Mobile Marketing Continues To Grow

Ever since the Internet became that thing that none of us can live without, users have adopted the medium much faster than businesses and brands. From websites to social media, consumers have developed certain expectations faster than most businesses can even begin to meet them. To be fair, it’s much easier for a single user to navigate the digital landscape than it is for a business to market in that same space. The Internet can be a vast and confusing place, especially when you’re trying to gain the attention of its users who buzz around like water bugs on the surface of a calm lake. But rather than settling down and allowing brands to catch up, the Internet continues to evolve.

According to eMarketer, global digital advertising spend will rise by 16.7% in 2014, with smartphone and tablet marketing representing the biggest jump (an 84.7% increase over 2013). None of this is surprising, since 2014 marks the first year that Internet usage on mobile devices surpassed desktop usage. That’s right – more people use their phones and tablets than their computers to surf, read, buy and communicate on the internet. It’s easy to see how and why this happened. Think about all the time you spend on your phone while you’re waiting in line, shopping, traveling, or surfing the Internet any place where it’d be inconvenient to have even a small laptop. Now consider all the times you use a tablet over your computer, like when you’re watching TV and want to check something or consulting a recipe while cooking. We use whatever is most convenient and there’s no question that’s something mobile. 

The mobile shift has been coming for a while, so even though businesses are going to be surprised, they shouldn’t be. In 2012, Google released a report on our evolving multi-device world in which one of the conclusions was, “Going mobile has become a business imperative.” It wasn’t positioned as a phrase or a guess, and two years later, we know why.

The good news for brands and marketers is there’s still time to make mobile a priority. Sure, there are a few brands cashing in on going mobile ahead of the curve, but many are still struggling to figure out their websites and social media presences. When it comes to digital marketing, there’s a lot to manage. But given the drastic shift in mobile usage – and the expected continuation of the trend – now is the time to figure out mobile. At the end of the day, everything might be mobile based in a couple of years, so, as Google tried to point out a few years ago, it’s more of a necessity than an option.

Even though it’s important to get mobilized as soon as you can, there’s no sense in rushing into mobile marketing. Start by developing an understanding of why mobile is important and go from there. Here’s how:

• Keep It Consistent: one of the other important takeaways from Google’s study is that delivering a consistent presence across all devices is vital for digital success. If a customer engages with your digital presence on their smartphone, then their laptop, and finally their tablet, the experience should remain consistent. Before you develop any mobile strategy or launch a campaign, ensure that you are presenting your audience with the kind of experience they expect – regardless of device.
• Understand Your Audience: not all au
  • diences will use phones and tablets in the same way. For example, an audience of 18 to 30 year-olds will be more prone to mobile use than an audience of 65 year-olds. Your presence should be multi-device consistent no matter what, but let your audience dictate the complexities of your strategies and campaigns.
  • Do What Makes Sense: another aspect of your business you can use to define your mobile efforts is your industry. If you’re marketing a restaurant or food product, proximity marketing is an awesome idea. However, if you offer a digital service and location doesn’t matter, you might want to do something simpler like put a QR code on your business card. Don’t do something because you think you have to, do it because it makes sense.

  We’ve only covered the essentials of embracing and creating a mobile marketing strategy for your business. For more help with all your mobile marketing needs, get in touch with us today!