Mobilize Your Mobile Marketing Strategy
Start Campaigning on the Mobile Web the Future of the Internet
Although many people prefer to surf the Internet using their personal computers, there are those who prefer to remain connected while on the go. They check out their social networking accounts, email, play online games or look up some establishments where they can shop or eat and have fun. You see them fixed on their mobile screens at the train station, the dental clinic’s reception area, malls, and bars. This makes the mobile web a potential hub for online marketing.
More and more people are going online as attested by data from KPCB’s Mary Meeker and Matt Murphy, both technology analysts. They collated their data and find out that:
Many users rely on their smartphones to remain linked to the web, wherever they may be. The numbers are growing because of the continuous development of mobile technology. People can now view email and log on their social media accounts using their mobile phones and tablets. They’re portable to carry, and convenient to use, too. This makes online mobile marketing important for all businesses. More attention and dedication should be given for mobile campaigns, as this avenue has the potential to become the next hubs for social networking.
People spend an average 59% of their mobile usage time performing non-communication tasks. Here’s a division of things they focus on when they’re logged on the mobile web:
Now that’s 50 minutes (almost an hour) of browsing on mobile phones. This proves there’s opportunity for entrepreneurs to step up their mobile marketing plans. Before jumping into advertising through mobile phones, here are some questions to answer when brainstorming your strategy:
- How does your audience connect to the Internet? Do they use computers, mobile phones or tablets?
- How would your mobile marketing activities affect customer engagement, sales leads and investment returns?
- Which mobile method does your target audience use to communicate? Do they use SMS, voice calls or log on to mobile social networks?
- Can you use videos and games to spread your marketing content?
- How can you engage customers using your mobile campaigns and avoid being ‘spam-like’?
These considerations make you think twice before you start jumping on the bandwagon for mobile campaigns. How will you plan to connect with your target audience when they’re frequently online using their smartphones?
From what we can see from the data, we can conclude that targeting the 25-34 and 35-44 age groups will be better for mobile marketers. There 18-24 range, which is the young adult group, can also be focused on. Cultivating mobile relationships with young adults has the potential to yield considerable returns, as they will soon grow to be part of 25-34 market. Male and female-targeted businesses can do well on this platform, as there are equal numbers between the two sexes.
There are also device demographics to look out for. Technology today gives marketers access to detailed consumer profiles allowing more customized campaigns that provide relevant results for customers’ needs. Marketers can use this data to determine how they can optimize their campaigns and attract more customers.
Nielsen Research declares that tablet owners are more likely to click ads on their device than people who own smartphones. This is because they have more space to adequately view the ads and click them for more information about the business. iPhone users are found to be receptive to clicking ads, as the users are usually young and wealthy.
Videos are the most popular marketing medium. One-fourth of mobile phone users state that they will view ads if they’re attached to interesting videos. 20% reportedly like interactive ads, with 34.5% of women trusting display ads on mobile devices. Only 29% have confidence in SMS ads. These findings indicate that advertisers need to be extra careful placing ads in videos. Ads are to weave seamlessly into the stream and should not disrupt users’ media viewing experiences.
Customers’ preferences should also be noted, as users naturally favor ads relevant to their needs. It is important to verify the types of social, gaming and utility apps that appeal to your target consumers. What they regularly view and download indicates which type of content appeals to them best. The location-based mobile feature is also essential, as ads from nearby businesses achieve more clicks and hits. Coupons and vouchers from stores near the physical location of mobile phone consumers are, therefore, more convenient and attractive.
Ads should be programmed to play in various platforms, whether Apple, Android, BlackBerry, and other smartphones. Mobile phone users expect no delays in their viewing time. Seeing a slow-loading ad can make them click the ‘Close’ button in less than 15 seconds. Advertisers should identify the device a particular consumer is using and provide the most relevant ads and ensure they display correctly, regardless of screen size.
Investing in mobile marketing is not without risks as it is a relatively new market, compared to web advertising. Mistakes might be made, but the most important thing is to learn what works for adopting mobile marketing to your business strategy. Determine if mobile advertising can be useful to you. This method might be more successful in getting your preferred market interested in your merchandise.
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