On The Go: Mobile Marketing
Three things to consider for your mobile marketing strategy.
Nearly 250 million Americans are using cell phones - over 40 million of which are "smartphones" - to make calls, send and receive text messages, surf the web and visit their favorite social networking sites.
But how should you go about approaching this massive audience in your marketing plans? Here's three facets to consider when developing a mobile marketing strategy.
MOBILE SITE
A natural way to enter the mobile marketing space is with your website; The key is to make sure your website is optimized for mobile viewing. Traditional websites are designed for browsing on a computer, which can be a vastly different experience than looking at a site on a mobile phone.
Because of differences in the technology - such as screen size and connection speed - mobile sites should have fewer images, clean layouts and simplified navigation. But that doesn't necessarily mean you need an entirely new website.
Your existing website can be used as the foundation for a mobile version, which can be programmed to automatically display for mobile users. Your mobile site can also have its own URL, m.sitename.com, sitename.com/mobile or sitename.mobi.
TEXT MESSAGING (SMS)
You've probably seen text promotions before; Something along the lines of "Text SOMEWORD to 55555" in order to receive a special offer or to be entered in a contest. These are referred as "Opt-In" messages, where individuals choose to become part of your messaging list by giving you access to their phone number.
Think of SMS campaigns as the mobile version or extension of e-mail marketing. SMS campaigns are just another way to build a database of customers who agree to accept your special offers, promotions, news and information.
APPLICATIONS
Currently, the fastest growing area within the mobile space is 'apps,' or pieces of software that users download to their device. Available for devices such as iPhones, Droids and BlackBerrys, mobile apps are projected to be a $17.5 billion industry by 2012.
While that revenue is generated by pay-per-download apps, branded apps - distributed for free - can help a company engage with its customers. Providing an entertainment, utility or social app will give customers repeated and prolonged exposures to your brand, in a format not generally perceived as advertising.
