Dedicated Interventions to Make Mobile Marketing a Revolutionary Contributor in Digital Marketing – A Case Study
Web is now the major and driving platform for the digital marketing strategies; courtesy to the diversity of innovations from the segment of web deign and development as also the application development and interfacing. There is vibrant social wave evident now in the vast web pool and this wave is still far from optimizations.
A decisive shift started to occur in the web penetration and this was through the mobile web technologies that were offered as a scaled down sibling of the broadband but which eventually in a short time span emerged smarter than envisioned! Now it is taking over as the top contender of the commercial digital marketing strategies.
As the mobile devices got more advanced and capable, more of the web and allied functions started to shift to them. The reason was simple that people wanted to have their information and hangouts on the go; lack of time buddy and of course the real time thirst that has grown out strong! Look out here below –
We see the steady increase per year in the time spent on mobile devices in the above chart. Desktops and laptops have rather registered a minor decline over the recent 5-10 years. There is a definite and manifested case of shifting the digital marketing campaigns to the mobile devices!
It was but natural therefore that the marketing strategies that were flourishing on the broadband were felt for replication at the mobile web also. This was because none wanted to lose the emergent customer base there at the smaller yet more preferable screens in the hands. Mobile marketing was developed as a specialized offshoot and now this is set to revolutionize the digital branding and marketing turfs. Let us engage in a case study to make out more insights as how has the processes begun and what is promised in the near prospects and the long run as well! Here is a depiction –
‘Securing the passages for transition – the responsiveness’ attributes’
According to sources, 75% of people admit to bringing their phone to the bathroom! Thus the affinities are for real and hence the pressures!
Mobile marketing has to overcome the fundamental inconsistencies of the smart devices. This statement resembles a contradiction but is however true! Most of the smart screens are small and backlash while loading the traditional bulkier web pages.
Responsiveness’ characteristics and mobile websites are the fundamental developments that are aimed at eliminating this backlash. There has been significant success; particularly in the backdrop of the majors like Google coming up with objective parameters in the form of Google Mobile Friendly Test and the allied SERPs readjustments.
These interventions were such fundamental in terms of tech conditioning that it opened the fluent passage for the shifting of the marketing and storefront applications of diversity on to the mobile screens. At least a passage – delineated and well carved out was let open through which all the appurtenances could be imported into the domains of mobile devices; of course the web enabled ones!
The mobile marketing challenge and concepts of resonance
The marketing in the web started out of the manifested jubilance due to the popular usage of it and the allied engagement functions including through the ‘web social’. The commercial entities in the traditional open market felt the affinities and potentials for the storefront development there in the web.
The webmasters responded proactively to make the same possible through the smart CMSs of diversity and resonant value. However, the marketing link emerged as the intricate challenge; more intricate because as for the new age web, the search engines rather than the users are the masters and the above stated responsiveness features have to be also assimilated.
However, kudos to the developers and programmers that in spite of all the obstacles very refined mobile oriented digital marketing strategies have been devised and these are doing well and swift. Mobile marketing statistics reflect the growth trends! What are these strategies and initiatives? Let us have a look at these –
The SMSs and push notifications
Short messaging service SMS was among the nascent attempts in the domains of mobile marketing and this started pretty early when the mobile devices were yet to gain substantial penetration in the social economies. These still continue and the firms, typically the service banners keep looking for the data of potential consumers.
These campaigns are taken up as anonymous and secure considerable if not significant engagement with the existing and potential consumer bases in the social domains. The telecom firms emerged as the intermediary in the operation of such services.
However, the push notifications are the advanced and economical versions of individualized message driven marketing through the mobile interfaces. Here the web service providers act as the intermediary and the application development has to be taken up separately. A real time interactive medium is available through the web (and not telephony based) service bandwidth.
Except for the cost of app development, the operation of its rather very economical! A wise usage of the push notifications can allow connecting to the resonant target users and it is here the anonymity is tried to be reduced! A badly pushed notification can turn the user off.
This twin interfacing offer fine direct marketing potentials in that the user could be informed about the real time deals and options of purchasing a service or product. A well balanced mix of the two is serving well for business penetration.
Database marketing for the mobile platforms – an intrinsic resonance!
The SMS marketing continued for fairly long as a solo mobile marketing initiative. However, the deliveries from it failed to catch up with the offered optimizations from the web.
The anonymity proved to an aberrant and most of the times the user received the message or information as simply unwarranted one which also teased him. The ‘do not disturb’ type offers were therefore received well and were facilitated by the regulatory agencies in respective nations.
However, this did no reflect that there were no buyers waiting for the good deal! The inspiration for the mobile marketing continued and database driven marketing emerged as the specialized service. It is here the fine resonance is built. Database driven marketing has been developed as a broader concept but has been potentially helpful for the mobile digital marketing strategies.
Database driven marketing has more to do with the database analytics so as to establish the real distinctions and segregations in the same. Look out the simple Venn diagram above where the green portion is the target base of real and authentic value. These receivers are less likely to frown upon the emails and messages and other information served to them.
The aim is to weed out the inconsistent clients from the database of probable clients. This is fundamental to securing the effectiveness of the campaign and this idea has emerged triumphant! The entire team of analytics is employed in the back end to complete this task which is an ongoing type; for the database of consumers keep augmenting with time.
