All or almost all of your potential customers have smartphones – according to Exploding research, in 2023, this was 6.94 billion people worldwide. And each of them spends more than 3 hours a day with their gadget. Did they have the opportunity to learn about your product or service, or even place an order? If not, pay attention to mobile marketing.
What is Mobile Marketing?
Mobile marketing is the promotion of business using mobile devices. It is an affordable way to reach the target audience that spends most of their time with smartphones, tablets, smart watches and other convenient digital devices.
Mobile marketing uses the features of mobile technologies. For example, geolocation services – to adapt marketing campaigns based on a person’s location. And also to adapt content, advertising banners, videos to the small vertical screens of smartphones.
An interesting example of adapting a product to the tastes of the target audience is the vertical Samsung TV. The device is optimized for viewing mobile content. And thanks to its unusual appearance, it perfectly attracts the attention of users who are used to receiving information mainly through smartphones.
Types of Mobile Marketing
Here are some common mobile marketing trends:
- SMS messaging;
- sending push notifications that users see on their smartphone screen without opening the application;
- location-based marketing: targeting users based on physical location;
- creation and promotion of the company’s mobile application;
- Using QR codes that users can scan with their smartphone to go to a website, landing page, app, content or ad – this allows companies to engage with their audience and track engagement metrics;
- Social Media Marketing: Regularly creating and distributing valuable and relevant content to connect with followers and grow your community;
- sending out emails;
- mobile advertising: placing ads using advertising systems such as Google Ads and Facebook Ads;
- advertising in mobile games and applications, media advertising;
- Chatbots for interaction and messaging.
Features of mobile marketing
According to DataReportal — Global Digital Insights for 2023, Kazakhstan is seeing an increase in the use of mobile devices. In 2023, more than 20% of the population of Kazakhstan uses mobile devices
Why do we single out mobile marketing as a separate promotion category? Let’s look at its key features.
Versatility
People use their mobile devices for communication, work, study, entertainment, leisure. This means that you can create a marketing strategy that is relevant and responsive to user needs in different areas and circumstances.
Availability
People always carry their mobile devices with them. So you can reach them in real time, wherever they are. Other marketing tools, such as audio advertising or outdoor advertising, only work when the customer is in front of a billboard or listening to the radio.
It works the other way too: people can easily access your content and engage in communication – call, request a call back , chat.
Speed and breadth of coverage
Users are quick, if not instantaneous, to respond to messages they see on their smartphone screens and are more likely to click on links. The search for “instant gratification” means more touchpoints for marketers.
But at the same time, smartphone owners are less patient than desktop users. They expect the fastest possible experience – page loading, personalized service, intuitive and easy shopping experience, and so on. According to Google research , 53% of mobile users will leave a site if the page does not load within three seconds.
Personalization
You can more precisely target your marketing messages to specific audiences based on their interests, behavior, and geolocation.
For example, if you sell accessories for mobile phones, you can show your ads to owners of such devices. And to attract the attention of the target audience, you can use the name of the gadget model in the text of the ad and show its image on the advertising banner.
Mobile Marketing Strategy
Mobile devices differ in operating systems, screen sizes, mobile networks and other characteristics. This determines such various aspects of mobile marketing as a well-thought-out user path, UX/UI of the site, the format of advertising banners and videos, adaptation of the mobile application to different OS, even the schedule of ad impressions. Without attention to these and other details, mobile marketing will be only partially successful.
When it comes to developing a mobile marketing strategy, the general principles and process are no different from working on other digital promotion strategies.
Campaign objectives: What do you want to achieve with mobile marketing? Increase brand awareness, generate leads, drive sales, etc.? The objectives determine the means and tools that will be used for promotion.
Target Audience: Once you have defined your goals, it is important to identify the potential buyers of your products or services. Here are some key criteria to consider when defining your target audience for mobile marketing:
- Demographic data: for example, young people under 35 are more likely to use mobile devices for communication, work, study and entertainment;
- Interests and behavior: shopping, use of social networks, etc.;
- Geolocation: For example, people who live in a city often use mobile devices to navigate, find a nearby establishment, product or service.
Type of promotion. What types of mobile marketing will you use? Will you create an app or develop a company business card on Google Maps? What communication channels will you choose? Social networks or a quick phone call order on the website?
Tools. What technologies and tools do you need? Perhaps a landing page adapted to mobile screens, or perhaps a separate app? Or, for example, if your potential customers mostly call for advice before placing an order, it might be worthwhile to place a clickable phone number on your site that will call you when clicked.
Content. In particular, you should take care to create interesting and attractive messages that will encourage users to interact with the ad and the product. As well as other relevant content. It is important that your banners are adapted to different smartphone screens, and the texts are short and to the point.
Tracking Results . It’s important to collect and analyze data on the results of your mobile marketing campaign to understand what’s working and what’s not. Use tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Insights to track results. If your mobile marketing strategy involves receiving phone calls, consider using call tracking to understand which source or channel is bringing in those calls.
Testing: Experiment and launch campaigns using various mobile marketing tools and reliable analytics.
Despite the fact that mobile marketing is an effective way of promotion, other tools do not become less useful and important. Businesses should combine all available strategies of digital and even traditional promotion, analyzing in detail which advertising channels attract customers: a website, a mobile application, social networks, phone calls, retail outlets, and perhaps posters in transport or audio advertising in supermarkets.
Examples of Mobile Marketing
Here are some examples of effective mobile marketing campaigns
Starbucks
The company has developed a mobile application that is convenient for viewing the menu, searching for nearby establishments, ordering drinks and dishes. In the application, you can independently create an order down to the smallest detail, and the application sends push notifications about its readiness. The company also uses push notifications to inform about events and new offers.
An attractive loyalty program introduced by the brand helps to collect data on the preferences and habits of users.
Nike
Nike launched the SNKRS app, which targets its most dedicated followers and fans who constantly track limited edition sneakers. This way, the brand pays attention to its most “hot” customers and ensures a certain degree of excitement around releases and promotions. The company also uses mobile advertising targeted based on the interests of potential buyers.
The brand was one of the first to bet on the metaverse . Unlocking exclusive pairs of sneakers in the virtual world encourages users to share links and images on social media.
Nike also teamed up with other big brands like Sephora and Kia to launch an AR-enhanced messenger on Facebook. Users could open the Camera Effects filter in the Facebook app, select the Nike symbol, and get an augmented reality experience by “trying on” a pair of limited-edition sneakers designed by basketball star Kyrie Irving. Nike’s addition of fun AR technology paid off — the shoes sold out worldwide within an hour.
Conclusion
Mobile marketing is one of the tools for promoting business using mobile devices. This is one of the varieties of digital marketing, which is determined by the features of various mobile devices, as well as the differences in the behavior and interests of users of such gadgets.For optimal results, working with a professional digital marketing company can enhance your mobile marketing efforts by leveraging their expertise and industry insights.
The main types of mobile marketing are sending SMS and push notifications, using QR codes, marketing based on user geolocation, developing a mobile application and adapting a website for mobile devices. Important tools include placing clickable phone numbers and a callback widget on the website pages. As well as many other approaches and their combinations.
To develop a successful mobile marketing strategy, you need to: define the goals of the campaign, identify the target audience, select the means and tools, and analyze the results and test different approaches.
