What is Mobile Marketing?

Mobile marketing consists of brands delivering communications to users via mobile phones or tablets. In its infancy it mostly consisted of short and simple bulk SMS, however as the technology’s capabilities have increased, so too have the options available to brands and marketers. Mobile marketing now includes: SMS advertising, email marketing, QR codes, interactive mobile landing pages and in-application advertising.

Over the last few years, mobile marketing strategies have truly developed into a multichannel discipline to encompass different segments of the mobile ecosystem.

This trend will inevitably continue into 2020 and beyond thanks to new and exciting communication channels, such as Rich Communication Services (RCS), gaining traction and providing end users with a range of rich features, including the possibility to make purchases within the message itself thanks to the functionality of the Android ecosystem.

This has been a longstanding issue for mobile commerce across the sphere, however RCS ensures that brands are now able to solve this and meet the users’ needs and deliver across various micro-moments. This even includes the opportunity for brands to target users and initiate interactions to anticipate the needs and requirements of the user.

The wider adoption of RCS across a wider range of handsets and countries means that the future promises to be intriguing as the range of opportunities become evident for both A2P and eCommerce purposes.

The global adoption of smartphones across demographics means that there are opportunities to deliver highly-targeted messaging to the right people at the right time through a variety of different mobile marketing channels and generate conversions and revenue.

This is reflected in the fact that the global mobile industry is expected to contribute approximately $4.8 trillion to worldwide GDP in 2023 as an increasing number of developing countries around the world take up mobile services.

Why is Mobile Marketing so Effective?

The humble SMS is the basis of mobile marketing and it still retains some of the most impressive engagement rates in comparison to other marketing communication channels. It has long held the highest open and read rates at around 98%, and its ability to be sent, open and read by the recipient in a matter of seconds perfectly illustrates its power.

When combined with other channels, its open and read rates make it even more powerful, resulting in increased overall engagement and revenue.

For example, how many emails get buried in one’s inbox and offers missed?

Alerting recipients via SMS about a time-limited special offer in their inbox helps to increase open rates and ensure that offers are redeemed, and purchases made.

It is this ability to instantly connect and communicate with users through a variety of mobile marketing channels that makes it so powerful and effective.
When we consider the variety of channels available, it is possible to construct a multichannel mobile marketing strategy that engages and interacts with contacts at different touchpoints throughout the customer journey and deliver an enhanced experience.

An Ever-Evolving Industry

One of the benefits of mobile marketing is its ability to ensure that it is aligned to wider developments within the mobile sphere and stay up to date with changing trends and technologies. User adoption of these means that it retains many distinct advantages over other mediums within the digital marketing sphere.

Developing a true omnichannel experience ensures that each type of user is catered for and there is the possibility to engage with them on their most utilised channel. Not only does this include ensuring that various demographics are catered for, but it also ensures that you are engaging across various devices, and ultimately, user touchpoints along the journey to conversions.

Mobile Marketing in 2020 & Beyond

Businesses now need to adopt a variety of marketing techniques and channels. Developing an omnichannel messaging strategy is the perfect way in which to guide users throughout the whole customer journey.

The possibility to deliver a true omnichannel experience on a device that recipients have in their possession most of the time arguably makes it the most important marketing medium that brands have at their disposal now and in the long-term future.

The ability to segment and target users with highly targeted campaigns through mobile marketing means that it has the possibility to deliver strong conversion rates and high returns on investment.

Common problems that mobile marketing can solve

Mobile marketing is unique in that it reaches people in real time right where they are. Additionally, more and more sales are being initiated from mobile, so it’s a vital part of any marketing strategy.

  • Problem: I’m unsure if my audience is a mobile audience. Today’s mobile users range from ages 7 to 90 (OneAudience). In other words, pretty much everyone is a mobile user in some capacity. The trick is knowing how and when they use their mobile devices. Take time to develop buyer personas and you’ll be able to reach your audience anywhere.
  • Problem: My website and content are not responsive. One of the first steps to creating a mobile marketing program is ensuring responsive design across your website, emails, and landing pages. By implementing responsive design, you ensure a seamless and easy-to-engage-with experience that will attract and retain users.
  • Problem: I have good mobile traffic, but am not seeing good conversion. There are a variety of methods that can be used to analyze and optimize your mobile marketing tactics, including improving your responsive site and landing page design and personalizing content for mobile. It’s essential for businesses to future-proof their marketing strategy by boosting those mobile conversion rates.
  • Problem: I don’t know how to integrate a mobile strategy into my marketing plan. The key to defining any effective strategy is to first decide what success looks like. Get the key stakeholders together to map your mobile marketing strategy, determine how current efforts are performing (if you have any in place), and identify where you can improve.