Mobile devices have changed not only the way people communicate with one another, but also the way they search for information online, shop, and interact with the digital world. In fact, about 60 percent of all internet searches these days are done from mobile devices, and this is changing the way marketers approach their digital marketing messages. But like all forms of marketing, mobile marketing is both art and science, and it requires special expertise that not everyone has. When it comes to succeeding in marketing for mobile, here are three things to keep in mind:
- Data is king when you want to understand your audience
- Locally targeted messages are integral to success
- Take advantage of “in-the-moment” queries
Good Mobile Marketing Begins and Ends with the Right Data
The first and most important thing to know about mobile marketing is that proper execution is all about using customer data and insights to drive campaigns and strategies - mobile marketing that isn't targeted isn't worth doing. The data you should be collecting and concerning yourself with includes information related to demographics, geography, technology (device types), and behavioral and shopping habits. Once you know this information, you can segment your audience to create highly targeted and relevant messages that will generate the type of engagement you expect with mobile marketing.
Keep It Local
Collecting and analyzing data to target audience segments isn't unique to mobile marketing, but one area where mobile really diverges from other types of digital marketing is its emphasis on local and hyperlocal. The reason for this is simple: about 40 percent of mobile searches are performed to find something local, and nearly 90 percent of customers who use mobile to search for a local business will contact or visit that business within a day. Effective mobile marketing, therefore, use location-specific keywords and targeting based on an audience’s city, area, neighborhood, or even street.
Be in the Moment
Another important mobile marketing trend that separates it from other types of digital marketing is the focus on the now. Specifically, you need to create content that will optimize micro-moments, which are instances where mobile users look for an immediate answer to a question, and where the information provided will be acted upon right away.
For example, if a mobile user searches “how to fix a bad dye job,” it’s likely because that person is unhappy with a recent hairstyle change and is looking for a way to fix it. If you were a local salon, part of your mobile marketing strategy would be identifying common micro-moments like this and creating content to provide answers. In this case it might include writing a blog about different ways to deal with hairstyle mishaps. For any business in any industry, examining your data can help you predict common micro-moments and plan a content creation strategy to address them.
Learning about different mobile marketing strategies and staying informed of best practices is an integral part of digital marketing because so much of what happens online these days involves mobile devices. In order to understand your audience, it’s essential that your mobile marketing strategies start with data collection and analysis. Beyond that, mobile marketing must be both locally focused and centered on micro-moments, because people who search on mobile are typically looking to take immediate action. When it comes to mobile marketing, WSI is a leading expert in the field and can help your marketing agency with analytics, market segmentation, and personalized marketing messages and content based on things like geography, consumer behavior, and immediate needs.