This task is a challenging one and if attempted successfully, the mobile marketing gets very potent. Fortunately, we now have very smart platforms and tools of consumer trending and analytics & these make possible the finer insights. After the responsiveness conditioning, this could be rated as the second most significant targeted intervention as for mobile marketing. This nascent field of specialization is expanding to escort the mobile digital marketing campaigns of entire diversity.
A direct result is experienced in the conversion rates of the mobile marketing strategies because the resonant users are targeted as the potential customers. Database marketing also tries to establish the best means of reaching out to the users. Since mobile marketing is a direct type effort, true resonance is established!
The web pages of mobile friendly sites and the mobile sites
Making out fluent identities at the mobile screens is secured through the responsive attributes as discussed above. More of the requisitioning is being done for the mobile friendly websites so that the growing numbers of mobile web users are not eliminated.
The task of mobile marketing is half secured when the user lands at a user friendly and swiftly navigable page that offers the touch options rather than the typing ones to move through. There should be real time adjustments as per the screen size and resolutions and dynamic options showcase to make the buy also.
The better the user experience design more would be the direct appeal at the mobile search window.
Presently, the search engines still lead due to their smart algorithms to serve the best to their users; branded web search is second. The branded search is tried to be increased through specific and targeted marketing; including in the open domains and other digital interfaces like the iconic television!
The mobile apps driven marketing cum sales
Branded apps’ share in the mobile search window is 26% and this is increasing fast; courtesy to the very specific and dedicated catering by the developers. Refined apps are being pooled in the web by the service providers; these apps directly navigate the user to the specific requirement without all the lengthy navigations and web page loading time.
This is a manifestation of secondary and tertiary ease over and above the primary one that was secured through the responsive web pages. Direct sales channels are available and can be installed as the low memory intensive programs that are operated through the simple touch icons on the mobile screens. Apps are the optimized manifestations of mobile marketing and are making the digital marketing initiatives more resurgent through direct and specific catering to the users.
Even the local businesses are riding upon the app fluencies and the local realty developer could be reached through an app where the user can find the related new projects and offers.
The above diagram shows the preference for the apps rather than the mobile sites (data courtesy – Nielsen). The share of mobile app usage has grown. Also the diagram shows that women are spending greater time at the mobile apps and mobile websites. Smart data analytics is guiding the digital marketers to base the popular product penetration strategies through the resonant mobile apps.
The only pre requisite for the app penetration in the users’ domain is the peripheral & general marketing of the brand that could be supported through other mediums as well. These could be the television, popular engagement campaigns and also by leveraging the social crazes of relevance. If this is secured, then the app would get buoyant soon; free downloading is yet another catalyst for the penetration!
Email marketing and referrals
Emails still constitute as the authentic channels of reaching out and a definite chunk of the mobile digital marketing is therefore based on the emails. The marketers are trying to optimize the response rate by making the relevant interventions along the dimensions of sophistication, customization attributes and the analytics of course.
The use of animation & videos captures the attention of the receivers and they look out for the offer displayed with more curiosity. Interactive emails are being designed that can navigate the interested receiver directly to the landing page of resonance!
Simultaneously, the data base driven analytics is also taken up for the identification of potentially responsive consumers towards the offer. This secures effectiveness of mobile marketing and email marketing integration.
The newer trends are also relying on the social crazes to build the self aggregating email referral campaigns where the brand keeps penetrating through the qualitysome social spreading of the concept. The peer to peer referral is considered more authentic rather than a mail directly landing from the vendor’s site.
Location based advertising and geo targeting
The all accessible GPS technology is used for the penetration of the advertisements among the local populace of relevance. Telephony also offers the parallel route for it. Promotional messages and emails could be sent after securing the phone details and mail account addresses.
This is sort of geo targeting which is being also carried through the authentic web service channels. The messages are sent through the GPS positioning of the mobile numbers or the telephonic ‘cell’ tracking.
There is a direct advantage which is delivered through the location based advertising during the mobile marketing initiatives. The users generally search the local choices on their mobile devices on the go and can stumble upon the desirable one in the vicinity.
This directly impacts the sales at the storefront or the service desk. Even the new visitors are being tracked by the specific segments like the cuisine and hospitality vendors of the local region. These visitors could be travelers and tourists.
Gaming based marketing
Games are the new sensations at the mobile devices and the enthusiasts are increasing in numbers in booming proportions. The game developers have worked out very innovatively to create the online multiplayer games and even the socially networked games.
There is heavy rallying and to ride upon the same, now the advertisers are sponsoring the game development and penetration. These games are rather simple such as the endless running games or the like and invite mobile device user’s time every now and then. Their reward is the ‘in game’ advertisement through the aesthetics’ features or the functionality dole outs.
Every time the banner and brand is flashed and an affinity is developed. As these games are shared through popular channels the brand achieves penetration. Desktops and gaming consoles lag in the popularity of such simpler games that require fewer skills; mobile devices on the other hand are being offered with such pre loaded games.
The above trends and interventions have offered a generic resonance between the mobile devices and digital web driven marketing. We also find the telephony marketing like through the SMSs and location specific ads.
The driving factor is the very fast tech replication of the mobile devices technology and thus the super penetration of the devices in the social domains. This has been equally augmented by the growth of commercial affinities towards the web functions.
The enterprises and service banners in the economy are maintaining vibrant web interfaces and mobile marketing strategies have come up to bridge this gap (between storefronts and social users); contingent upon which optimized potentials would be fructified. The mobile marketing investments in coming year are thus sure to rise!