What is Mobile Marketing?
Mobile marketing is a set of practices that enables organizations to communicate and engage with their audience in an interactive and relevant manner through any mobile device or network. For mobile marketing to be effective we need to understand the audience, what design content looks good on mobile, and strategic use of SMS and mobile apps.
This type of marketing can include websites, email, SMS/MMS, social media, and apps. There are many ways to brands are able to connect with a consumer and it’s important to be available on the majority of them. Users are constantly on the go, making it difficult to use traditional marketing tactics like print to get consumer attention. Popping up on their smartphones will produce a high chance of user engaging on their mobile devices. Users want convenience more than ever thus, having sufficient apps and mobile websites are imperative.
Smartphone Statistics
In the past few years mobile has made a huge splash in the marketing world. This year in the United States, mobile ad spending will reach more than $40 billion. By the end of 2017 about 75% of internet access worldwide will occur on a smartphone. That’s a 40% increase since 2012. Today 56% of people own a smartphone, this number has increased by 23% since 2012. The mobile industry is continuing to explode and shows no signs of stopping.
Location, Location, Location
Location marketing has become a big part of mobile marketing. Advertisers can easily understand their consumer based on places they are visiting in realtime due to mobile usage. Using location data from smartphones can be used to target the consumers and measure advertiser’s success. With the data it’s possible to be constantly improving and enhancing campaigns on an almost daily basis. Sending a location-based push notification could convince a user to interact with the brand or make a purchase when they’re nearby.
Over 50% of all smartphone users grab their phone immediately after waking up. Companies are beginning to switch from email to SMS to communicate with their customers. Brands send text messages straight to their consumer to tell them about sales, product updates, shipment information, etc. A text message is a lot harder to ignore than an email which is why it has become a favorite form of mobile advertising. Mobile marketing is personal, a brand is reaching out to a customer on their smartphone that is in their pocket, purse, or right next their bed.
Mobile Moments
A mobile moment is when a person pulls out their mobile device to look for an answer or service. Being there during a user’s mobile moment can be a huge turning point for a brand. Answering their question somehow or showing up in their search could resonate with a consumer. The consumer may realize your brand was there in their mobile moment and begin to use interact with the brand more, whether that be using the app, website, or even making purchases. Engaging brand experiences helps in winning mobile moments as well.
What’s the Point?
As we begin the New Year, knowing that mobile marketing will be important this year is crucial. Take advantage of the fact that so many consumers are using mobile for internet access. Using SMS, social media, and apps are easy ways to make an impression on a potential customer. However, mobile advertising isn’t just about attracting a new customer, it helps to build loyal and returning customers as well. Being among the first to truly embrace mobile marketing will put you ahead.
