Going Mobile – The Future of Marketing
If you are reading this and you have yet to utilize mobile marketing to its fullest extent or haven’t even begun to explore it, then consider this your wake-up call.
Mobile Truth #1 – People Are Always On Their Phones
Like it or not, people are always on their phones. Whether it’s to learn the weather forecast, text, or shop on Amazon, more often than not these activities are done on mobile devices. Mobile use is so frequent in our society that 95% of adults use their smartphones as their primary way to access content or information, and you can bet anything that number will edge ever closer to 100% year over year as youngsters grow up with smartphones in hand. With so many people using their phones in various capacities throughout the day, the opportunities are (almost) endless for digital marketing.
In a situation where an individual may be browsing the internet or using an app on their phone or tablet, ads can be delivered in various ways. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have their own native ad placement interface that allows advertisers to create ad campaigns and boost page posts in an unobtrusive way, thus encouraging customer engagement and interaction. As a matter of fact, where previously Facebook would show ads solely in the right column, they can now appear as “Suggested Posts” in the newsfeed, which was developed in order to advertise within the app and mobile site. On Instagram, ads have made their way from a user’s timeline to the Snapchat-esque “Stories” feature as a skippable video. As you may have guessed, an overwhelming majority of social media use is done via mobile devices, so utilizing these ad types to their fullest is of utmost importance in mobile marketing.
Google’s advertising platforms are also extremely effective in reaching mobile users. The AdWords display network generate brand awareness on over 2 million websites on both mobile and desktop while reaching 90% of internet users. Google AdMob, a free-to-download game on the app store, can feature ads in apps–opening up even more mobile marketing opportunities.
Mobile Truth #2 – People Can’t Be Separated From Their Phones
The capabilities of Google AdWords brings us to our next point, which is that people bring their phones everywhere. Ask yourself: If you were out and about, how could you most easily find the nearest restaurant? A quick Google search from your phone may bring up a text-based ad through Google’s search network–providing basic information about a restaurant as well as click-to-call and Google Maps extensions. Google’s way of fully integrating the features of a smartphone has also made its way into Facebook and Instagram ads, as location-based marketing becomes more prevalent. The audience targeting of ads across all of these platforms can be as finite as a mile radius. Moreover, geolocation through a mobile device is even more precise–pinpointing a potential customer and tracking locations they frequent. This aspect of mobile marketing is perhaps the most valuable to an advertiser, because it gives them access to the consumer in any location at any given moment.
An advertiser is no longer chained to a desktop computer or traditional media as they endeavor to engage with their target demographic. Although both are still viable options, mobile marketing is stealing the lion’s share of digital marketing impressions and it will continue to do so as advances in smartphone technology are made.
If you find that you are struggling to grasp the nuances of mobile marketing, J Miller Marketing is always ready to help out! With over 15 years of experience partnering with both national franchise organizations and small businesses alike, J Miller can both conservatively cover the basics while keeping you on the cutting edge of mobile marketing.
You can follow J Miller on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. If you would like to explore marketing to mobile users, feel free to contact us.
Sources:
http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/01/05/social-media-marketing-statistics
https://salesandmarketing.com/content/b2b-marketing-and-mobile-10-ways-do-it-right
https://www.marketo.com/mobile-marketing/
http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2013/08/19/what-is-mobile-marketing
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/05/31/five-reasons-mobile-marketing-is-becoming-even-more-important/#d3e561dabb48
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2016/05/25/4-mobile-marketing-strategies-that-will-boost-engagement-and-sales/#3d8e1ff72514
