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7 considerations for where to get started with mobile marketing

Posted by Sheera Eby on July 17, 2013

Mobile marketing has so many facets. I often wonder if it might be difficult at times for marketers to know where to get started. Mobile-optimized emails, mobile-designed web and landing pages, mobile advertising, SMS/MMS programs, mobile search and mobile apps are considerations for marketers.

According to a study J&C recently conducted, we found that 1/3 of marketers admitted to not having a defined strategy for mobile. Yet in the same study, 65% of marketers stated they plan to increase spend on mobile marketing this year.

If you’re planning to begin or expand your mobile marketing efforts, where should you start? Here are 7 considerations for where to start with mobile marketing.

1. Setting an objective and strategy.
The best place to start is determining what role mobile should play in the marketing mix, and how users are interacting with your product and brand via mobile. Map the entire customer lifecycle and determine where the prospects and customers may currently interact with your product, services and communications via mobile. While this isn’t a complete blueprint for developing a mobile strategy, it is a place to start in determining what role mobile can play for your product, brand and company.

To set an objective, consider questions such as whether the goal is to generate more web or on-site traffic, improve click-through or conversions, generate revenue or increase customer engagement. This can help you gauge whether you want to emphasize evolving the tactics you are currently utilizing for mobile or considering how to leverage mobile as a new channel.

2. Mobile-optimizing your emails.
Adobe reports that 79% of users use their smartphones for reading email, a higher percentage than those who use them for making calls.1 The first consideration in mobile evolution is ensuring existing channels are optimized for mobile. The most critical place to start is with email. The facts support that if you’re using the email channel, you need to be mobile-optimizing your emails.

Here are a handful of tips to ensure your emails are mobile-optimized, but check out our blog article for a complete recap:

• Use buttons as touch targets large enough to tap comfortably
• Use standard call-to-action text links throughout content to increase response
• Apply multiple call-to-action buttons and links throughout
• Ensure the first call-to-action button falls on the first screen (before scrolling)
• Use icons as links to primary content or visual helpers

3. Mobile-optimizing landing pages and your website.
Mobile-optimizing landing pages and websites can help increase conversions. We’ve seen significant jumps in conversions by ensuring a landing page is mobile-optimized. Check out this article for more information on how to take your landing pages and websites to the next level with responsive design.

Getting started with mobile marketing workshop. Sign up now.

4. Building a subscriber database for SMS and MMS messages.
SMS/MMS messaging is becoming a key channel for marketers. According to HubSpot, 98% of SMS messages are opened. SMS/MMS messaging can be an effective tactic, but users must choose this as a channel of choice.

Building a mobile subscriber base should be one of your first efforts if you’re going to go down the path of SMS/MMS messaging. The first step in building a database is to leverage existing channels to get subscribers. This includes newsletters, website banners, direct mail and other online and offline touch points, as well as for those that have a brick-and-mortar presence with in-location signage and merchandising.

One key is to utilize a specific offer for enrolling in your SMS/MMS program. If it’s not exclusive, it’s not an incentive to join. Utilize an offer that will motivate customers to provide their mobile number. The goal is to find an incentive worthy of exchange of this information.

5. Build an ongoing set of SMS/MMS offers to deliver value.
Once you have a subscriber database and a goal (revenue, traffic, transactions, revenue, etc.), establish an ongoing set of touch points. Deliver offers that meet your goals.

Consider testing things like MMS messages, mobile coupons and video. According to eMarketer, 10 times as many coupons are redeemed through mobile as through traditional channels. Mobile coupons are a great mechanism for delivering unique offers to your subscribers as well as providing significant tracking.

6. Apps aren’t dead and can be a useful channel to deliver messages and drive transactions.
Apps aren’t first on our list for where to start with mobile, but they need to be in the consideration set. Apps can be an effective communications channel, but also an effective way to drive interaction with your website, content, products and ultimately transactions. According to Nielsen, 64% of mobile phone time is spent on apps.
From a marketing communications perspective, apps are a useful mechanism to deliver push-notifications and allow people to interact with your product and brand.

7. Delivering revenue through mobile transactions and commerce.
Remember, nothing works alone in the marcom arena anymore. Mobile isn’t any different. As a matter of fact, 56% of mobile purchases motivated by marketing were inspired by email, demonstrating the power of integration.

Once your website and channels are mobile-optimized, and you’ve got a mobile subscriber base in place, the final step is to consider how to leverage a multichannel strategy to drive mobile transactions and commerce.

Mobile marketing is becoming an important part of every marketers mix. We hope this provides fodder for where to start with a mobile strategy. To learn more about how to evolve and shape your mobile marketing efforts, check out our Mobile Marketing ebook or contact J&C.

1. Adobe 2013 Digital Publishing Report: Retail Apps & Buying Habits

Mobile Marketing

Topics: Mobile

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