Go Mobile! Mobile Marketing Strategy in 2015

(June 16, 2015) – With more than half of the U.S. owning a smartphone, mobile marketing is something that everyone should get behind.  By definition, mobile marketing is marketing on or with a mobile device. It “can provide customers with time- and location-sensitive, personalized information that promotes goods, services and ideas”, as Matti Leppaniemi writes.

Thanks in part to Search Engine Journal, here are some facts that can help put in perspective how important mobile marketing is in 2015:

• 8% of a person’s day is spent looking at a mobile screen
• 57% of people will not recommend companies with poor mobile sites
• Mobile marketing in 2015 will generate $400 billion, compared to $139 billion in 2012
• 50% of global viewership on YouTube comes from mobile devices

In short, people are becoming more and more attached to their mobile devices.  When thought of in that way, mobile marketing starts to seem like a necessary addition to any savvy strategy, doesn’t it? You want to be where the eyes are; if you’re advertising on mobile, you now have a much higher chance of having your business or product actually being noticed.  In this climate, mobile marketing can make or break a business, especially if you don’t remain active or use it correctly.

WHAT TO DO

First, you must come to understand the several kinds of mobile marketing there are out there.

There is an app-based version, which is a downloadable application for people with smart phones. According to Search Engine Journal, “45% of US mobile marketing campaigns employ app downloads.”

Other options include mobile search advertisements or mobile image advertisements. There is also SMS, in which messages can be directly sent to people.

The same goes for QR codes, where smartphones have the ability to scan a QR code to buy something or for a certain video or ad embedded within to pop up on the phone.

Local is another option, in which ads are catered towards people who are in a localized market.  The local aspect is extremely important for businesses since it allows them to hone in on and focus on certain relevant target areas to market what they want.  Without the local focus, your efforts would be like firing a shot in the dark in an endlessly open space.

Now you must consider all the different types of mobile marketing and determine what is best for your business.

Should you try them all?

Does anyone looking to use your business seem privy to finding your business or product via one type over another?

How much are you willing to spend in time and money on all of this?

And then, how are you going to best utilize the marketing avenues you do choose to pursue?

STRATEGY

One of the best (if not the best) marketing routes to follow is video.

More and more businesses are using video to build and engage with audiences, with a particular focus on mobile-friendly video. People are much more likely to respond in one way or another to a video than a quick ad.

Video simply sticks with people in a much more significant way. As Matt Southern points out, “Over 50% of those surveyed said they used video to help them make purchasing decisions, with YouTube being listed as their #1 destination”.

Video gives the viewer a deeper connection and the visual movement and aural aspects will only help to retain information. Just think, how many memorable videos can you recall over print ads?

Of course, video is not the only answer. You must also remember, in general, to be honest and faithful to your brand when using mobile marketing. Do not try to be something you are not; people will see right through it and be immediately turned off.

You must also be fast with your point – people on mobile are much quicker at skipping an ad or exiting out of things they do not like.

There is only a very small window of opportunity to get your point across to people.

If you want to know if your products and efforts are actually being seen, you can use a Mobile Friendly Test Tool to make sure, all thanks to Google.

You want to monitor your mobile marketing and see if the path you chose is effective, and if not, you can come up with a plan to improve upon or change your strategy.

THE TAKEAWAY

While traditional marketing still rules, mobile marketing is on the rise.

It will eventually become the main point of marketing spending for businesses over that of newspapers, billboards, traditional online ads, etc.

Deciding to go mobile now will mean going ahead of the curve and showing others that you’re willing to play in any and all arenas to get your product or business out into the world.