Increased Engagement Rates
By communicating on platforms that users actively engage with, your message has a higher chance of being seen and acted upon.
✅ Personalized Omnichannel Experiences
Custom channels help create seamless, relevant experiences that mirror real-life behavior across digital and physical environments.
✅ Competitive Differentiation
Brands that think outside the box with custom channels stand out. Imagine a coffee chain sending push notifications to a smartwatch with loyalty updates—unexpected, memorable, and impactful.
✅ Operational Efficiency
Internal-facing custom channels (e.g., Teams alerts) keep sales and service aligned with real-time marketing insights, reducing silos and improving responsiveness.
Challenges and Considerations
⚠️ Technical Complexity
Setting up and managing custom channels often requires developer support. You need:
- API integration knowledge
- Security and authentication handling
- Error handling mechanisms
⚠️ Data Privacy and Compliance
Each channel (especially messaging platforms like WhatsApp) has its own compliance requirements. You must:
- Ensure opt-ins
- Manage consent
- Handle data securely per GDPR, CCPA, etc.
⚠️ Maintenance
As APIs change, your custom integrations may break. Ongoing support and monitoring are needed to ensure reliability.
Best Practices for Implementing Custom Channels
1. Start With High-Impact Use Cases
Don’t try to implement 10 custom channels at once. Start with the most valuable (e.g., WhatsApp for re-engagement, in-app messages for onboarding).
2. Ensure Clear Opt-In and Consent
Always get explicit permission for new communication methods. Transparency builds trust and keeps you compliant.
3. Use a Scalable Architecture
Design your custom channel services to handle volume, retries, and errors gracefully.
4. Test Thoroughly
Include end-to-end testing before going live. Ensure data mapping, personalization, and message delivery work as expected.
5. Monitor and Optimize
Use analytics to track message performance, open/click rates, and customer responses. Iterate based on what works.
Future Trends: What’s Next for Custom Channels
AI-Powered Journey Orchestration
AI will increasingly determine the best channel for each user at each stage, adapting in real-time based on behavior and preferences.
Low-Code/No-Code Channel Builders
Marketing platforms are evolving to allow non-developers to create and manage custom channels visually with drag-and-drop builders.
Channel-less Communication
In the future, messaging may become more fluid—less about “channels” and more about “intent-based interaction” where the system selects the optimal medium automatically.