The Key to Successful Mobile Marketing

• Smartphones now make up 40% of all mobile phones in the US
• SMS text messaging is used by twice the number of people who use the Internet
• 86% of smartphone owners used their phone in the last month to solve a problem or ask a question
• By 2020, mobile payments are expected to be commonplace
• On average, Americans spend 2.7 hours per day socializing on their mobile device

• There are 6.8 billion people on the planet. 5.1 billion of them own a cell phone, but only 4.2 billion own a toothbrush!

Sharing all of these statistics on mobile was a great way to start the class, because it really put into perspective how important it is for companies of all types and sizes to be responding actively to the changing mobile world.

So now that we’ve established that mobile is consistently growing in importance, what exactly are people using their phones for?

1. Games: 61%
2. Weather: 55%
3. Maps/search: 50%
4. Social networking: 49%
5. Music: 42%

After sharing all of these statistics with us, Krista moved into what to actually do with all this information. Her first set of instructions was to think about the fact that a mobile device is always on and always with someone. She pointed out that because of this, marketers can connect with people right when they’re ready to make a decision.

A good idea is to make a list of the top 4 reasons someone would go to your website. For example, if you’re a location-based business, they may want your hours, location, phone number, etc. After making your list, see how easy it is to find the things that your customer may be looking for… how long did it take for you to find it? And is that an acceptable amount of time?

What should you be taking from all this? If it’s not obvious already, your number one goal should be to have a mobile website that is EASY, ACCESSIBLE, AND USEFUL to all your consumers.

If you’re not yet convinced, here is some more information about why your mobile website is critical:

• 50% of local searches are performed on mobile devices
• 61% of mobile users who find your business while searching online end up calling the business (so make sure you have “click to call” buttons, etc)
• 59% of people end up stopping into the business
• 50% of the mobile users who found your business online end up converting into a purchasing customer
• If a mobile user is not happy with your mobile website, there is a 40% chance they will go visit a competitor’s
• If they have a poor experience on your mobile website, they are 57% more unlikely to recommend your business to other mobile users

So clearly the key here is to make sure your mobile website is going to be as helpful and useful as possible to your customers. Just think about why someone would go on your mobile website, and then think about how you can get them to do what you want them to do. For example, if you are a location-based business, make sure your address is easy to find if someone were to pull it up on their mobile device.

And now, some things to remember for some of the most important aspects of mobile marketing:

Mobile Ads:

One of most important parts of mobile is integrating with the functionality of the phone. People are spending a lot more time in mobile apps than the mobile web, because for anything someone does regularly, they’re just going to download an app for it. Mobile web is for activities people do less frequently.

Test Messaging:

If you’re going to advertise through text messaging, there always needs to be a powerful call to action. Make it easy for people. For example, if you want people to ask for a brochure/etc, tell them to send you a text with their email address, and you can email it to them. This will work through any sort of medium, whether it’s TV, a billboard, or on the menu in a restaurant.

QR Codes:

 

QR Codes can be confusing for people, so you have to have a clear value proposition. As in… scan THIS to get THAT. Give people a reason to scan your QR code. It’s psychologically proven that if you just tell people WHY to scan, then they’re more likely to do it (ie “scan this code to get 10 fashion tips for the upcoming holiday”).

 

 

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No matter how you go about your mobile marketing and what you choose to do, the message from Boot Camp Digital’s Mobile Marketing Class was clear: mobile marketing is about giving people a quick way to get information. Think about what your offer is doing for someone, and always make sure it’s valuable and relevant to them.

Just remember: CLARITY is KEY. Tell someone why they’ll benefit from using your mobile website, scanning your QR code, or responding to your text messaging. By changing a few simple things, you’ll see results in no time!