Mobile marketing is a powerful tool that almost any modern company has at its disposal. It has become an essential strategy for businesses of all sizes. As more and more people use their mobile devices to access information and make purchases, businesses need to adapt to this change in consumer behavior.
With the vast array of tools and techniques available, it can be challenging to know where to start when it comes to mobile marketing. In this article, we’ll explore the basics of mobile marketing and give you some of the main goals you should have for your mobile marketing campaigns.
What is Mobile Marketing?
Mobile marketing is any advertising promoting products/services on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. It is a marketing strategy that relies on the tactic of reaching target audiences within digital environments they already occupy. This includes reaching customers through SMS text messaging and online. Rather than using the internet to simply post an ad in the hopes that someone will see it, mobile marketing uses behavior patterns, algorithms, and smart data to specifically target consumers who are already likely to buy your product.
Using mobile marketing, patterns of consumer behavior – what they click, what web pages they linger on, and so forth – can be used to determine how successful an ad might be in certain places. If you’ve ever seen a highly targeted ad on your social media feed, you’ve likely encountered a form of mobile marketing.
The key to success in mobile marketing is understanding your target audience inside and out. By identifying what your consumers want before they’ve even wanted it, you can predict their purchasing decisions. Knowledge is power. And, mobile marketing thrives on an intimate understanding of your audience.
With other digital marketing methods, you’re “casting a wide net” across the web, hoping customers will approach you on their own. Mobile marketing, on the other hand, is more like studying the area where the fish you want to catch tend to swim, and casting a line where they’ve already gathered.
You can learn more about different types of mobile marketing here.
1. Increase Brand Awareness
Branding is everything, especially in the modern market. Consumers are often overwhelmed daily with hundreds of options and ads being flashed back and forth left and right across the screen of their smartphone. If you don’t want your company to get washed out among the others, you have to have a unique brand that draws attention.
Understand your consumer and what they respond to. For example, if you know that your target audience tends to use one social media platform more than others, capitalize on that. Give your brand a platform where the consumers are. Then, use ads to direct them to your brand’s page.
Branding doesn’t have to entail a ton of big moves, either. Sometimes the key is in the details. If your target audience leans towards a particular aesthetic, for instance, your brand and logo should reflect that. If you’re marketing an athleisure product, you might want a brand that uses eco-friendly or active words and posts health-conscious status updates.
Your brand is what most consumers will see online. And, it’s what they will eventually come to associate with your company altogether. So, it’s critical that you thoughtfully cultivate an image and personality that reflects your company’s values as well as the audience you seek to serve.
2. Drive Website Traffic
Your website and your online store should be the ultimate destination for your online consumers. Every other part of the advertising process needs to guide them to your website. Not only does it bring them closer to making a purchase, but you have much more visibility and influence when someone is on your site. As opposed to passively looking around or on social media. It is too easy to scroll away when on those platforms.
That being said, if your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re going to run into problems. First and foremost, you need to ensure that your website performs excellently on a mobile smartphone so that customers aren’t put off when they discover it.
61% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase from a mobile-friendly site. If you fail to optimize your website for mobile, that number becomes lost customers instead of leads.
Mobile marketing is a powerful tool for directing online traffic to your website. Make sure to optimize the SEO settings for your webpage so that Google traffic has an easier time directing web searches to your company. Think about the last time you looked beyond that first page of Google – most consumers won’t. SEO optimization can put your brand at the top of that search page.
3. Generate Leads
Knowing the interests and behaviors of your target audience means being able to predict their next move – and with any luck, that next move will be a purchase. Every online interaction between the consumer and your company – even brief, fleeting clicks – deeply matters.
Sometimes a consumer isn’t ready to make a purchase. But, they may express interest in your brand through an ad click or a visit to your social media page. In this case, the onus is on you to reel them in.
Ideally, every customer that interacts with your company online should be considered a lead. Even if they leave your webpage a few seconds later. One great way to deal with this is by introducing a pop-up where you can gather customers’ personal information, such as a name and email address.
Most people don’t mind taking 5 seconds to input that information. Especially, if it’s a website they’re already interested in. Streamline this process so that it’s quick and easy for customers, and then you can use those email addresses later to seal the deal by sending alerts, invitations, deals, and more.
4. Increase Sales
Naturally, your ultimate goal as a business owner is to generate revenue. There are many ways to increase sales. And mobile marketing offers an extension of resources that can drive customers to your company in no time.
Unsurprisingly, 58% of smartphone users don’t go one hour without checking their phones. That means that most of their attention throughout the day is already focused on the device you’re marketing on. Sending SMS advertisements or specials can also be a game changer since your customers are already waiting for their next text message. The next click they make could be the “Purchase” button on your website.
Follow through with leads you’ve earned through email collection. Try introducing new deals and advertising special offers on mobile web pages or social media apps where your target audience is just around the corner. You can also use QR codes to bring customers right to you.
5. Improve Customer Engagement
Above everything else, your relationship with your customers is key. Using mobile marketing you can collect valuable feedback from your audience. Thus gaining an even deeper understanding of their wants, needs, and values.
Additionally, using social media can be a huge benefit. Instead of exclusively posting ads or offers, start integrating frequent posts with a little more personality. Try to reflect the same characteristics you see in your target audience. This makes your brand feel relatable and authentic, and consumers will appreciate a break from the ads. This can help develop trust between you and your audience as well.
Conclusion
It’s not what you can do for mobile marketing, it’s what mobile marketing can do for you. By simply utilizing mobile platforms, you can easily direct web traffic to your store and keep customers coming. Mobile marketing is a powerful resource for any successful business owner. And these goals can help you really make the most of everything it has to offer.
Team Writer: Ari is a writer, blogger and small business owner based in Washington state.
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Branding · featured · Grow your business · marketing · Sales · Technology
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Grow Your Business · Marketing · Productivity · Sales · Technology