An increasing number of mobile-first evangelists have underlined the fact that mobile is not just another gadget; it is the future of businesses! Mobile devices are key communication devices for most of the consumers throughout the globe, and every year the numbers are increasing exponentially.
A study conducted by We Are Social showed that 50% of the population in the world are mobile phone owners, and there are nine new mobile devices added every second. This is primarily why mobile phones are essential for online as well as the brick and mortar enterprises.
Mobile Marketing – A Key to Potential Business
When companies target their marketing campaigns to mobile devices, they are reaching out to the customer in a personalised manner. In the last five years, advertisers have understood the relevance and importance of scoring over their competitors through mobile marketing. In 2013, about 22.1% of the search ad money was spent on mobile.
That share grew to almost 55% in 2017. These figures were registered for the US, and the global average could be close.. Apart from being personalised, the customers are provided location-sensitive message so that they can get what they need even if they are continually on the move
These days a large number of users are spending a significant amount of time on their mobile phones. Mobile marketing consists of ads that appear on smartphones and tablets on different apps. The designing of the ads can vary depending upon the customisation and designing of the app.
Also Read: How Does In-App Advertising Work?
Why Do We Need Mobile Marketing?
Studies have shown that 40% of the internet time is spent accessing mobile devices. This means that mobile devices present a tremendous opportunity for organisations to promote their product or service in the best possible manner.
- In the year 2012 alone mobile searches have increased by a whopping 200%.
- About 80% of the time spent on mobile is done so by using games which takes a lot of app time as well.
- People also use tablets for searches; 70% more web pages are searched on tablets than mobile.
Mobile marketing need not necessarily be information-oriented. To get people to watch its latest trailer for a new series, HBO ad creative slapped blood-stained fingerprints on mobile screens, after they read a movie review. When the viewer tapped on the fingerprints on their screen, they were shown the trailer for True Blood. The result – More than 5 million people clicked on the cue and watched the trailer.
In another instance, the American Red Cross Society raised significant amounts of funds from charitable individuals who received text messages appealing to the same. Red Cross collected a total of USD 50 million in donations; a mammoth figure indeed!
Also read: Is Artificial Intelligence Creating a New Mobile Marketing Wave in the Middle East?
Types of Mobile Marketing Strategies
There are scores of mobile marketing strategies marketers can employ to fit their goal.
- App-based marketing – This type of mobile advertising applies to all mobile apps. As seen earlier, about 80% of the internet is spent by people on mobile apps, especially gaming. Hence the need for the creation of another app is only redundant. Google Admob services help marketers create several mobile ads that are attractive and have strong usability. Facebook also aids users to create ads which are inserted into its mobile app. The integration of ad is extremely seamless in the app that it is sometimes difficult to make out the app from the ad.
- In-Game mobile marketing – Those mobile advertisements that appear inside the games played on apps also are a wonderful way to promote your business. These In-game ads can appear in the form of pop-ups, image and even video ads. These apps usually appear below or above the page, especially when the game is loading.
- Mobile search advertisements – They are generic Google search ads that are built for mobile phones that have extra added extensions like maps or click to call.
- SMS ad marketing – These ads aim at sending text messages to users by getting a huge database of numbers. Companies send constant texts promoting their offers or providing information from which the users can take a cue.
- QR codes – They are scanned by the user that takes them to the page where the QR code is programmed to take. The QR code scan is an easy way to tease the customers, especially those in gaming, to take them to spots which they are thrilled to know what is next after clicking on it.
Strategies to optimally use mobile marketing your site has to be mobile optimised. A lot of companies forget that their website is not easily viewable on mobile devices due to the differences in setting. The first step a company should take is to ensure that they set up their mobile site so that the content display is multi-device enabled.
- Ensure that you create mobile-friendly content. Give users the content they need in a mobile-friendly format, especially when they are on the go. Writing good headlines is the key to getting the desired click.
- Make it optimised for search engines. A study showed that when people search for products and services on mobile, they are heavily oriented towards taking action on the product than when you sit on the desktop and do it. Mobile SEO is a reality and cannot be ignored. The organic share increase in mobile searches is for real, and the trend is expected to grow in the future.
- Take your brand to the mobiles; it will not happen the other way round. Brands cannot ignore the reality of mobile marketing. Your ads can run on these devices in several ways. Medialets, through its research, showed that Click-Through rates on Tablets were 0.59% compared to 0.23% on desktops. If you have to start with mobile ads, it is important that you first identify your target audience. Mobile users also should be able to trace you through mobile SEO and giving them the convenience of accessing the products they need. The user has to be given the factor of convenience while doing their search. An app constructed by Hotel Tonight helped the prospective guests browse through the rooms and also specify the dates of their arrival and departure.
- Localise your business. Mobile users usually look for local services and information. Hence it is important to get your business on the local map which can be done simpler with This makes it easier for mobile users to detect their presence.
- Use text messages advertising – According to many types of research and publication, a smartphone user has the habit of taking a look at his mobile at least once every hour. They have their phones handy with them just in case they need to sweep it for information. This is one of the best ways to build your SMS campaign because it is more regulated and has a better assurance that people will see it.
- Make your site easy to use and understand. If you use the right navigation, it will result in an effective user interface. The menu, footer and headers have to be navigable and responsive also.
- Add that personal touch. Your business can do well by adding and sharing images, videos and even anecdotes relating to the product of the service. The message should connect with the customer and engage them emotionally. Generating such stories will help consumers remember the brand, and if not now, they will surely look at your products for the future.
- Create QR codes. Start using these QR codes if you want to take your brand to the next level. QR implies Quick response and these codes have in storage humongous data can be digitally transmitted at a lightning-fast speed. They are hence very apt for mobile devices. These can be the concealed ideas behind your site, especially if your data load is heavy.
Mobile Marketing is sure to revolutionise the way businesses are promoted. Every passing year this is going to be the norm of every business, big or small.
