The strategies and tactics of mobile marketing

How many times have you swiped on your smartphone today? Chances are it’s a lot – likely more than you’re even aware of. Every time we unlock our devices, the likelihood of us being exposed to marketing messages and mobile advertising tactics increases, providing a highly valuable – not to mention lucrative – opportunity for brands and businesses vying for both our attention and money.

Statistics collated by HubSpot underline the huge potential of the mobile market:

• There are nearly 7 billion smartphones worldwide, and more than 60% of global website traffic is mobile
• 74% of people report that they are more likely to return to a website if it’s optimised for mobile, with 67% more likely to buy a product or service if this is the case
• More than half of all digital marketing spend is focused on mobile ads.

With mobile devices now an essential part of the shopping experience – helped along by the pandemic – as marketing channels go, mobile is too transformative to ignore. In fact, it’s been reported that mobile ads are 30 times more effective than internet ads. Businesses and brands alike are always on the lookout for talented marketing professionals with the insights, strategies, and skills to help them maximise their mobile marketing tactics – so what are you waiting for?

What is mobile marketing?

Mobile marketing refers to the digital marketing techniques that aim to reach specific users via mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. It adopts a multi-channel approach, spanning websites, SMS, social media, email, and other mobile applications. A brand’s mobile marketing strategy aims to provide target audiences with personalised information that promotes its goods and services and maintains engagement and reach.

What are the different types and strategies of mobile marketing?

There are a variety of tools that mobile marketers use to reach potential customers, provide them with timely and personalised interactions, and boost overall brand awareness, engagement, and conversions. With so many options available, it’s possible to develop a mobile marketing plan that suits every brand – from new and small businesses through to established, global enterprises.

Here are some of the most common mobile marketing tools:

• Mobile applications are dedicated platforms and interfaces that aim to provide value, convenience, and seamless user experiences. According to Statista, the most downloaded apps in the world are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp.
• In-app and in-store marketing and advertising, as the name suggests, places pop-ups and advertisements – such as video ads and banner ads – within apps to gain user attention.
• Mobile-friendly websites that are well-optimised for all manner of mobile devices and feature responsive landing page design (that adapts to different screen sizes), intuitive navigation and user interfaces, and quick load times.
• Social media marketing engages target audiences with posts, stories, ads, influencer content, and offers, and features heavily across platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
• Email marketing that is specifically designed with mobile optimisation needs in mind ensures that email campaigns are easily accessible, readable, and actionable on a range of devices.
• Location-based marketing utilises GPS (Global Positioning System) and location data to target users with ads and promotions based on their current or previous locations.
• Push notifications send messages – including updates, reminders, and promotions – directly to users who have installed a mobile app.
• SMS marketing which sends targeted text messages featuring updates, reminders, personalised offers, and promotional content to mobile users. There’s data to suggest that SMS open rates range from 90-99%, that 90% of SMS messages are opened within three minutes, and that SMS click-through rates can be more than double that of email.
• Mobile search ads are designed for mobile search queries and often target users by location.
• QR codes – which stand for Quick Response codes – can be scanned by users with mobile devices in order to access websites, promotions, and any other type of content.

How can geolocation be used in mobile marketing campaigns?

Geolocation enables marketers to target users in real-time based on their physical, geographical location, using technologies such as Wi-Fi and GPS. In doing so, it aims to serve up timely, highly relevant content to mobile users when they are most in need of, or susceptible to, it.

It’s used in numerous ways by organisations: Uber and Lyft use geolocation technology to connect drivers with passengers who are nearby; Starbucks uses geofencing to send push notifications to mobile users in a predefined radius to promote food and drinks deals; and Skyscanner uses location data to display the most relevant flights to smartphone users based on their proximity to certain airports.

How to measure the success of a mobile marketing campaign

Before you begin to measure mobile marketing success, you’ll need to clarify what ‘success’ would look like in the context of your business goals and objectives. Is the aim to increase your conversion rates, improve the customer experience, boost the number of loyal customers, extend reach and engagement, or see an uptick in app downloads? Take time to match your objectives with the SMART framework, and make sure they’re clear and realistic.

With goals in place, you can match each with a relevant key performance indicator (KPI) – a metric by which you can track progress. In terms of mobile marketing strategy, your metrics may well include:

•       impressions
•       sessions
•       events
•       conversions
•       clicks
•       downloads and installs
•       rate of retention
•       customer lifetime value (CLV)
•       surveys and customer feedback
•       return on investment (ROI).

Think about the tools, software, and platforms you might need to collect and monitor your data. For example, Google Analytics, Google Play Console, Firebase, or App Store Connect.

What are some upcoming mobile marketing trends?

There are several emerging trends that have already begun to shape the mobile marketing landscape – and look set to play pivotal roles in what great mobile marketing looks like moving forward. Remember, delivering and implementing highly engaging, personalised, and seamless mobile user experiences and functionality should always be at the centre of any changes and improvements to existing marketing tactics and practices.

Throughout 2024 and beyond, marketers should focus on:

•       content personalisation
•       influencer-led content
•       video content
•       augmented reality (AR) marketing
•       mobile e-commerce (known as mCommerce)
•       omnichannel marketing
•       voice search and smart assistants
•       interactive and gamified content.

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