Tips on mobile marketing strategies
Everyone knows that mobile should be a key part of your mobile marketing strategy, don’t they? If you haven’t taken a look at your Google Analytics lately, it might be a wise move – when it comes to knowing your numbers, one very important one (and more than likely, an increasing one) is the amount of traffic that comes to your website from a mobile or tablet device.
What the marketing world disagrees on however is how companies can best take advantage of the mobile revolution that has taken place in the last decade or so. There is no shortage of people and organisations out on the internet desperate to tell you how you should be mobile marketing. That’s why we’ve done something different. We’re going to deal only in the numbers that prove whether mobile marketing strategies could work for your business. Let us know what you think.
Who is using mobile?
As this graphic from Marketo makes clear, a majority of consumers are now regularly using smartphones, mobile apps and the internet on their phones. Data like this isn’t enough to develop an effective mobile marketing strategy. And don’t let them fool you – not every business has a larger percentage of mobile traffic in the B2B sector for instance – but it is likely that’s a growing proportion. The key is understanding what your customer uses the mobile internet for and what they expect to see when they land on your site.
For example, if your business operates from a physical location then you should make sure it’s as easy to find your business from a mobile device. Develop a mobile website that uses location information to show where a potential customer should go, and ensure that your Google Places listing is up to date and verified. Check that you have submitted your business to Apple Maps and Nokia HERE (which powers maps on Windows Phone).
The key to making the right decision is understanding your website’s existing Analytics data. It provides a wealth of information that you can use to make an informed decision on whether developing a full mobile website will offer you a good return on your investment, and it will show you immediately how your prospects and customers use your site – allowing you to improve their mobile experience.
Do you need an App?
Apps lie at the heart of many mobile marketing strategies but, as with any other marketing decision you should only develop one if you can see how you will achieve a return on your investment. Don’t just build an app because it’s this years buzzword. You will likely pour thousands into a project without understanding how an app can help you. However, if you do your homework, an app could be invaluable in terms of more leads and better conversion rates.
One of the most valuable parts of any app you develop will be push notifications. These allow you to send messages with promotions, reminders or other offers to anyone who downloads your app. Use this carefully though. If you spam people they will turn off notifications and you won’t be able to communicate with them at all. Make sure that any notifications you send are useful and relevant to your audience. That’ll need plenty of thought if you want to get it right.
We’ve see a plethora of stats showing that many apps are downloaded once – and never used again! What’s the point of that? In the hands of expert strategists, mobile apps can become an essential marketing pillar for your business. One of the most important aspects of making sure your app is not one of the one-hit wonders, is to create a strong onboarding process that brings your new user into the fold, and shows them exactly how useful your app is going to be for them.
Mobile marketing strategies are constantly developing and it’s a theme we will be returning to regularly on this blog in the weeks and months to come. In the meantime, if you’d like some help developing one of your own then contact our digital marketing scientists.
